Best Fertilizer for Rice (Paddy) in India
Rice is India's main kharif cereal and a nitrogen-hungry crop, but it loses a large share of applied nitrogen to water and air. The key to good paddy yield is splitting nitrogen across tille
Overview
Rice is India's main kharif cereal and a nitrogen-hungry crop, but it loses a large share of applied nitrogen to water and air. The key to good paddy yield is splitting nitrogen across tillering, panicle initiation and booting rather than applying it all as basal. Phosphorus and potash are given mostly at the last puddling. Many paddy soils, especially in rice-wheat belts, are short of zinc, and submerged soils can also show sulphur and iron problems. ICAR and State Agricultural Universities give a balanced N:P:K range that you should fine-tune to whether the field is direct-seeded or transplanted, and to your variety and soil. Treat the doses below as a guide and always adjust to your Soil Health Card or a fresh soil test and your local KVK.
Recommended NPK dose for Rice (Paddy)
A common ICAR range for medium-duration transplanted rice is about 100 to 120 kg N, 40 to 60 kg P2O5 and 40 to 60 kg K2O per hectare, which is roughly 40 to 48 kg N, 16 to 24 kg P2O5 and 16 to 24 kg K2O per acre. In fertiliser terms per hectare this is about 100 to 130 kg DAP plus 160 to 200 kg urea plus 67 to 100 kg MOP, or per acre about 40 to 52 kg DAP plus 65 to 80 kg urea plus 27 to 40 kg MOP. Hybrid and high-yield varieties need the higher end of this range. Reduce urea where DAP supplies part of the nitrogen. These are general ranges only. Always adjust to your Soil Health Card or a fresh soil test and confirm with your local KVK.
Application schedule
Apply full phosphorus, full potash and about one fourth to one third of the nitrogen at the last puddling as basal. Give the next nitrogen split at active tillering, about 20 to 25 days after transplanting, and the third split at panicle initiation, about 40 to 45 days after transplanting. In light soils a fourth small split at booting helps. In direct-seeded rice, delay basal nitrogen until the three-leaf stage to reduce loss. Using a leaf colour chart or applying nitrogen only when the crop signals need greatly improves efficiency.
Organic & bio-fertilizers
Incorporate 8 to 12 tonnes of farmyard manure or compost per hectare during field preparation, about 3 to 5 tonnes per acre, at least two to three weeks before transplanting. Green manuring with dhaincha or sunhemp ploughed in before rice adds 40 to 60 kg nitrogen per hectare and improves soil. Vermicompost at 2 to 3 tonnes per hectare is a good alternative. Treat seedling roots or seed with Azospirillum and PSB biofertilisers. In flooded fields, blue-green algae and Azolla also fix nitrogen and can reduce urea use, especially in standing water.
Micronutrients & deficiency signs
Zinc deficiency is very common in lowland and rice-wheat soils. It appears as rusty brown spots and bronzing on lower leaves about two to four weeks after transplanting, with stunted, patchy growth often called khaira. Apply about 25 kg zinc sulphate per hectare, roughly 10 kg per acre, as basal where the soil test shows deficiency, or spray to correct it quickly. Iron deficiency, seen as yellowing of new leaves, occurs in aerobic and upland rice. Sulphur deficiency shows as overall pale young leaves and is corrected with gypsum or single super phosphate.
Tips & cautions
Split nitrogen into three or four doses, because flooded soils lose nitrogen fast through leaching and gas escape. Prefer neem-coated urea, which slows nitrogen release and improves efficiency. Place or lightly mix urea into the mud rather than broadcasting on standing water where it is easily lost. A leaf colour chart helps you give nitrogen only when the crop needs it. Do not overuse urea, since excess makes plants lush, soft and prone to lodging, blast and brown plant hopper, and follow your Soil Health Card.
These are general recommendations. For the exact dose, follow your Soil Health Card / soil test and local KVK, and avoid over-applying urea.
FAQs
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