INTRODUCTION Rice (Oryza sativa L.)-Maize (Zea mays L.) system is seen as one of the potential alternatives of rice-pulse systems. Growing demand from poultry sector and tightening of the world export-import market justifies inclusion of maize in the rice-based cropping systems and currently rice-maize (RM) is one of the most important cropping system of the country. Overall in India, rice and maize production was 122.27, 31.51 Million tonnes from the area 45.07, 9.86 Million ha with the productivity of 2713, 3195 kg ha-1, respectively (Directorate of Economics and Statistics, 2021). High-yielding Rice-Maize system extract more nutrients, particularly N, P, or K, than do rice-rice systems or rice-wheat (Yadvinder Singh et al., 2005). Assuming 7 Mg ha−1 of rice yield and 8 Mg ha−1 of maize yield, rice-maize system will remove around 519 kg NPK ha−1, when all the residues are removed from the field (Setiyono et al., 2010). The relation between removal of stover to C returned to the system has to be considered to address economic concerns regarding increases in nutrient removal rates and replacement costs specially for nutrients such as N, P and K. Timsina et al. (2010) reported that in rice-maize crop systems, a very little crop residue is returned to the soil and other organic inputs are low, which results in the loss of soil organic. India generates 516 mt of total crop residue (CR) annually, whereof, maize contribute 110 mt, respectively (Sahu et al., 2021). Management of stover after maize harvests poses an enormous challenge to all maize farmers around the globe. The maize stover is most often harvested in dried condition and packaged in large heaps to use as fodder in later date or in lean seasons. Now a days, the use of maize stalk as animals fodder gradually decreasing and instances of on field burning of stover increasing due to non availability of agriculture labor for timely harvesting, increase in transportation costs, lack of sufficient time to take up next season crops. Instead of resorting to such practices, if managed to slash, shred and spread in the field evenly using machinery, this help in protecting soil and land resources from erosion. Fertilizer application is one of the largest expenses for farmers growing cereal crops and yet much of the N, P and K used to supplement crop needs are lost to the environment due to the low nutrient use efficiency of cereal crops. Over or under N, P and K fertilizer application can lead to a reduction in crop yield, in addition to creating conditions which favor nutrient losses to the environment, poor soil quality and plant nutrition. Therefore, there is a need for improved nutrient management strategies, in particular N, P and K under different scenarios like removed, burning, surface retention or incorporated residue management to properly replace nutrients, ensuring adequate plant nutrition and at least sustained grain yield. The present investigation was therefore undertaken to study the effect of various maize residue management practices and fertility levels on physiological growth parameters of direct seeded rice in rice-maize sequence. MATERIALS AND METHODS An experiment was conducted with four maize residue management practices M1: Exportation of maize stover, M2: In-situ burning of maize stover (farmers practice), M3: Mulching maize stover with rotary mulcher and M4: Incorporation of maize stover with rotovator) as main plot treatments and three fertility levels (100% RDF, 75% RDF and 50% RDF) as sub plot treatments which was replicated thrice. It was carried out on sandy clay loam soils of Agricultural College Farm, Bapatla during kharif, 2020-21 and the soil was slightly alkaline in nature, low in organic carbon and low in available nitrogen, medium in available phosphorus and high in available potassium. During the crop growth period, the weekly mean maximum temperature ranged from 29.8 to 34.0°C with an average of 32°C. The weekly mean minimum temperature ranged from 18.2 to 26.5°C with an average of 24.4°C. A total rainfall of 847.2 mm was received during the crop growth period. The test variety used for sowing was BPT-5204 and crop was sown at 20 cm and 15 cm inter and intra row distance, respectively and adopted all the standard package of practices. Application of nutrients was done as per the treatments in the form of urea, single super phosphate and muriate of potash respectively. Entire quantity of phosphorus and half dose of potassium was applied at the time of sowing. Remaining dose of potassium were applied at PI stage of the crop. After harvest of maize cobs, residues of the maize crop were retained. Maize residues were added as per treatment in the four main plots. In residue removal plots, the residues were completely removed after harvest of the crop. Ninety five days were allowed for decomposition of crop residues during both the years of experimentation. The data on CGR, RGR and SPAD values were recorded as per standard procedures. Statistical analysis of all the data are carried out following the analysis of variance technique for split plot design as outlined by Panse and Sukhatame (1978). