EFFECT OF GRADED-LEVELS OF NITROGEN ON YIELD AND QUALITY OF DIFFERENTVARIETIES OF SCENTED RICE (ORYZA-SATIVA) IN COASTAL ORISSA

An experiment was conducted during wet and dry seasons of 1988-90 at C uttack (high-rainfall region) in alluvial soils to find out the effect of graded levels of nitrogen on grain yield and quality of scented ri ce (Oryza saliva L.) varieties. During wet season a local variety 'Bad shahbhog' gave the highest grain yield (3.21 tonnes/ha). Among the lon g, slender Basmati-grain types, 'Kasturi', 'IET 8579' and 'Ranbir Basm ati' were promising, with mean grain yields of 2.22 - 2.58 tonnes/ha. During the dry season 'Kasturi', 'Ranbir Basmati' and 'IET 8579' gave more yield than 'Basmati 370' and 'Pakistan Basmati'. During wet seaso n the response in yield to N application was up to 60 kg N/ha, whereas in the dry season it was up to 90 kg/ha. N application did not advers ely affect different quality traits like alkali value, volume expansio n and water uptake. However, higher levels of N (60.90 kg/ha) decrease d the head-rice recovery by 3-8% and increased amylose content of long , slender-grain varieties 'Kasturi', 'IET 8579', 'Pakistan Basmati' an d 'Basmati' 370', by 3.0-9.9%; but not of short, slender-grain variety 'Badshahbhog'.