Abstract
Dry-seeded delayed-flooded rice in Italy is important in some areas with high sand content. The effects of N application timing and rates on grain yield, milling yield, plant height, total biomass, harvest index (HI) and crop N content were evaluated for dry-seeded delayed-flooded rice in Italy to increase the N use efficiency and to study N fertilizer recommendations. Two widely grown non-semi-dwarf varieties were studied: Drago and Loto. Three N rates were used: 60, 120 and 180 kg N ha−1. For each rate the fertilizer was applied in seven splits across three growth stages: pre-sowing, pre-flooding and panicle differentiation. Drago produced higher yields and N application at all stages increased yield. Late N application caused the development of secondary sterile tillers, decreasing harvest index. Loto responded to earlier N applications but not to late N applications. In contrast with other trials outside Italy, pre-plant N fertilization was effective in increasing yield. Brown rice and total milled rice yields were higher for Loto. Increasing the applied N rate increased the head rice yield range. With low N no low values were recorded and variation between splits was small. With high N the highest head yield was observed with split application. Height was significantly affected by N rate and split, with a range of 65 to 92 cm and 54 to 86 cm for Drago and Loto, respectively. N application at tillering was more effective. N rate and split affected biomass and decreased HI. Crop N content at maturity was affected by late N application and by total applied fertilizer. N content in the panicle showed lower variation with N split and rate and was negatively correlated with yield. At 120 and 180 kg N ha−1 all nitrogen applied pre-flooding gave good results in both sites, but the best results were obtained with N split at pre-sowing and pre-flooding, with low yield increase moving from 120 to 180 kg N ha−1. We recommend late N applications for Drago (medium-late variety), but not for Loto (early variety).
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bacon P.E. and Heenan D.P. 1987. Nitrogen budgets for intensive rice growing in Southern Australia: Efficiency of nitrogen fertilizer for rice. IRRI, Los Banos, Philippines, pp. 89-96.
Beinroth F.H., Jones J.W., Knapp E.B., Papajorgji P. and Luyten J. 1998. Evaluation of land resources using crop models and GIS ‘Understanding option for agricultural production’. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands.
Bollich P.K., Lindau C.W. and Norman R.J. 1994. Management of fertilizer nitrogen in dry-seeded, delay-flooded rice. Austr. J. Exp. Agric. 34: 1007-1012.
Broadbent F.E. 1979. Mineralization of organic nitrogen in paddysoils. In: Nitrogen and Rice. IRRI, Los Banos, Philippines, pp. 105-118.
Budhar M.N., Palaniappan S.P. and Thiyagarian T.M. 1994. Influence of substitution of fertilizer nitrogen by green manure on growth and yield of lowland rice. SARP Research Proceedings, Nitrogen economy of irrigated rice: field and simulation study. IRRI, Philippines, and AB-DLO and TPE-WAU, Wageningen, The Netherlands, pp. 130-140.
Cassman K.G., Kropff M.J., Gaunt J. and Peng S. 1993. Nitrogen use efficiency of rice reconsidered: what are the key constraints? Plant Soil 155/156: 359-362.
Cassman K.G., Peng S. and Dobermann A. 1997. Nutritional Abdulrachphysiology of the rice plants and productivity decline of irrigated rice systems in the tropics. Soil Sci. Plant Nutr. 43: 1101-1106.
Dash R.N., Rao K.S. and Nayak S.K. 1994. Growth, yield and uptake of nitrogen by irrigated rice as affected by timing of fertilizer application. SARP Research Proceedings, Nitrogen economy of irrigated rice: field and simulation study. IRRI, Philippines, and AB-DLO and TPE-WAU, Wageningen, The Netherlands, pp. 1-13.
De Datta S.K., Buresh R.J., Samson M.I. and Kai-Rong W. 1988. Nitrogen use efficiency and nitrogen-15 balances in broadcast-seeded flooded and transplanted rice. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 52: 849-855.
de Vries Penning F.W.T., van Laar H.H. and Kropff M.J. 1991. Simulation and system analysis for rice production (SARP). Pudoc, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Furuya S. 1987. Growth diagnosis of rice plants by means of leaf color. Jpn. Agric. Res. Quart. 20: 147-153.
Guindo D., Wells B.R. and Norman R.J. 1994. Cultivar and nitrogen rate influence on nitrogen uptake and partitioning in rice. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 58: 840-845.
