The rice plant is capable of using both ammonium and nitrate forms of nitrogen, but fertilizers containing nitrate nitrogen are inefficient because nitrate is lost by leaching or denitrification in flooded rice soils. But, sometimes farmers are forced to use some fertilizers such as ammonium nitrate instead of urea for the second application of nitrogen fertilizer in flooded rice soils. A field experiment was carried out at Sakha Agricultural Research Station in 2014 and 2015 to know and understand the optimum way for ammonium nitrate utilization at the second dose of nitrogen application and compare the effects of N sources (ammonium nitrate and urea) at the second dose on yield components and yield of rice variety Giza 179 in experiment laid out in a Random Complete Block Design replicated thrice.
The two years data during 2014 and 2015 revealed that all the yield parameters, yield, nitrogen uptake and available nitrogen increased significantly with an application of T1 {2/3 recommended as a urea (Basal application) + 1/3 of N recommended as urea onto drained soil then flooded immediately (Top dressing)}
These results were statistically at par in most parameter with that of treatment T2 {(2/3 of recommended as a urea(Basal application) + 1/3 of recommended as ammonium nitrate in saturated soil then flooded immediately (Top dressing)}. The lowest values of yield and yield attributes were found when T4 {2/3 recommended as a urea(Basal application) + 1/3 of recommended nitrogen as ammonium nitrate onto drained soil then flooded immediately (Top dressing)}.
The study recommended that in the case of having to use ammonium nitrate as a second dose of nitrogen fertilizer, it need to apply in saturated soil then irrigated immediately.