Influence of seedling age, source and schedule of nitrogen application on rice (Oryza sativa)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during dry seasons (rabi) of 1992 and 1993 to study the effect of 3 ages of seedlings (30,45 and 60 days old), 2 nitrogen sources (prilled urea and large granular urea) and their schedules of application, namely control; basal; 2 splits (50% basal + 50% panicle initiation); 2 splits (75% basal + 25% panicle initiation) and 3 splits (50% basal + 25% tillering + 25% panicle initiation stage) on growth, grain yield and economic returns of rice (Oryza sativa L.) variety Rasi. Thirty and forty-five days old seedlings recorded significantly higher grain yield (13 to 15%) than that of the 60 days old seedlings. Large granular urea recorded significantly higher grain yield over that of prilled urea. Among different schedules of N application, 3 splits of N application gave significantly higher grain yield (5.50 tlha) over rest of the schedules of N applications.