GROWTH AND YIELD OF RICE VARIETIES (Oryza sativa L) AS INFLUENCED BY NITROGEN LEVELS IN THE NORTHERN ECOLOGICAL ZONE, FCT-ABUJA, NIGERIA

Two field trials were carried out at the Teaching and Research Farm of the Faculty ofAgriculture, University of Abuja, in the growing seasons of 2021 and 2022 to determinethe growth and yield of rice (Oryza sativa) varieties as influenced by nitrogen levels in theNorthern ecological zone at the blanket application of phosphorus and potassium. Five-1 -1 -1 -1 -1levels of Nitrogen (0kg/ha , 50kg/ha , 100kg/ha , 150kg/ha and 200kg/ha ) and four ricevarieties (Faro-44, Faro-66, Faro-67 and Gawal-R1). The experiment was designed as a4x5 factorial combination within a randomised complete block design (RBCD) with 3replications. A total of 60 plots were employed for the investigation, including 20experimental plots in each replication. Data collected include Plant height, Number of2leaves, Leaf Area (cm ), Number of Tillers/stand and Grain Yield (t/ha). The data collectedwere subjected to ANOVA using the R-statistics program, and where the treatment meanswere significantly different (p ≤ 0.05), the Least Significant Difference (LSD) was used toseparate them. The result showed that major variations in crop varieties and nitrogenapplication amounts affected crop performance at raising nitrogen levels increased atvarious growth stages and yield. The maximum grain yield was produced by Faro 67 with-1 -1an application of 100 kg/ha to 200 kg/ha throughout the trial years of 2021 and 2022,while the lowest was produced by Faro 44, which also produced the most tillers/stand at-1 -1200 kg/ha . With nitrogen applied at 200 kg/ha , Gawal R1 yielded the highest grain yields-1 -1(3.58 t/ha in 2021 and 5.3 t/ha in 2022).