COMPARATIVE EFFECTS OF ORGANIC AND INORGANIC FERTILIZERS ON PHENOLOGY AND YIELD STABILITY OF IRRIGATED RICE IN KANO, NIGERIA
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Efficient fertilizer management remains critical for improving the productivity and sustainability of irrigated rice systems in sub-Saharan Africa. This study evaluated the performance, canopy dynamics, and yield stability of irrigated rice (Oryza sativa L.) under inorganic and organic fertilizer regimes within the Kano River Irrigation Scheme (KRIS), northern Nigeria. On-farm experiments were conducted across three local government areas during the 2020 and 2021 dry seasons using a randomized complete block design on farmers’ fields. Four fertilizer treatments were assessed: farmer practice, recommended NPK-Urea application, poultry manure, and cow manure, using FARO 44 as the test variety. Results showed that organic amendments, particularly poultry and cow manure, enhanced tillering efficiency and canopy development compared with inorganic fertilizer and farmer practice. Poultry manure recorded the highest leaf area index (LAI) and grain yield, while cow manure exhibited superior biomass partitioning to grain, as revealed by the highest harvest index. In contrast, inorganic fertilizer and farmer practice demonstrated greater year-to-year yield stability. Relative yield advantage analysis indicated a yield gain of 6.4% under poultry manure compared with farmer practice, whereas cow manure resulted in a slight yield reduction. These findings highlight trade-offs between yield maximization, canopy persistence, and yield stability among fertilizer regimes. Suggesting that integrating organic nutrient sources with improved fertilizer management can improve rice productivity while promoting sustainable intensification in irrigated systems of northern Nigeria.
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