A field experiment was aimed at evaluating the effects of plant densities, nitrogen rates and chemical disease control on agronomic characteristics that affect grain yield of irrigated rice. The study was conducted during 2003/2004, in the Departamento de Fitotecnia of Universidade Federal de Santa Maria. The experiment was arranged in randomized blocks with sub-plots and four replicates, in Santa Maria-RS, Brazil and the treatments were: three plant densities (150, 260 and 380plants m-2), five nitrogen rates (0, 40, 80, 120 and 160kg ha-1) with and without chemical foliar disease control. The nitrogen was dressing was twice split at initial tillering and panicle differentiation. Grain yield increased in a quadratic fashion in response to nitrogen rates to up to 97kg ha-1. The use of fungicides to control foliar diseases resulted in higher grain yelds regardless of plant population or nitrogen fertilizer rates. Irrigated rice can compensate yield components between 150 and 380plants m-2. The most efficient rate of nitrogen was 97kg ha-1. Chemical foliar diseases control increases irrigated rice productivity even at low disease incidence.
grain yield; interespecific competition; fertilizer management
