Growth and yield of basmati rice (Oryza sativa) cultivars as influenced by nitrogen application

The field experiment entitled “Growth and yield of basmati rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars as influenced by nitrogen application” was conducted at Guru Kashi University, Bathinda during kharif season of 2015. The experiment comprised of 4 levels of N and 2 varieties of basmati rice in split plot design replicated four times. Nitrogen was applied in three equal splits (0, 21, 42 days after transplanting at rates of 0, 40, 60 and 80 kg ha-1 in Pusa Basmati 1121 and Pusa Basmati 1509. Maximum grain yield was obtained in Pusa Basmati 1509 (59.1 q ha-1) and Pusa Basmati 1121 (51.7 q ha-1) with application of 80 kg N ha-1. The lowest grain yield was (30.8 q ha-1) in Pusa Basmati 1121 and Pusa Bamati 1509 (32.5 q ha-1) in the no N plots. With increase in N rate, grain yield was increased upto 80 kg N ha-1 in both the varieties. At all N rates, grain yield was more in Pusa Basmati 1509 than Pusa Basmati 1121. So, it can be concluded that 80 kg ha-1 of N application is optimum for achieving potential yield of basmati rice.