Evaluation of Balanced Fertilisation Practices for Enhancing Growth of Rice Crop

India has emerged as the world’s largest producer of rice, surpassing China. But India has shown that continuous and imbalanced use of chemical fertilisers can adversely affect soil health and crop performance. A field experiment was conducted during the Kharif season of 2025 at farmers’ fields in Handiyamafi village under Krishi Vigyan Kendra Sant Kabir Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, to evaluate the effect of different nutrient management practices on the growth performance of rice (Oryza sativa L.). The study aimed to assess the performance of improved nutrient management practices under real farming conditions. The study was laid out in a Randomised Block Design with three replications and seven nutrient management treatments, including varying combinations of farmyard manure (FYM) and recommended doses of chemical fertilisers (NPK), along with farmers’ practice and control. The recommended fertiliser dose was 120:60:40 kg N: P₂O₅:K₂O per hectare. The treatments included 100% recommended NPK over chemical fertilisers, 100% nitrogen over FYM, 75% nitrogen over FYM, farmers’ practice (N:50, P:25 kg ha⁻¹ over fertilisers + 2.5 t FYM ha⁻¹), 50% nitrogen over vermicompost + 50% NPK over fertilisers, 75% nitrogen over FYM + 25% NPK over fertilisers, and control. The results revealed that application of 100% recommended NPK over fertilisers significantly enhanced plant height, number of tillers per hill, and dry matter accumulation compared to other treatments. Integrated nutrient management treatments performed better than sole organic application and control but remained comparatively inferior to the recommended NPK dose. The absolute control recorded the lowest growth parameters. The study highlights the importance of balanced nutrient management for achieving optimum growth and improved performance of rice under farmers’ field conditions in Sant Kabir Nagar district.