Effect of Site Specific N Management and Different Crop Establishment Methods on Tillering Ability and Dry Matter Accumulation in Rice

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is the second most important staple food crop of world and prime staple food crop of India. Rice (Oryza sativa L.) and rice-based cropping systems are integral part of agriculture whose spread and extent is predominant across the countries. The productivity and sustainability of rice-based systems are threatened by the inefficient use of inputs (fertilizer), increasing scarcity of especially water, climate variability and availability of labour. Method of establishment and N management practices influences the performance of rice through its effect on growth and development. A field experiment was conducted during kharif 2021-22 and 2022-23 at ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad to study the “Effect of site specific N management and different crop establishment methods on tillering ability and dry matter accumulation in rice”.The experiment was laid out in split plot design with three crop establishment methods [Manual transplanting (M1) mechanical transplanting (M2) and wet direct seeded rice (M3)] in main plots and five nitrogen management practices [S1- Recommended nitrogen dose (RND), S2-Leafcolorchart (LCC), S3-Nutrient Expert (NE), S4-Greenseeker (GS), S5-Soil test crop Response STCR] in sub-plots with three replications. The results revealed that under crop establishment methods, mechanical transplanting recorded higher tiller bearing capacity per m-2 (384,446 and 415 m-2) as well dry matter production (kg ha-1) (13927, 14395 and 14161) while in nitrogen management practices soil test crop response STCR recorded higher tiller production ability per m-2 (414,468 and441m-2) and drymatterproductio (kg ha-1) (13949, 14772 and 14360 kg ha-1). The results suggest that timely transplanting of younger seedlings, appropriate N management practice based on STCR achieved better crop stand with higher tillering ability and dry matter production efficiency.