Improving Rice Yield Using Sensor Based Nitrogen Application and Best Management Practices (BMPs) in Rice-Soybean and Rice-Crawfish Rotational Systems

Sustainable rice farming requires effective nutrient management and conservation practices to maintain high yields and minimize environmental impact. Implementing best management practices (BMPs) promotes lower fertilizer application rates, increased N use efficiency, improves soil health, and water quality. Demonstration fields established in two different rotational cropping systems (rice-soybean and rice-crawfish) in Kaplan, LA in 2023. In each rotation system, the benefits of BMPs (sensor based mid-season N management and cover cropping) compared to farmer’s practice (FP) were evaluated using yield, yield components, soil and water quality as metrics. The rice-soybean fields in 2023 and 2024 were both planted with PVL03 (Provisia – Horizon Ag) whereas rice-crawfish field in 2023 used CLJ01 (Clearfield Jasmine – Horizon Ag) and hybrid RT7521FP (Ricetec) in 2024. Each field contained 2-6 (3m x 15m) N-rich strips that were established at permanent flood; each N-rich strip received a total N of 224 kg ha-1. At panicle initiation normalized difference vegetative index (NDVI) was collected within and outside (represented BMPs) the N-rich strips using a GreenSeekerâ sensor. The NDVI readings were used to estimate midseason N rate wherein the average recommendation for BMP fields was 14 kg ha-1 less than FP for the main crop. Grain yield was estimated from whole plant samples taken from replicated 2-rows x 1-meter-long subsampling areas. The samples were processed for yield components and agronomic indices for N use. The significance of the difference on measured parameters between BMPs and FP was determined based on two-sample t-test at p-1 in the BMP field, while the FP field yielded 15,291 kg ha-1 with significant difference (p