Abstract
This study assessed the optimal nitrogen (N) fertilizer rate and planting density for the well-adapted upland rice cultivar NERICA_4 on the Fogera Plain. The primary objective was to evaluate the effects of varied planting densities and N-fertilizer rates on upland rice yield and other agronomic parameters. A two-year field study (2020 and 2021) was conducted at the Fogera Rice Research Field Station, testing nine plant densities (75, 87, and 98; 72, 82, and 91; 70, 79, and 89 plants per m(2) and two N rates (115 and 138 kg N ha(-1)). The Crop Simulation Model Crop Environment Resource Synthesis (CSM-CERES-Rice) within the Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) framework was calibrated and validated using site-specific weather, soil, crop, and agronomic management data from the experiment. Results on the subsequent RMSE, RMSEn, and d index values during the calibration phase were 0.074 t ha(-1), 1.82 %, and 0.86 of grain yield; 0.307 t ha(-1), 3.36 %, and 0.87 of by-product yield; 0.489 t ha(-1), 3.74 %, and 0.79 of top dry biomass yield; and 0.28, 8.24 %, and 0.63 of leaf area index values, respectively. Whereas results on the corresponding RMSE, RMSEn, and d index values during the evaluation phase were: 0.58 t ha(-1), 1.33 %, and 0.90 of grain yield; 0.69 t ha(-1), 0.58 %, and 0.99 of by-product yield; 0.678 t ha(-1), 4.36 %, and 0.67 of top dry biomass yield; and 0.75, 13.92 %, and 0.74 of leaf area index, respectively. The findings of the long-term simulation showed that a 23 % increase in grain yield was achieved with 138 kg N ha(-1) and 87 plants per m(2) of planting density, as compared to 115 kg N ha(-1) and 75 plants per m(2) of plant density. The recommended optimum plant density and N fertilizer rate were 138 kg N ha(-1) with PD2 of plant density for upland rice production in the Fogera Plain.