Growth responses of cereal crops to organic nitrogen in the field

Eleven rice varieties differing in grain size were grown under controlled environmental conditions during the grain-filling period. The grain weight of upper grains in a panicle was examined at successive stages of growth during the grain-filling period. The effect of temperature on the rate and the duration of the period of grain-filling was determined using Khao Lo, a large-grain variety, and Bom Dia, a small-grain variety. Both the grain-filling rate and duration of the period of grain-filling differed among rice varieties and were positively and significantly correlated with the grain size. The duration of the grain-filling period from flowering to the time when almost maximum grain weight was attained ranged from 12 days at 32/24°C in Bom Dia to 36 days at 20/12°C in Khao Lo. The grain-filling rate was low in small-grain varieties, and generally increased with increasing grain size.

By lowering the temperature, the grain-filling rate decreased, the duration of the grain-filling period increased but the grain weight was almost constant.

Weight per grain was closely correlated with hull size. No relationship was found between weight per grain and nitrogen percentage of brown rice.