A field experiment on the time of nitrogen application to drill sown rice under rainfed upland conditions was conducted during 1982-83 and 1988-89. The grain yield and other growth and yield attributing characters differed significantly with split application of nitro­gen as compared to single dose. During both the years, the rice yield was significantly higher (54.58 and 70,36 q/ha respectively) when nitrogen was applied in three equal splits, at 20, 40 and 60 days after sowing. Similar trend was observed wirh growth and yield attributing characters