Field experiments were conducted at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Fadama Farm Bauchi, during the rainy seasons of 2006 and 2007 to study the effects of variety, seeding rate and row spacing on growth and yield of rice. Two varieties of rice; Ex – China (Indigenous and upland/lowland) and NERICA-1 (improved and upland), three seeding rates (32, 54 and 75 kg/ha) and four row spacings (15, 20, 25 and broadcast) were used during the study. The treatments were combined and laid in a split – split plot design with three replications. Variety was placed in the main plot, seeding rate in the sub plot while row spacing was placed in sub –sub plot. Data were collected on parameters such as plant height, number of tillers per plant, spikes per hill, spikelets per spike and number of seeds per spike, seed weight per hill, 1000 grain weight and yield kg ha-1 and analyzed using analysis of variance procedure for split – split plot and significant differences among the treatment means were separated using the Duncan multiple range test (DMRT). Variety Ex-China produced significantly (P<0.05) higher numbers of tillers per plant and spikes per hill. However, NERICA-1 produced significantly (P<0.05) higher numbers of spikelets per spike, seeds per spike, weight of seed per spike, weight of seed per hill, 1000 grain weight and yield in kg ha-1 than Ex-China. Row spacings of 15, 20 and 25cm also had significant effects on the number of tillers per plant, number of spikes per hill, number of spikelets per spike, number of seeds per spike, weight of seed per spike, weight of seed per hill, 1000 grain weight and yield kg ha-1 over the control. From the factors studied, seeding rate did not show any significant difference during the two years of investigation. Interactions were also observed among the factors studied. Therefore, row spacings irrespective of the method used, or hole planting of rice could be more appropriate for optimum grain yield.

A field experiment was conducted during the dry seasons of 2012 and 2013 in Irrigation Research Station, Talata Mafara, Zamfara State, Latitude 12°34ʹ00ʺ N and Longitude 6°04ʹ00ʺ E 488m above sea level in the Sudan savanna agro-ecological zone. The objective of the research was to test the effect to various levels of nitrogen (N) fertilization on rice varieties under irrigation and to determine the rice variety suitable for cultivation. The experiment was laid out in a Complete Randomized Block Design (CRBD) using split plot arrangement and was replicated three times. Three rice varieties (Faro 44, 45 and 57) were allocated to the main plot and three nitrogen levels (60, 120 and 180 kg N ha -1 ) were allocated to the sub plots. The gross and net plot sizes were 5 x 4 and 3 x 3 m respectively. Weeds were controlled using Glyphosate, Butachlor as preemergence and Orizo plus as post-emergence herbicides and supplemented with hand pulling at 9 weeks after sowing (WAS). Fertilizer was applied in two split doses. First half was applied at planting using NPK and the remaining half at 6 weeks after transplanting (WAT) using Urea (46 % N). Data collected were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and significant means were separated using DMRT at 5 % level of probability. The results of effect of variety on growth parameters showed that Faro 44 recorded higher days to 50 % anthesis but was significantly (p≤0.05) shorter in height than Faro 57. The effect of the treatment on yield parameters showed that Faro 44 recorded higher thrashing percentage, 1000-grain weight and number of grain panicle -1 significantly (p≤0.05) higher than Faro 45 and 57 in all the seasons. Increasing nitrogen levels from 60 kg N ha -1 significantly increased growth and yield parameters. Application of 180 kg N ha -1 on Faro 44 is hereby recommended for rice growing in the ecological zone.