Response of irrigated rice cultivars to nitrogen

Abstract

Rice cultivars (Oryza sativa L.) response to nitrogen may vary under waterlogged conditions. The objective of this work was to evaluate the response of three new rice cultivars grown under irrigation, taking into account yield components. Two field experiments were carried out at Mococa, SP, Brazil, during 1997/98 and 1998/99, on a Typic Endoaquept. The experimental design was a split plot with four replications. The main plots received the N rates (0, 50, 100, and 150 kg ha-1) and the sub plots were represented by rice cultivars (IAC 101, IAC 102 and IAC 104). Nitrogen fertilizer was applied as urea, 33% at seedling transplantation and 33% 20 and 40 days latter. Cultivars responded significantly to N application and the average yield for three cultivars at higher N rates was more than 8 t ha-1. Cultivars IAC 104 and IAC 101 presented higher grain yield than 'IAC 102', although all of them presented a marked response to N fertilizer application. Adequate rates of N were 140 kg ha-1 for IAC 101 and 150 kg ha-1 for 'IAC 102' and 'IAC 104'. The 1000 grain weight and panicle length of three cultivars were significantly affected by N treatments. The length of the panicles was the component more closely correlated grain yield.