Effect of Seedling Age and Nitrogen Fertilizer on Growth, Chlorophyll Content, Yield and Economics of Hybrid Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

A field experiment was conducted during kharif season of 2010 and 2011 to investigate the optimization of nitrogen levels under different age of seedlings transplanted on growth, chlorophyll content, yield and economics of hybrid rice. Fifteen treatment combinations consisted of three levels of seedlings age (10, 20 and 30 days) and five levels of nitrogen viz. N0, N50, N100, N150 and N200 kg ha. Seedlings age had marked effect on all the growth, chlorophyll content and yield attributing traits. Transplanting of 10 days seedlings showed significantly highest grain yield of 5575 and 5946 kg ha in 2010 and 2011, respectively. The percentage of grain yields an increase of 10.7 and 21.3 per cent in first year and 10.6 and 21 per cent in second year over 20 and 30 days seedlings respectively. Among of the nitrogen levels N200 kg ha gave significant higher Plant height, panicle initiation, Number of tillers hill, total chlorophyll content, panicle length and straw yield and nitrogen levels N150 kg ha gave significant higher Number of effective tillers, effective tiller index, panicle weight, filled grain panicle, 1000 grain weight, grain yield, and harvest index as compared to N0, N50, N100 during both years. N150 kg ha produced significantly highest grain yield of 6286 and 6652 kg ha in 2010 and 2011, respectively. The percentage of grain yields an increase of 72.5, 44.4, 23.8 and 5.1 per cent in first year and 69.9, 44.1, 22.1 and 3.5 per cent in second year over N0, N50, N100 and N200 kg ha respectively.