The Korean Journal of Crop Science ISSN:0252-9777(Print) 2287-8432(Online) 한국작물학회지

In order to evaluate the effect of nitrogen application levels on yield and quality of rice varieties, a field experiment was conducted at National Institute of Crop Science of Korea from 2018 to 2020. Five levels (0, 3, 5, 7, and 9 kg/10a) of nitrogen fertilizer were treated to 21 Korean rice varieties. Yield, yield component, appearance quality, and protein content in rice were analyzed. The average head rice yield for 3 years decreased by 28%, 22%, 11%, and 8%, respectively, when cultivated with 0, 3, 5, and 7 kg/10a nitrogen application compared to cultivation with a standard nitrogen application amount, 9 kg/10a. The number of panicles per hill increased as the amount of nitrogen application increased, but there was no significant change in the number of grains per panicle and 1000-grains weight, and the number of panicles per hill showed relatively small annual variation compared to other yield components. There was no significant difference in the head rice ratio according to the nitrogen application amount, the broken rice ratio slightly decreased, and the floury rice ratio increased. The protein content of rice decreased with increasing nitrogen application in 2018 and 2019, and was the lowest at 7 kg/10a of nitrogen application, and showed a tendency to increase again at 9 kg/10a. In the case of 2020, as the amount of nitrogen application increased, the protein content showed a tendency to continuously increase. In terms of varieties, 13 varieties, including Chilbo, seemed to be capable of low-nitrogen cultivation because loss of the head rice yield was less and the protein content could be lowered to 6% or less according to 7 kg/10a nitrogen application.