This study analyzed the growth and nutrient uptake of traditional rice cultivars grown in Sri Lanka's Midcountry Wet Zone with compost. It found that while Sudu Heenati had the highest leaf area, plant height, and biomass, there were no significant differences in yield between the varieties. Baranigala performed well and had lower inputs, making it a suitable low-input variety for the region. The study aims to identify traditional rice varieties that provide high yields with reduced fertilizer and chemical use.

1. STUDIES ON THE GROWTH AND NUTRIENT
UPTAKE OF SELECTED TRADITIONAL RICE
CULTIVARS GROWN IN THE MIDCOUNTRY
WETZONE OF SRILANKA.
.
Wijekoon W.M.M.R.B
Department of Crop Science
University of Peradeniya.

2. -Rice is the staple food that occupying 34% (0.77 million ha) of
the total cultivated area in Sri Lanka. (Department of Census and
Statistic)
other crops
66%
Rice
cultivation
34%
-The average annual extent sown with rice to about
870,000 ha. (Department of Census and Statistic)
Yala Maha 560,000 ha310,000 ha
-About 1.8 million farm families are engaged in paddy cultivation
island-wide. (Department of Census and Statistic)
Introduction

3. - Heading to Surplus of rice production. (Department of Census and
Statistic)
year Requirement(MT) Production (MT) Difference (MT)
2007 3,131,000 3,256,000 1,25,000
2008 3,875,000 3,993,000 1,18,000
2009 3,652,000 3,745,000 93,000
-For new improved varieties farmers use high inputs.
inputs
fertilizers
Agro
chemicals
machinery
labor
- Surplus of rice production leads to low market price.
41,000 RS/acre

4. - agro chemicals and fertilizer pollute environment.
-Low input traditional rice cultivar reduce the expenses on
high inputs and reduce environment pollution.
-In low potential areas, even if farmer use high input cannot get
high yield.

5. - study of growth parameters and ( Nitrogen, Potassium , Phosphorus )
content traditional rice varieties.
-Determine a suitable traditional rice variety by measuring growth
component and Nitrogen, Potassium ,Phosphorus) content.
General Objective
Specific Objectives

6. Location-
The experiment was conducted Manikkawa, Pilimathalawa,
Mid Country wet zone.
Treatments-
Materials and Methods
T1 -Baranigala with compost 5000Kg/ha.
T2 -Kirimurunga with compost 5000Kg/ha.
T3- sudu heenati with compost 5000Kg/ha.
T4– Kalu heenati with compost 5000Kg/ha.
T5 -BG 300 with compost 5000Kg/ha.
T6 - BG 300 with Recommended Fertilizers (control).
-plot size – 2m*5m
-Seed paddy broad cast - 75 kg/ha

7. -Experimental design
Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) in three
blocks with three replicates.
-Observation
-Plant height
-leaf area
-root length
-biomass
-Plant Nitrogen content
-Plant Potassium content
-Plant Phosphorus content

8. Growth parameter-
-Leaf area
-Plant height
-shoot dry weight
-root dry weight
-root length
-plant biomass
-Number of leaves
Nutrient uptake by plants
Data analysis-
-Data analysis was done using analysis of variance(ANOVA)
Observations and Measurements
Result and Discussion

9. Plant height
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
34 41 48 55 milky harvesting
palntheight(cm)
days after sowing
Baranigala
Kirimurunga
sudu heenati
Kaluheenati
BG 300 with compost
BG 300 with fertilizer

10. Average Leaf Area (cm2)
Treatment 34 (DAS) 41 (DAS) 48 (DAS) 55 (DAS) Heading Harvesting
Baranigala 35.56b 47.94a 53.13c 71.28c 86.14c 57.54c
Kirimurunga 41.76a 59.65a 61.55c 71.92c 115.25b 49.49d
suduheenati 36.12b 46.66ab 64.24b 126.68a 170.52a 92.53a
Kaluheenati 22.14c 48.25a 74.25a 110.35b 87.58c 69.22a
BG 300 with
compost
28.02c 34.53c 69.16b 105.36b 168.56a 52.29d
BG 300 with
Fertilizers
45.53a 52.62a 75.2a 134.26a 174.56a 78.54b
Means in a column with the different superscripts are significantly different (P<0.05)
DAS-days after sowing

11. Average Root Length (cm)
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
34 41 48 55 milky harvesting
Rootlength(cm)
days after sowing
Baranigala
Kirimurunga
sudu heenati
Kaluheenati
BG 300 with compost
BG 300 with fertilizer

12. Biomass (g)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
34 41 48 55 milky harvesting
palntbiomass(g)
days after sowing
Baranigala
Kirimurunga
sudu heenati
Kaluheenati
BG 300 with compost
BG 300 with fertilizer

13. Nitrogen content (root+leaf+stem)
Treatment 34 (DAS) 41 (DAS) 48 (DAS) 55 (DAS) Milky Harvesting
Baranigala 6.25c 9.52a 10.92a 15.96a 17.92a 6.72b
Kirimurunga 5.92c 8.68ab 7.84cd 11.48c 17.64a 5.88b
Sudu heenati 7.16a 7.56b 8.68c 11.67c 17.36a 6.16b
Kalu heenati 6.86b 7.56b 6.16d 10.64c 12.04b 4.76c
BG 300 with
compost
7.18a 7.28b 8.12c 15.45a 11.76b 7.84a
BG 300 with
Fertilizers
6.51b 9.52a 9.24b 12.88b 11.48c 8.12a
Means in a column with the different superscripts are significantly different (P<0.05)
Nitrogen content-mg N g-1 dry mater
DAS-days after sowing

14. Potassium content (drymater)
Treatment 34 (DAS) 41 (DAS) 48 (DAS) 55 (DAS) Milky Harvesting
Baranigala 4325.25a 4584.25a 3738.55b 4965.35a 4371.65b 3211.8c
Kirimurunga 3104.25b 3525.25c 3000.5c 3949.6c 4055.1b 4688.15b
suduheenati 3102.25b 3254.25c 3524.25b 3211.9c 4266.6b 4793.65b
Kaluheenati 3852.25b 4102.25b 3844.1b 4431.25b 4621.35b 4899.2ab
BG 300 with
compost
3425.25b 3625.25b 4793.65a 3949.6b 5110.2a 5004.7b
BG 300 with
Fertilizers
4215.25a 4425.68a 4582.6a 4935.25a 4477.15b 5412.35a
Means in a column with the different superscripts are significantly different (P<0.05)
Potassium content-µg P g-1 drymater
DAS-days after sowing

15. Phosphorus content(drymater)
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
2000
34 41 48 55 milky harvesting
μgPg-1ofdrymater
days after sowing
Baranigala
Kirimurunga
sudu heenati
Kaluheenati
BG 300 with compost
BG 300 with fertilizer

16. Baranigala-86.14 cm2
BG 300 with fertilizer-174.52 cm2
But there is NO significant difference in yield
Baranigala-4.51 g
BG 300 with fertilizer-7.89 g
But there is NO significant difference in yield
Leaf area
Biomass

17. Kirimurunga-125.5 cm
Baranigala- 79.1 cm
BG 300 with fertilizer-89.2 cm
Sudu heenati-144.2 cm
But there is NO significant difference in yield.
Plant height

18. Baranigala can be a suitable low input variety
foe Mid Country Wet Zone.
Conclusion