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  • SSNM approach
  • SSNM in three steps
  • Initial concept of SSNM
  • Current version of the SSNM approach
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  • Principles of N management
  • Background on making an N Recommendation
  • Using the SSNM approach to formulate locally adapted N recommendation
  • Using the Leaf Color Chart (LCC) for fertilizer N management
  • FAQs on N Management
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  • Principles of P and K management
  • Background on making P and K recommendations
  • Using SSNM approach to formulate P recommendations
  • Using SSNM approach to formulate K recommendations
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  • Bangladesh
  • China
  • India
  • Indonesia
  • Myanmar
  • Philippines
  • Vietnam
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  • Introduction to SSNM version 1.1
  • N management
  • P&K management
  • Implementing SSNM recommendations
  • Making an SSNM recommendation for rice
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  • SSNM: an approach for optimizing nutrient use in intensive rice production
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  • Nutrient omission plot
  • Potassium addition plot
  • Zinc addition plot

Nitrogen Management

Principles of N management

Nitrogen is an essential element for plant growth. Rice plants can obtain much of their required N from the soil and organic amendments, but the supply of N from these naturally occurring indigenous sources is seldom sufficient for high rice yield. Supplemental N from fertilizers is typically essential for higher yields and profit from irrigated and favorable rainfed rice fields.

The demand of rice for N is strongly related to growth stage. Rice plants require N at early and mid-tillering (branching) stages to ensure a sufficient number of panicles (grain bunches). Nitrogen absorbed at panicle initiation stage increases spikelet (flower) number per panicle. Nitrogen absorbed during the ripening phase, in the presence of adequate solar radiation, enhances the grain filling process. For best effect, farmers should apply fertilizer N several times during the growing season to ensure that the N supply matches the crop need for N at the critical growth stages of tillering, panicle initiation, and grain filling.

The SSNM approach for managing fertilizer N aims to increase profit for farmers by achieving:

·         high rice yield and

·         high efficiency of N use by the crop.

With this approach the recommended use of fertilizer N could be higher or lower than the current farmers’ practice. Managing N by the SSNM approach typically involves a change in the farmers’ current practices on distributing fertilizer N during a crop growing season.

 

>> Making N recommendation