Effectiveness of current fertilizer recommendations for irrigated rice in integrated crop-livestock systems

Abstract

Irrigated rice in the state of Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil) has shown significant growth in yield in recent years due to improved management practices, especially in regard to fertilizer use. However, the response curves that led to the current fertilizer recommendations do not consider integrated systems prevailing in rice-producing regions that have adopted the practice of integrated crop-livestock systems. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of current fertilizer recommendations for irrigated rice in lowland soils in Rio Grande do Sul under integrated crop-livestock systems for different periods of time. The experiments were performed in the 2012/2013 growing season on four farms in the state with different forage species under cattle grazing. In these areas, fertilizer recommendations were made based on previous soil analyses, and treatments consisted of fractions of the currently recommended application rates. At the end of the crop cycle, the percentages of maximum technical efficiency (PMTE) and maximum economic efficiency (PMEE) of NPK fertilizers, and increases in yield and net income provided by PMEE were determined. Rice yield increased and fertilizer response decreased over time in a rice-beef cattle integrated system. The highest incomes with fertilization of irrigated rice occurred at lower application rates than those recommended by soil analysis.