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Effect of maize crop residue management practices and fertility levels on Crop growth rate. The calculated mean data related to crop growth rate (CGR) at successive growth stages 30-60, 60-90 and 90-120 DAS as affected by maize crop residue management practices and fertility levels have been summarized and presented in Table 1. The interaction at all the stages of observations was found to be non-significant. Highest CGR values were recorded with incorporation of maize stover with rotovator (M4) but however, it was found on par with mulching of maize stover with rotary mulcher (M3) which in turn on parity with In-situ burning of maize stover (farmers practice) (M2) at all stages of observations except at 60-90 DAS. This might be due to more taller plants, higher number of tillers and more drymatter production per unit area and higher leaf area index (LAI) could have been the reason for higher crop growth rate values. These observations are confirmed by the findings of Vijayaprabhakar et al. (2020); Arvind Kumar et al. (2016). With respect to fertility levels, at all stages of observation (30-60, 60-90 and 90-120 DAS), crop growth rate increased with increasing the fertility levels. The highest crop growth rate of rice was recorded with application of 100% RDF (S1), but, however it was found on par with application of 75% RDF (S2) except at 30-60 DAS. The lowest CGR values was noticed with 50% RDF (S3) which was significantly inferior to other treatments. This might be due to high LAI at higher fertility levels functioning during tillering to flowering resulted in high CGR that caused further increase in dry matter accumulation during the reproductive period leading high crop productivity. The results obtained in the present investigation are in line with the findings of Huang et al. (2008); Mondal et al. (2013). Effect of maize crop residue management practices and fertility levels on Relative growth rate. Data pertaining to relative growth rate of rice at different growth intervals of crop viz., 30-60, 60-90 DAS and 90-120 DAS as affected by maize crop residue management practices and fertility levels are presented in Table 1. A glance at the data indicates that RGR was non significantly influenced by maize crop residue management practices except at 30-60 DAS, whereas the fertility levels and interaction effect was also found to be non significant. During 30-60 DAS, highest relative growth rate was observed with incorporation of maize stover with rotovator (M4) which was on par with In-situ burning of maize stover (M2) and significantly differed from rest of the treatments. Mulching of maize stover with rotary mulcher (M3) was on par with exportation of maize stover (M1). The lowest relative growth rate values were recorded with M1. Effect of maize crop residue management practices and fertility levels on SPAD values. The data pertaining to SPAD chlorophyll meter reading at 30, 60, 90 DAS and at harvest are presented in Table 1. The review manifested an increasing trend with the advance of plant growth till 90 DAS, followed by decreasing trend with the lowest SPAD readings at the time of harvesting. The lower values of SPAD during the time of harvest might be the result of degradation of leaf chlorophyll. Data reveals that, different fertility levels influenced the SPAD values significantly, whereas different maize crop residue management practices and their interaction were non-significant at all growth stages of the crop. SPAD meter readings differed due to graded doses of fertilizer treatments at all the stages of observations. At all stages of the growth, the highest SPAD meter readings were recorded in 100% RDF (S1) treatment which was found significantly superior to other treatments except at harvest stage. Application of 75% RDF (S2) recorded the next best treatment followed by 50% RDF (S3). The lowest SPAD meter readings were recorded with 50% RDF (S3). The maximum chlorophyll content in leaf in S1 treatment might be due to inorganic fertilizer nitrogen which in turn improved the chlorophyll content in the leaf by improving nutrient uptake by the plant. The current findings are also supported by Prakash and Mahajan (2016).