Influence of Seedling Age and Nitrogen Rates on Productivity of Hybrid Rice ( Oryza sativa L.)

Hybrid rice technology is one of the most important innovations in order to meet the food requirement of ever growing population of Pakistan. Land and water resources are also declining day by day and it is need of hour to increase production per unit area which is only possible through the cultivation of rice hybrids. Full production technology of it needs to be explored under the climatic conditions of Pakistan. Hybrid rice (Arize H-64) was tested using four seedling ages (10, 20, 30 and 40 days) and five nitrogen levels (0, 100, 135, 170 and 205 kg ha-1) through field experiment conducted at the Agronomic Research Area, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad during summer 2013. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with factorial arrangement having three replications. The results revealed that seedling age and nitrogen rates had significant effect on total tillers m-2, productive tillers m-2, panicle total grains, filled grains panicle-1, grain and straw yield ha-1. Maximum paddy yield (7487.7 kg ha-1) was produced when 10-days old seedlings were transplanted while minimum (4735.9 kg ha-1) was observed in 40-days old seedlings. Yield and yield components were also recorded higher for 10-days old seedlings. Regarding nitrogen levels 205 kg N ha-1 gave maximum (7899.7 kg ha-1) paddy yield which was statistically at par with the application of 170 kg N ha-1 while minimum (3197.9 kg ha-1) paddy yield was obtained at control with no nitrogen fertilization.