2024, Vol. 7, Issue 6, Part C

author(s)
Nikita Nilkanth Katre, NV Kashid, Mayuri Bharat Ningfode and Shubham Bharat Patle

abstract
Nitrogen is one of the most limiting nutrients for paddy production. However, 60-70% of applied nitrogen is lost from the paddy ecosystem in the form of reactive nitrogen species such as ammonia (NH₃), nitrous oxide (N₂O), nitric oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and nitrate (NO₃) through various processes. Hence enhancing nitrogen efficiency through improved nitrogen management is of greater importance for ensuring food security and environmental sustainability. A field experiment was conducted at Agricultural Research Station, Vadgaon Maval, Dist. Pune to “Study the effect of foliar sprays of nano-urea on yield and nutrient quality of transplanted paddy (Oryza sativa L.)” during Kharif in 2022 (July to November 2022) under puddled transplanted condition, involving thirteen treatments in a randomized block design (RBD) replicated thrice. The treatments included foliar sprays of 2% urea, IFFCO nano-urea and COAP nano-urea at 75% and 50% of the recommended nitrogen doses through conventional urea. The basal dose was applied through conventional fertilizers. The result revealed that different treatments considerably affected the yield contributing characters viz., number of spikes per plant, number of grains per spike, grain and straw yield and improved the nutrient (N, P and K) content and total uptake by paddy crop were also ensured under treatment T₃: 75% of recommended nitrogen through urea + 25% nitrogen through two foliar sprays of IFFCO nano-urea (AT and PI). Spraying of nano-urea can increase crop yield by increasing the nutrient uptake by plants.