Nitrogen fixation and balance studies of rice soil

Summary A nitrogen balance study conducted in ceramic pots under net house conditions for four seasons showed that flooded rice soil leaves a positive nitrogen balance (N increase) in soil after rice cropping in both fertilized and unfertilized soil. Recovery of nitrogen from rice soil was more than its input in unfertilized soil, but it was reverse in fertilized soil. Incorporation of Azolla or BGA twice as basal and 20 days after transplanting (DAT) alone or in combination showed higher nitrogen balance and N₂-fixation (N gain) in soil than in that where it was applied once either as basal or 20 DAT. Planted soil showed more N₂-fixation than that of fallow rice, and flooded soil fixed more nitrogen in comparison to non-flooded soil in light but less in dark. Soil exposed to light fixed more nitrogen than that of unexposed soil in both flooded and non-flooded conditions.