Dynamics of dry matter and nitrogen distribution in transplanted rice on mollisols

Abstract

We studied the dynamics of dry matter (DM) and nitrogen (N) distribution in different plant parts (leaf, stem, and panicle) and grain yield of transplanted rice due to N management practices through neem coated urea (NCU). The results indicated that application of NCU at 125% recommended dose of N (RDN) with 50:25:25 split schedule at basal (B), active tillering (AT), and panicle initiation (PI) stages resulted in higher DM and N distribution to leaf, stem, and panicle at 60 and 90 days after transplanting and harvest than the application of prilled urea at 100% RDN with the same split schedule (existing practice). Further, the increment in grain yield was 10.95% than the existing practice. Hence, we suggest the application of NCU at 125% RDN with 50:25:25 split schedule at B, AT, and PI stages for achieving higher DM and grain yield on Mollisols.

Keywords:

• dry matter accumulation
• neem coated urea
• nitrogen accumulation
• transplanted rice
• yield

Acknowledgments

The first author thanks the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi, India, for financial assistantship in the form of Junior Research Fellowship during his M.Sc. program. All authors duly acknowledge the ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research, Hyderabad, India, for the financial assistantship, and Directorate of Experiment Station, G. B. P. U. A. & T., Pantnagar, Uttarakhand, India, for providing the facilities to conduct the experiment.