APPROPRIATE TIME OF NITROGEN APPLICATION TO FINE RICE, ORYZA SATIVA

Abstract

These studies were carried out at Rice Research Institute, Kala Shah Kaku, Lahore, Pakistan for three successive years from 2000 to 2002 to investigate the best scheme of splitting nitrogen at different growth stages of rice variety, Super Basmati. Four N treatments were studied i.e. whole N applied at transplanting (T), 1/2 N at transplanting +1/2 N al panicle initiation (Tz), 172 N at 50 % tillering (8-12 tillers / fill) + 1/2 N at panicle initiation (Ta) and 1/3 N at transplanting + 1/3 N at 50 % tillering (8-12 tillers / hill) + 1/3 N at panicle initiation (Ts). The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design with three replications. The treatment of N applied in three equal splits (Ts) showed maximum plant height (137.7 cm), number of productive tillers per hill (22.92). panicle length (28.38 cm). number of grains per panicle (129.8), 1000-grain weight (22.87 g), straw yield (7.94 t/ha) and paddy yield (4.41 ¥ha). This treatment remained significantly better than all other treatments for 1000-grain weight, straw yield and paddy yield and was at par with T, with respect to plant height, number of productive tillers per hill, panicle length and number of grains per panicle. The lowest straw yield (5.62 t/ha) and paddy yield (3.19 t/ha) were recorded In Ty (full dose of nitrogen applied at transplanting)