A field experiment was conducted at the experimental area of Caraga State University, Butuan City, the Philippines, to determine the effects of different soil nutrient management practices on soil fertility, plant nutrition, productivity, and rice profitability. There were six fertilizer management guidelines evaluated, namely: T1-Control, T2-Farmers Fertilizer Practice (FFP), T3-Soil-test-based (STB) fertilizer application, T4-Rice Crop Manager (RCM), T5-Organic Fertilizer+ Nitrogen (OF+N), and T6-sole OF. Results showed that OF and OF+N application substantially increased soil fertility after harvest while STB and OF+N increased tissue N and K uptake. STB fertilizer application markedly increased grain yield and profit by 31% and 30% over the control. In comparison, grain yield in the RCM and FFP increased by 24% and 22%. Furthermore, profit increased by 17% and 20% in RCM and FFP, respectively. Further, the OF+N application boosted rice productivity and profitability. The OF+N treatment increased the yield and profit by 26% and 7%. Conversely, the control and the sole OF treatments got the lowest yield and profits. Based on the results, STB treatment was the most productive and profitable nutrient management practice with a 4.95 t/ha yield and ?41,040.00 net income.
Key words: nutrient management, soil-test-based fertilizer, rice crop manager, rice productivity, rice profitability
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