Enhancement of Growth, Yield and Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Rice Under the Application of Coated Urea
Abstract:
The nitrogen losses from applied Nitrogen fertilizers are around 50% and contribute significantly to low nitrogen use efficiency. The use of coated fertilizer decreases the ammonia volatilization loss and thus could be an easy tool to increase nitrogen use efficiency. A study was therefore conducted to assess the impact of four levels of nitrogen (0, 50, 75, and 100% STCR N) coated with six materials (potassium chloride, sulphur, iron pyrite, gypsum, and fly-ash along with uncoated urea) on growth, yield and nitrogen use efficiency of rice. The tiller density (524 no/m2), SPAD value (42.80), productive tillers (491 no/m2), number of grains per panicle (231), panicle length (23.75 cm), 1000 grain weight (15.67 g), grain yield (6582 kg/ha) and straw yield (7590 kg/ha) were more under the application of 100% STCR recommended N. However, the coated N fertilizer, coated urea increases the foresaid growth and yield parameters than the uncoated urea. Among the coated N fertilizers, fly-ash coated urea produced the maximum tiller density (441 no/m2), SPAD value (38.63), productive tillers (440 no/m2), number of grains per panicle (208), panicle length (22.78 cm), 1000 grain weight (14.56 g), grain yield (6102 kg/ha) and straw yield (7477 kg/ha). The 50% STCR recommended N as fly-ash coated urea enhanced nitrogen agronomic use efficiency by 43.45%, nitrogen recovery efficiency by 52.76%, and partial factor productivity by 18.30% compared to control. Therefore the application of 50% STCR recommended N as fly-ash coated urea is recommended to increase its use efficiency and decreasing ammonia volatilization losses besides in rice.