Experimental design was a complete randomized block with four replications
and plants were harvested as and when a growth stage was appeared.
All growth stages were identified visually except panicle initiation. To identify
panicle initiation stage, six extra pots were planted and plants of these
pots were used to identify panicle initiation by cutting the main shoot from
the first node. This identification was initiated 50 days after sowing at an
alternated day. After harvesting shoot, roots were removed from the soil
using a water jet and washed several times with distilled water. Roots and
shoots were dried in a oven at 70◦C to a constant weight. After determining
dry weight, plant material was ground and chemical analysis was performed
for nutrient concentration. The plant tissue analysis was performed
according to procedure described by da Silva (1999).