Loading...

Crop Research

Optimising sufficiency index threshold for nitrogen scheduling to enhance growth and productivity of transplanted rice 


DOI: 10.31830/2454-1761.2026.CR-1114    | Article Id: CR-1114 | Page : 239-245
Citation :- Optimising sufficiency index threshold for nitrogen scheduling to enhance growth and productivity of transplanted rice. Crop Res. 61: 239-245
GIDIJALA LIKHITA BHAVANI, LALICHETTI SAGAR, MASINA SAIRAM, KARUKURI VISHNU, SHAIK RISHITHA, B. PAVAN KUMAR NAIK AND SAGAR MAITRA lalichetti.sagar@cutm.ac.in
Address : M. S. Swaminathan School of Agriculture, Centurion University of Technology and Management, Odisha-761211, India
Submitted Date : 4-05-2026
Accepted Date : 9-06-2026
Online Published:

Abstract

Efficient nitrogen management plays a key role in determining rice productivity. Conventional practices of N application were often prone to losses, resulting in low nitrogen use efficiency. The sufficiency index (SI) threshold-based N management using a chlorophyll meter has emerged as a promising alternative for real-time diagnosis of crop N demand. However, the appropriate SI threshold for guiding N management in this agroclimatic region during the dry season was yet to be optimised. In this scenario, an experiment was laid out in a randomised block design with eight treatments consisting of SI thresholds ranging from 80% to 95% at 2.5% interval along with a fixed time nitrogen management treatment (FN), and replicated thrice. Real-time nitrogen was monitored using a SPAD 502 meter from 14 DAT to 50% flowering at 7-day intervals, excluding the fixed-time treatment. The results revealed that SI-based N management (90-95%) was statistically at par with each other and recorded superior growth, yield attributes and grain yield (5425 to 5587 kg/ha). In terms of dry matter accumulation, effective tillers and grain yield, the former treatments (SI90-SI95) significantly outperformed fixed time nitrogen management (FN). Moreover, the highest agronomic N use efficiency (AEN) (21.36 kg/kg) and recovery efficiency (REN) (76.35%) were registered by SI90. However, the lower SI thresholds below 87.5% reported significantly inferior to FN. Therefore, SI90 could be the optimal sufficiency index threshold for nitrogen scheduling using a chlorophyll meter.

