Nitrogen fertiliser and establishment method affect growth, yield and nitrogen use efficiency of rice under alternate wetting and drying irrigation

Abstract

AbstractSustainable rice production through selection of best suitable cultivar, water‐efficient crop establishment method and optimum nitrogen (N) management practice is needed to feed the growing world population. Two polyhouse experiments were conducted to evaluate the response of rice to different rates and schedules of N application under different establishment methods subjected to alternate wetting and drying (AWD) irrigation. In the first experiment, the response of two rice cultivars (Pathumthani 1, RD57) under three establishment methods (transplanting [TP], wet direct seeding [WDS], dry direct seeding [DDS]) and five N rates (0 [N0], 30 [N30], 60 [N60], 90 [N90], 120 [N120] kg ha−1) was evaluated. The second experiment consisted of the same cultivars and establishment methods, but with four N application schedules (T1: 100% at basal; T2: 75% + 25% at basal and at active tillering, respectively; T3: 50% + 25% + 25% at basal, at active tillering and at panicle initiation, respectively; and T4: 25% + 25% + 25% + 25% each at basal, at active tillering, at panicle initiation and at early flowering or just before heading starts) applied at the rate of N60 kg ha−1. Plants were maintained under AWD irrigation (soil was saturated by applying water whenever soil water potential drops to −5 kPa during the implementation period) in both experiments. RD57 performed better than Pathumthani 1 having higher shoot dry matter, panicle number, grain yield, total N uptake and apparent N recovery efficiency. TP gave better response than WDS and DDS regardless of cultivars. Application of N120 resulted in better growth, yield and its components and total N uptake regardless of establishment methods and cultivars. Increasing N rate decreased N use efficiency (NUE). Scheduling the interval of N application to two or three times (T2 or T3) for RD57 and Pathumthani 1, respectively, provided overall better results, and could be recommended for the tested rice cultivars. An optimal N rate and selection of critical growth stages for N application would be very effective for maximising yield and NUE under the water‐saving cultivation technique of AWD irrigation.