Open AccessWeeding Frequencies Improve Soil Available Nitrogen in Organic Paddy Field
Author(s) -
Margi Asih Maimunah,
Valensi Kautsar,
Putu Oki Bimantara,
Samuel Munyaka Kimani,
Asih Indah Utami,
Riza Kurnia Sabri,
Keitaro Tawaraya,
Sri Nuryani Hidayah Utami,
Benito Heru Purwanto,
Weiguo Cheng
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
planta tropika
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2528-7079
pISSN - 0216-499X
DOI - 10.18196/pt.v10i1.12707
Subject(s) - paddy field , nitrogen , transplanting , field experiment , agronomy , environmental science , chemistry , biology , seedling , organic chemistry
Appropriate weeds control is needed against weeds constraints in field, especially the organic field. With the appropriate management, weeding would benefit the organic field not only in reducing weeds but also in increasing nitrogen (N) availability in organic rice fields. This research aims to observe soil available N changes affected by weeding frequencies in organic paddy fields. Treatments applied were five weeding frequencies (WF) such as 0 WF, 2 WF, 4 WF, 6 WF, and 8 WF, to study the effect of various weeding frequencies on soil total N and available N ( NH4+ and NO3–) in the organic rice field. The soil in the conventional field was analyzed as a comparison to organic field soil. The results showed that soil C and N contents are similar in all treatments. Meanwhile, 6 WF performed the highest soil NH4+ among organic plots (10.36 mg N kg–1) and 8 WF enhanced soil NO3– to the highest average among all plots (10.12 mg N kg–1). The treatment of 6 WF and 8 WF also maintain the increase of soil NH4+ to 51 days after transplanting (DAT), meanwhile 0 WF, 2 WF, and 4 WF decreased after 40 DAT. Water samples from fields inlet-outlet and river showed that NH4+ content found in water sample was higher than NO3–. We concluded that the more frequencies of weeding applied to organic fields potentially preserved soil inorganic N longer, which is very important in supporting rice growth.