Nitrogen Availability and Non-Aromatic Rice Quality under Leaf Color Chart Technique

Leaf Color Chart (LCC) is applied at critical crop growth stage to avoid higher N application rates than standard recommended N rate whether it requires to be adjusted up or down considering leaf color; as it helps estimate plant N requirement for higher economic yields. This study investigated the impact of nitrogen (N) application rates using the Leaf Color Chart (LCC) method on non-aromatic rice yield and quality. Seven N levels, including the recommended dose, were applied to three rice varieties (DR-92, Shahkar, and DR-82) in a factorial experiment. Results showed significant effects of N levels on plant height, biological yield, paddy yield, harvest index, N uptake efficiency, amylose content, and gel consistency. Variety Shahkar was found to be more nutrient responsive and profitable. Optimal N application rates varied depending on the LCC reading, with 25 kg N ha-1 at LCC Col 3 showing the highest paddy yield. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of the LCC method in optimizing N application for improved rice yield and qualitive and can be grown in any rice tract more profitably as compared to DR-82 or DR-92 rice varieties