Influence of magnetic water and humic substances on root characteristics of upland rice

A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of magnetic water and humic acid on the root parameters of upland rice. The experiment was conducted during late Rabi season of 2020-’21 at Instructional Farm, College of Agriculture, Vellayani. The design of the study was Randomised block design with (2x3x2)+1 treatments replicated thrice. The treatments comprised combinations of magnetic strength of water (m₁: 1000 G, and m₂: 2000 G), application techniques of humic acid (a₁: soil application, a₂: foliar spray, and a₃: soil + foliar application) and herbicide application (h₁: bispyribac sodium @ 25g ha^-1 at 15-20 DAS fb fenoxaprop ethyl @ 60 g ha^-1 at 35-40 DAS, h₂: bispyribac sodium 25g ha^-1 at 15-20 DAS fb cyhalofop butyl @ 80g ha^-1 at 35-40 DAS.), compared against a control (Package of practices recommendations of Kerala Agricultural University with two hand-weedings at 15 and 30 DAS). The variety used was Prathyasa, a short duration rice variety. The root depth, root volume and root weight of randomly selected plants were recorded at 20 DAS and 40 DAS. The results revealed that the root depth, root volume and root weight of the plants were significantly influenced by the treatments studied. The magnetic strength application of 2000G (m₂), soil+foliar application of humic acid (a₃) and bispyribac sodium 25g ha^-1 at 15-20 DAS fb cyhalofop butyl @ 80g ha^-1 at 35-40 DAS (h₂) and their treatment combination recorded the superior root parameters. The experimental results showed that the combined application of 2000G magnetic strength, soil + foliar application of humic acid @ at 20 kg ha^-1 and 0.1%, respectively at basal, active tillering and panicle initiation stages and weed management by application of bispyribac sodium 25g ha^-1 at 15-20 DAS fb cyhalofop butyl @ 80g ha^-1 at 35-40 DAS recorded the superior root parameters.