Comparison of Organic vs Inorganic Fertilizers on Germination and Growth of Bijinbira and Jirani Bazawara Rice Varieties

Background and Objective: Rice is a staple crop critical to global food security, yet sustainable fertilizer management remains challenging. While organic and inorganic fertilizers are widely used, their specific impacts on germination and early growth of different rice varieties are poorly understood. This study evaluates the effects of these fertilizers on the germination and growth of Bijinbira and Jirani Bazawara rice varieties, addressing a key gap in knowledge and contributing to sustainable agricultural practices. Materials and Methods: Samples of Bijinbira and Jirani Bazawara rice seeds were obtained from Dankure Market. Poultry droppings from Dankure market. Cow dung and NPK fertilizer were collected from the Kara market. The rice seeds were assessed using a water flotation test. The experiment used a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with four treatments: Cow dung, poultry droppings, NPK fertilizer, and a control (no fertilizer) over five weeks. Germination was assessed by counting seeds with the first count on the fifth day to measure seed vigor and the final count on the tenth day for the germination percentage. The length and width of seeds from each treatment group were measured using a digital caliper. Descriptive statistics (mean and SD) were calculated for germination percentages, seed lengths, and widths, followed by independent t-tests to compare means between two rice varieties, with significance set at p<0.05. The ANOVA and post hoc Tukey’s HSD tests were used to analyze and identify significant differences (p<0.05) in germination rates across treatments. Results: The germination percentages of Bijinbira and Jirani Bazawara showed significant variation, with Bijinbira achieving the highest germination rate of (90.00%) under combined poultry and cow dung, while the control treatment exhibited the lowest germination at (30.00%). Seed length and width were also measured, with Jirani Bazawara seeds recording the highest seed length (10.15 mm) and Bijinbira seeds achieving the widest seed width (2.21 mm). The results indicate that organic fertilizers, particularly poultry droppings and cow dung, enhance germination and seed development more effectively than inorganic fertilizers. The findings align with previous research supporting the use of organic fertilizers to improve plant growth in nutrient-deficient soils. Conclusion: This study concludes that organic inputs are more beneficial for the early growth stages of these rice varieties and recommends further research into optimizing fertilizer application rates. Farmers are encouraged to adopt organic fertilizers to improve crop productivity sustainably.