Genotype selection and addition of fertilizer increases grain yield in upland rice in Suriname

ABSTRACT The upland rice farmers in Suriname use local varieties and low level technologies in the field. As a result, the upland rice grain yield is low, at about 1 000 kg ha-1. Our objective was to evaluate the use of upland rice cultivars from Suriname and Brazil, and the effect of nitrogen, N, phosphorus, P, and potassium, K, fertilizers on cultivation variables. We undertook four field trials in the Victoria Area, in the Brokopondo District, using a randomized block design each with four replications. The most productive rice varieties were BRS Esmeralda (grain yield 2 903 kg ha-1) and BRS Sertaneja (2 802 kg ha-1). The highest grain yield of 2 620 kg ha-1 was achieved with a top dressing application of 76.41 kg N ha-1 20 days after sowing. For P, the highest grain yield of 3 085 kg ha-1 was achieved with application of 98.06 kg ha-1 P2O5 applied at sowing. An application rate of 31.45 kg ha-1 of K2O at sowing achieved the highest grain yield of 2 952 kg ha-1. Together, these application rates of N, P and K resulted in rice grain yield of about 3 000 kg ha-1, which is three times greater than the national average for upland rice. We demonstrate that the use of improved rice varieties matched to the local conditions, and application of appropriate fertilizers, are management practices that can result in significant increases in rice grain yield in Suriname.