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Comparison of Plant Measurements for Estimating Nitrogen Accumulation and Grain Yield by Flooded Rice
Author(s) -
Ntamatungiro Sixte,
Norman Richard J.,
McNew Ronald W.,
Wells Bobby R.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
agronomy journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1435-0645
pISSN - 0002-1962
DOI - 10.2134/agronj1999.914676x
Subject(s) - panicle , oryza sativa , dry matter , cultivar , agronomy , nitrogen , rice plant , grain yield , chlorophyll , yield (engineering) , poaceae , fertilizer , field experiment , shoot , biology , horticulture , zoology , chemistry , biochemistry , materials science , organic chemistry , metallurgy , gene
Knowledge about N accumulation during the vegetative growth stage of flooded rice ( Oryza sativa L.) may be useful in determining the need for topdressing fertilizer N at panicle differentiation (PD). In a 3‐year field study, plant area, N concentration of the Y‐leaf (most recently matured leaf blade) and the whole plant, and chlorophyll meter (SPAD) readings measured during vegetative and early reproductive growth stages were used to estimate total N accumulation. The techniques were then used to determine the growth stages that maximized correlation with grain yield. Five preflood (PF) N rates (0, 33.6, 67.2, 100.8, and 134.4 kg ha −1 ), two PD N rates (0 and 67.2 kg ha −1 ), and two cultivars (LaGrue and Lacassine) were used. The treatments were chosen to represent an array of dry matter and total N accumulations. No interactions of PF N rate × cultivar on grain yield and total N accumulation were observed. Plant area was linearly correlated ( r = 0.84 to 0.93, P < 0.05) to dry matter accumulation, and accounted for >60% of the variation in total N accumulation every year. However, Y‐leaf N concentration and SPAD readings accounted for <60% of the variation in total N accumulation in 1993 and 1994, and for >60% only in 1995. A combination of plant area and Y‐leaf N concentration or SPAD readings accounted for more variation in total N accumulation than did individual plant measurements. Plant area and whole‐plant N concentration was the best combination, accounting for 80 to 90% of the variation in total N accumulation. The maximum variation in grain yield accounted for by the measured traits was 50% at PD for plant area, and 37% at 2 wk after the PF N application for Y‐leaf N concentration and SPAD reading. These low correlations of grain yield with plant measurements during the vegetative stage confirm that environmental and other conditions prevailing during later growth stages profoundly influenced grain yield of rice.