Study on difference in morphological, physiological and yield parameters with two different levels of nitrogen in rice genotypes

Abstract

Rice is the one of the major staple food crop across the world. With growing population the rice productivity has to be increased from present 2.05 t/ha to 3.3 - 4.05t/ha in the next 40 years to keep pace with the increasing demand for rice. This is achieved with increased input levels especially the fertilizers. However, an excessive application of chemical fertilizer often leads to a series of environmental problems. Nitrogen (N) is the key major nutrient element required in large quantities by rice. Only 30– 40% of the applied N reaches the plant and the remaining is lost to the environment. N is lost through ammonia volatilization, denitrification, surface runoff and leaching in irrigated lowland rice cultivation. Leaching of nitrogen may lead to water contamination and eutrophication of water bodies. Thus, developing rice varieties that are less dependent on the heavy application of N fertilizers is essential for the sustainable agriculture production.