Two field experiments were conducted under salt affected soil at El-Sirw Agriculture Research Station Farm, Damietta, Egypt, during 2008 and 2009 growing seasons through rice salinity program to study the performance of three rice cultivars namely, Giza 178 Sakha 101 and Sakha 102 under three sources of nitrogen fertilizer (urea, ammonium sulphate and ammonium nitrate).The Ec and the pH of the experimental site were 10.2 ds/m2 and 7.8, respectively. A strip plot design with four replications was used. The main finding could be summarized as follows:
The results revealed that Giza 178 cultivar had higher sink capacity, sink size and grain straw ratio than-the other tested cultivars. Giza 178 cultivar surpassed Sakha 101 and Skha 102 cultivars in number of panicles/m2, number of grains/panicle as well as grain and straw yields (t/ha) in saline soils.
Application of nitrogen in the form of urea or ammonium sulphate were more efficient for rice than ammonium nitrate in saline soil which increased agronomic efficiency of nitrogen fertilizer and hence increase number of panicles/ m2, number of filled grains / panicle , grain and straw yields / ha.
It could be concluded that maximum grain yield was obtained from planting Giza 178 cultivar and using urea or ammonium sulphate as a good sources of nitrogen under saline soil in North Delta.
Key words: Rice performance, cultivars, nitrogen fertilizer sources, saline soil, North Delta
Two field experiments were conducted under salt affected soil at El-Sirw Agriculture Research Station Farm, Damietta, Egypt, during 2008 and 2009 growing seasons through rice salinity program to study the performance of three rice cultivars namely, Giza 178 Sakha 101 and Sakha 102 under three sources of nitrogen fertilizer (urea, ammonium sulphate and ammonium nitrate).The Ec and the pH of the experimental site were 10.2 ds/m2 and 7.8, respectively. A strip plot design with four replications was used. The main finding could be summarized as follows:
The results revealed that Giza 178 cultivar had higher sink capacity, sink size and grain straw ratio than-the other tested cultivars. Giza 178 cultivar surpassed Sakha 101 and Skha 102 cultivars in number of panicles/m2, number of grains/panicle as well as grain and straw yields (t/ha) in saline soils.
Application of nitrogen in the form of urea or ammonium sulphate were more efficient for rice than ammonium nitrate in saline soil which increased agronomic efficiency of nitrogen fertilizer and hence increase number of panicles/ m2, number of filled grains / panicle , grain and straw yields / ha.
It could be concluded that maximum grain yield was obtained from planting Giza 178 cultivar and using urea or ammonium sulphate as a good sources of nitrogen under saline soil in North Delta.