Nutrient use efficiency of Mechanized Direct Seeded Rice

The low-emission, high-quality rice farming package was introduced under One-million-hectare program, including systematic mechanization and land leveling, water-saving alternate wetting and drying (AWD), balanced nutrient management (including organic amendments and options for fertilizer deep placement), integrated pest management, improved harvest/postharvest handling, and low-emission straw management. Nutrient performance was evaluated using partial factor productivity of nitrogen (PFPN), phosphorus (PFPP), and potassium (PFPK), calculated as kg paddy at 14% moisture per kg nutrient applied, across Autumn-Winter, Summer-Autumn, and Winter-Spring seasons. Data for the improved package were compiled from 17 IRRI-supported pilot fields monitored over 2023–2025 (≈450 ha) in Can Tho, Dong Thap, An Giang, and Ca Mau, and compared against farmer practice data from a 2023 survey of 10,000 rice farmers. Results indicate that mDSR practices generally deliver higher PFPN and PFPP than non-mDSR farmer practices, while PFPK can be higher under non-mDSR. Overall, the findings suggest that the mDSR-based package can improve fertilizer-use efficiency, especially for N and P, across both wet and dry cropping seasons.