Nitrogen:

 Deficiency Symptoms:

• Die back of older leaves.
• Leaf baldes turn light green to yellow.
• Short and slender stalks.    
  
• Tips and margins of older leaves become necrotic.

  

    Fig: Nitrogen deficiency symptom

If Excess of nitrogen:  

• Tillering increases, the leaves grow in size, the period of tillering lengthens
• The old as well as the youngest runners quickly die off.
• Nitrogen rate broadly varies from 120 to 300 kg/ha being higher in tropical and lower in sub-tropical tracts.
• Split application of nitrogen fertilizer give better results than single application.
• The application of fertilizer nitrogen should be completed within 120 days of planting or until onset of monsoon for a 12 months crop.