Rice Yield and Yield Components as Influenced by Phosphorus and Nitrogen Application Rates in the Moist Savanna of West Africa

A two-year field experiment was conducted to evaluate the influence of nitrogen （0, 30, 60, and 120 kg N ha^-1） and phosphorus （0, 30, and 60 kg P2O5 ha^-1） application on grain yield and yield components of five New Rice for Africa （NERICA） cultivars, their parents, and a check on a degraded soil in the moist savanna of Nigeria. Nerica 14 recorded the highest grain yield of 1.3 mg halcompared to the other NERICA cultivars. It also produced significantly （P 〈 0.05） longer panicles （19.24 cm）, higher sink capacity as determined by thousand-kernel weight （30.3 g）, and a higher potential for partitioning photosynthates （45.15%） into grains than the other cultivars. N × P interaction effect on grain yield was significant （P 〈 0.05） with moderate P （60 kg P2O5 ha^1） and moderate N （60 kg N ha^-1） resulting in optimum grain yield （1.7 mg ha^-1）. Thus, moderate N and P were recommended for the production of NERICA varieties in low-input smallholder upland rice production systems of the moist savanna of Nigeria.