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Optimizing tillage schedule for maintaining activity of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal population in a rainfed upland rice (Oryza sativa L.) agro-ecosystem

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Abstract

Rainfed uplands in India are predominantly mono-cropped with rice (Oryza sativa L.) in the wet season (June/July to September/October) and grown under aerobic soil conditions. The remaining fallow period (winter followed by summer) of about 8–9 months leads to natural crash in the population of native arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in the soil. Attempts have been made to minimize this population crash by reducing soil disturbance-induced deleterious effects on native AMF activity of improperly scheduled off-season tillage, an agronomic recommendation for weed and disease (soil-borne) management, practiced by the upland farmers. On-farm (farmers' field) evaluation of effects of all suitable off-season tillage schedule combinations on rice during wet seasons of 2004, 2005, and 2006 revealed that a maximum of two off-season tillage schedules with a minimum gap of 13 weeks between them minimized the population crash of native AMF with a concomitant increase in phosphorus (P) uptake and grain yield of upland rice (variety “Vandana”).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Central Rainfed Upland Rice Research Station (Central Rice Research Institute, ICAR), PB 48, Hazaribag, 825 301, Jharkhand, India

    D. Maiti, M. Variar & R. K. Singh

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  1. D. Maiti
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  2. M. Variar
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  3. R. K. Singh
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Correspondence to D. Maiti.

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Maiti, D., Variar, M. & Singh, R.K. Optimizing tillage schedule for maintaining activity of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal population in a rainfed upland rice (Oryza sativa L.) agro-ecosystem. Mycorrhiza 21, 167–171 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00572-010-0324-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00572-010-0324-4

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