The current study provides a thorough investigation into the phenotypic characteristics of five rice genotypes and explores the possibility of using nano clay polymer/biopolymer composite (NCPC/NCBPC) based nitrogen fertilizers. A greenhouse experiment was conducted using five rice genotypes (Swarna, PB-1, Pusa-44, MTU-1010 and Nagina-22) employing five nitrogen treatments (T1- control (without N fertilizer), T2- 100% RDF of N through urea, T3- 75% RDF of N through urea loaded NCPC, T4- 75% RDF of N through urea loaded NCBPC-I (NCBPC prepared with wheat flour), T5- 75% RDF of N through urea loaded NCBPC-II (NCBPC prepared with maida)). Advanced phenomic techniques, utilizing non-invasive sensors and computer platforms, were employed for precise phenotyping. The results reveal significant variations in plant height, leaf area, and convex hull area across different genotypes and nitrogen treatments. Notably, NCPC treatment showed superior performance, followed by NCBPC-II, NCBPC-I and urea, highlighting its potential to improve plant growth. The study highlights the importance of understanding morphological traits for the development of nitrogen-efficient rice varieties and the potential of nano clay polymer based nitrogen fertilizers.

Nitrogen use efficiency, Genotype, Phenotype, Polymer, Sensors

The plant height, leaf surface area and convex hull of a plant is an inherent trait for image-based phenotyping which can be the basis for screening of rice genotypes and monitoring the development of rice plants. This study also delves into the potential of clay polymer composites as slow release nitrogen fertilizers where NCPC/NCBPC based nitrogen fertilizers better performed over the conventional urea fertilizer in terms of plant growth and development. This study holds great promise for future advancements in sustainable agriculture, offering the potential for more efficient, high-yielding rice varieties and development of more efficient nitrogen fertilizers that can address global food security challenges.

Ravi Saini, K.M. Manjaiah, Kapil A. Chobhe, Dhandapani Raju, Naveenkumar A. and Siyaram Meena (2023). Image-Based Phenotyping of Diverse Rice Genotypes under Different Nitrogen Treatments. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 15(8a): 526-530.