Yield and Botanical Attributes of Rice Crop as Influenced by N and P Application to Rice Nursery Raised in Trays

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a globally important staple crop, and optimal nutrient management is crucial for enhancing its productivity, especially under mechanized transplanting systems. This study evaluated the effects of different nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fertilizer levels applied to rice nurseries grown in trays on the growth and yield of mechanically transplanted rice. The experiment was conducted at the Adaptive Research Farm in Gujranwala during the 2022 and 2023 summer seasons using a randomized complete block design with five treatments and three replications. Treatments included a control (T0) and varying N and P combinations (T1 to T4) per 100 nursery trays. Significant improvements in growth parameters were observed with the highest fertilizer dose (T4: 920 g N + 920 g P), including maximum root length (15.30 cm in 2022; 14.27 cm in 2023) and shoot length (30.57 cm; 28.03 cm). T4 also produced the greatest root and shoot dry weights. However, the highest grain yield was recorded under T3 (460 g N + 920 g P), yielding 4733.33 kg/ha (2022) and 5703.33 kg/ha (2023), with notable increases in productive tillers and grains per panicle compared to the control. Balanced N and P fertilization, particularly at T3 levels, significantly improves the growth and yield performance. These findings provide valuable insights for optimizing nutrient strategies in tray-based rice nursery systems.