Effect of Nano-Urea Based Nitrogen Application on the Growth, Phenology and Yield of Direct Seeded Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Abstract

As large quantum of urea is used in the rice crop, there is a need to reduce atleast some portion of prilled urea to minimize the nitrogen losses besides improving the growth and yield of rice. With this rationale, a field experiment was carried out in the Kharif season of 2022 at the Agronomy Research Farm in Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology- Kashmir, India to study the efficiency of Nano-urea over prilled urea in direct-seeded rice. The experimental study comprised of nine treatments viz.,T0 (Control), T1 (recommended dose of prilled urea), T2 (NU 2 sprays at 6 ml L-1 at AT and PI stage), T3 (NU 2 sprays at 8 ml L-1 at AT and PI stage), T4 (50 % RDPU as basal + NU 2 sprays at 2 ml L-1 at AT and PI stage), T5 (50 % RDPU as basal + NU 2 sprays at 4 ml L-1 at AT and PI stage), T6 (25 % RDPU as basal + NU 2 sprays at 2 ml L-1 at AT and PI stage), T7 (25 % RDPU as basal + NU 2 sprays at 4 ml L-1 at AT and PI stage), T8 (25 % RDPU as basal + NU 2 sprays at 6 ml L-1 at AT and PI stage) and T9 (25 % RDPU as basal + NU 2 sprays at 8 ml L-1 at AT and PI stage) which were arranged in randomized complete block design and replicated three times. These treatments included the application of Nano-urea in addition to conventional nitrogen dosages of 120 kg ha-1 and control treatments (no application). T5 (50 % RDPU as basal + NU 2 sprays at 4 ml L-1 at AT and PI stage) was the treatment that most significantly improved growth characteristics out of all of them, with a notable achievement of a Leaf Area Index (LAI) of 4.51. In addition, T5 performed superior to other treatments in yield-related parameters like panicle weight (2.69 g), yield (66.57 q ha-1). These findings demonstrate the significant potential of Nano-urea to maximize nitrogen use and increase yield in direct-seeded rice farming systems.