Rates of nitrogen from nitric and ammoniacal sources required by upland rice genotypes originating from Brazil and Colombia

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the initial growth, nitrogen (N) uptake, and agronomic efficiency after the use of N fertilizers in upland rice cultivation. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse by using pots filled with surface-layer (0 to 20 cm) soil collected from the municipality of Jaguapitã, Paraná. The experimental design was completely randomized with 4 replications. A factorial scheme of 5 × 2 was used, in which the factors were 5 N rates (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 kg ha-1 N) and 2 cultivars of rice (Fedearroz Lagunas [Colombian] and IAPAR- 9 [Brazilian]). The N sources tested were ammonium sulfate (Experiment I) and calcium nitrate (Experiment II). The following variables were evaluated: number of tillers per pot (NTP), dry mass of the shoots (DMS), N content in the dry mass (NCDM), and agronomic efficiency of N fertilizer (AEN). The data obtained in the experiments were evaluated using analysis of variance, and mean values were compared using Tukey's test at 5% significance for rice cultivar effects or adjusted to polynomial regression equations for N rates. Use of calcium nitrate yielded higher values of NTP, NCDM, and AEN. The cultivar Lagunas showed higher NTP, while IAPAR-9 showed higher DMS. An increase in N rates, for both sources, resulted in the increase of NTP, DMS, and NCDM; however, AEN was decreased.