Rice plays an important role in Indian agriculture, and it is the staple food for more than 60% of the population. Rice accounts for 42% of all food grain production and 45% of cereal production. India cultivates rice on 46.37 million hectares, the most of any rice-producing country, with an annual yield of approximately 130.29 million tonnes and a productivity of 2.8 t ha-1 (MAFW, 2022). Rice is grown on 2.2 million hectares in Tamil Nadu, with an annual production of 8.65 million tonnes and an average productivity of 3.93 tonnes per hectare. Out of the total rice production in India, only 14.29 Mt comes from dry-season (rabi) rice, and the rest from wet-season (kharif) rice. (Mondal et al., 2021). Rice yields are dropping due to poor soil health, imbalanced fertiliser use, a lack of suitable rice types, pest infestation, and frequent floods and droughts. Inadequate provision of macro- and micronutrients affects rice growth and production. (Datta et al., 2017). Similarly, due to their low nutrient status, utilising organic nutrient management alone will not result in increased crop yield. To address these concerns and improve crop yield and sustainability, an integrated approach that recognises the role of soil as a storehouse of essential nutrients and encourages its efficient management is required. (Parven et al., 2020).