Hall V.L., Sims J.L. and Johnston T.H. 1968. Timing of fertilization of rice. II. Culm elongation as a guide to optimum timing of applications near midseason. Agron. J. 60: 450-453.
Heenan D. and Sykes J. 1984. Crop Nutrition. In: Rice growing in New SouthWales. Department of Agriculture and Rice Research Committee, Australia.
IRRI 1997. Rice Almanac. 2nd edn. International Rice Research Institute, Manila, Philippines, 181 pp.
Koyama T. and App A. 1979. Nitrogen balance in flooded rice soils. In: Nitrogen and Rice. IRRI, Los Banos, Philippines, pp. 95-104.
Luyten J.C. 1995. Sustainable world food production and environment. Rapport 37. AB-DLO, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Mambelli S., Dal Rio M.P. and Venturi G. 1997. Razionalizzare la concimazione azotata: ruolo della diagnosi dello stato nutrizionale della pianta. Rivist. Agron. 31: 554-564.
Matsuo T., Kumazawa K., Ishii R., Ishihara K. and Hirata H. 1995. Science of Rice Plant. Second Volume: Physiology. Food and Agricultural Policy Research Center, Tokyo, Japan, 1240 pp.
Mikkelsen D.S. and De Datta S.K. 1979. Ammonia volatilization from wetland soils. In: Nitrogen and Rice. IRRI, Los Banos, Philippines, pp. 135-156.
Moletti M., Giudici M.L., Nipoti E. and Villa B. 1990a. La concimazione azotata nella coltivazione del riso con semina interrata a file e sommersione in 2λ-3λ foglia. L’Informatore Agrario 11: 49-59.
Moletti M., Giudici M.L., Nipoti E. and Villa B. 1990b. Distanza tra le file, dosi di seme e di azoto nella coltivazione del riso con semina interrata e sommersione in 2λ-3λ foglia. L’Informatore Agrario 13: 55-61.
NSW 1997. Ricecheck. Recommendations. NSW Agriculture and the RIRDC Rice Research and Development Committee, Sydney, Australia.
Olk D.C., Cassman K.G., Simbahan G., Sta.Cruz P.C., Abdulrachman S., Nagarajan R. et al. 1999. Interpreting fertilizer-use efficiency in relation to soil nutrient-supplying capacity, facto productivity and agronomic efficiency. Nutr. Cycl. Agroecosyst. 53: 35-41.
Patnaik S. and Rao M.V. 1979. Sources of nitrogen for rice production. In: Nitrogen and Rice. IRRI, Los Banos, Philippines, pp. 25-43.
Peng S., Garcia F.V., Laza R.C., Sanico A.L., Visperas R.M. and Cassman K.G. 1996. Increased N-use efficiency using chlorophyll meter on high yielding irrigated rice. Field Crop Res. 47: 243-252.
Spanu A. and Pruneddu G. 1997. Rice (Oryza sativaL.) yield and increasing nitrogen rates. Agr. Med. 127: 166-172.
Stutterheim N.C., Barbier J.M. and Nougaredes B. 1994. The efficiency of fertilizer nitrogen in irrigated, direct seeded rice (Oryza sativaL.) in Europe. Fert. Res. 37: 235-244.
ten Berge H.F.M., Kropff M.J. and Aggarwal P.K. 1997. Application of Rice Modelling. Field Crop Res. 51 Editorial: 1-3.
ten Berge H.F.M., Wopereis M.C.S., Reithoven J.J.M. and Drendth H. 1994. Description of the Oryza-0 modules (version 20). SARP Research Proceedings, ORYZA simulation modules for potential and nitrogen limited rice production. IRRI, Philippines, and AB-DLO and TPE-WAU, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
USDA 1990. Soil Taxonomy. Soil Survey Staff, Washington, DC.
Wallihan E.F. and Moomaw J.C. 1967. Selection of index leaf for studying the critical concentration of nitrogen in rice plants. Agron. J. 59: 473-474.
Wells B.R. and Johnston T.H. 1970. Differential response of rice varieties to timing of mid-season nitrogen applications. Agron. J. 62: 608-612.
Wilson C.E., Bollich P.K. and Norman R.J. 1998. Nitrogen application timing effects on nitrogen efficiency of dry-seeded rice. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 62: 959-964.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Biloni, M., Bocchi, S. Nitrogen application in dry-seeded delayed-flooded rice in Italy. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems 67, 117–128 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1025552703700
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1025552703700