Keywords

Correlation nitrogen use efficiency precision nitrogen management SDG SPAD yield 

References

Alam, M. S., Khanam, M. and Rahman, M. M. (2023). Environment friendly nitrogen management practices in wetland paddy cultivation. Front. Sustain. Food Syst, 7: doi:10.3389/fsufs.2023.1020570.
Baral, B. R., Pande, K. R., Gaihre, Y. K., Baral, K. R., Sah, S. K., Thapa, Y. B. and Singh, U. (2021). Real-time nitrogen management using decision support-tools increases nitrogen use efficiency of rice. Nutr. Cycl. Agroecosyst. 119: 355-68.  doi:10. 1007/s10705-021-10129-6.
Bhatt. H., Ghimire. S., Paudel. S. and Bashyal, M. (2024). Response of spring rice (Oryza sativa L.) varieties to different nitrogen application methods at Nawalparasi West, Nepal. Turk. J. Agric. For. 12: 631-43. doi:10.24925/turjaf.v12i4.631-643.6702.
Bhattarai, K., Pandey, K. R., Marahatta, S., Dhakal, M., Bhusal, N. R. and Thapa, R. (2024). Precision nitrogen management in spring rice (Oryza sativa L.) using decision support tools in Chitwan, Nepal. Turk. J. Agric. Food Sci. Technol. 12: 955-65.  doi:10.24925/ turjaf.v12i6.955-965.6731.
Ghosh, M., Roy chowdhury, A., Dutta, S. K., Hazra, K. K., Singh, G., Kohli, A., Kumar, S., Acharya, S., Mandal, J., Singh, Y. K., Pathak, S. K. and Gupta, S. K. (2023). SPAD chlorophyll meter-based real-time nitrogen management in manure-amended lowland rice. J. Soil Sci. Plant Nutr. 23: 5993-6005.  doi:10.1007/s42729-023-01457-3.
GoI (2025).  Agricultural statistics at a glance 2024-25. Department of agriculture, cooperation and farmers welfare. Ministry of agriculture and farmers welfare, New Delhi. India. https://desagri.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Agricultural-Statisitcs-at-a-Glance-2024.pdf.
Gomez, K. A. and Gomez, A. A. (1984). Statistical procedures for agricultural research, 2nd Edn. John Wiley & Sons, Philippines. pp: 99.
Govindasamy, P., Muthusamy, S. K., Bagavathiannan, M., Mowrer, J., Jagannadham, P. T. K., Maity, A., Halli, H. M. G. K. S., Vadivel R. T. K. D., Raj, R., Pooniya, V., Babu, S., Rathore S. S. L. M. and Tiwari, G. (2023). Nitrogen use efficiency-a key to enhance crop productivity under a changing climate. Front. Plant Sci, 14: doi:10.3389/ fpls.2023.1121073.  
Hussain, F., Bronson, K. F., Singh, Y., Singh, B. and Peng, S. (2000). Use of chlorophyll meter sufficiency indices for nitrogen management of irrigated rice in Asia. Agron. J. 92: 875-79.  doi:10.2134/agronj2000.925875x.
Jose, M., Pillai, S. and John, J. (2024).  Harnessing nitrogen use efficiency for enhancing productivity in rice: a review.  Asian J. Soil Sci. Plant Nutr. 4: 222-37.  doi:10.9734/ ajsspn/2024/v10i4398.
Lalichetti, S., Maitra, S., Masina, S. and Ray, S. (2025). Influence of different nutrient management strategies on growth, yield and greenhouse gas emissions of irrigated rice. Int. J. Exp. Res. Rev. 49: 1-9.  doi:10.52756/ijerr.2025.v49.001.
Lalichetti, S., Maitra, S., Singh, S. and Sairam, M. (2024). Advanced strategies for optimization of primary nutrients requirement in rice-A review. Plant Sci. Today 11: 353-65.  doi:10. 14719/pst.2682.
Maitra, S., Ray, S., Sagar, L., Sairam, M., Pramanick, B., Gitari, H., Santosh, D.T., Gaikwad, D.J., Atapattu, A. and Chappa, L. R. (2025). Cropping system approach in climate-resilient food crop production. In: Climate-Smart Agricultural Technologies (Eds.  Pramanick, B., Singh, S.V., Maitra, S., Celletti, S. and Hossain, A.). Springer Nature, Singapore. pp: 327-56.  doi:10.1007/978-981-96-7699-6_15.
Midya, A., Saren, B. K., Dey, J. K., Maitra, S., Praharaj, S., Gaikwad, D. J., Gaber, A., Alsanie, W. F. and Hossain, A. (2021). Crop establishment methods and integrated nutrient management improve: Part I. crop performance, water productivity and profitability of rice (Oryza sativa L.) in the lower Indo-Gangetic plain, India. Agronomy 11:  doi:10.3390/agronomy11091860.
Martínez-Megías, C., Pascual-March, C., Moratalla, J., Rochera, C., Picazo, A., Morant, D., Camacho, A. and Rico, A. (2025). Influence of conventional and organic rice farming on aquatic biodiversity and greenhouse gas emissions in a protected Mediterranean wetland. Agric. Ecosyst. Environ. 393: doi:10.1016/j.agee.2025.109835.
Mir, M. S., Raja, W., Kanth, R. H., Dar, E. A., Shah, Z. A., Bhat, M. A., Mir, A. H., Wani, F. J., Bhat, T. A., Bhat, J. A., Summuna, B., Fayaz, U., Fayaz, S., Bhat, B. A., Al‑Ansari, N., Mattar, M. A. and Salem, A. (2025). Optimizing irrigation and nitrogen levels to achieve sustainable rice productivity and profitability. Sci. Rep. 15:   doi:10.1038/s41 598-025-90464-8.
Sagar, L., Maitra, S., Singh, S. and Sairam, M. (2023a). Influence of precision nutrient management on dry matter accumulation and partitioning of rice in Southern Odisha. Agric. Sci. Dig. 43: 767-75. doi:10.18805/ag.D-5822.
Sagar, L., Maitra, S., Singh, S. and Sairam, M. (2023b). Impact of precision nutrient management on rice growth and productivity in Southern Odisha.  Agric. Sci. Dig, 43: 812-16.  doi:10.18805/ag.D-5822.
Sairam, M., Maitra, S., Sagar, L., Biswas, T., Bárek, V., Brestic, M. and Hossain, A. (2025). Application of precision nutrient tools for the optimization of fertilizer requirements and assessment of the growth and productivity of maize (Zea mays L.) in the north-eastern Ghat of India. J. Agric. Food Res. 21: doi:10.1016/j.jafr.2025.101958.
Tafere, C., Assega, H. and Tadesse, Z. (2025). Optimizing nitrogen fertilizer and planting density to improve yield and nitrogen use efficiency of dry direct seeded Shaga rice in Ethiopia. Discov. Life 55: doi:10.1007/s11084-025-09715-3.
Yuan, M., Wu, G., Wang, J., Liu, C., Hu, Y., Hu, R., Zhou, Y., Zhang, X., Wang, W. and Sun, Y. (2024). Blended controlled-release nitrogen fertilizer increases rice post-anthesis nitrogen accumulation, translocation and nitrogen-use efficiency. Front. Plant Sci, 15: doi:10.3389/fpls.2024.1354384.
Zhang, Z., Wang, Y., Wang, Z., Ashraf, U., Mo, Z., Tian, H., Duan, M., Li, Y., Tang, X. and Pan, S. (2022). Precise delivery of nitrogen at tillering stage enhances grain yield and nitrogen use efficiency in double rice cropping systems of South China. Field Crops Res. 289: doi:10.1016/j.fcr.2022.108736.

Global Footprints