The experiment was carried out for two consecutive seasons: Boro (dry season) 2011-12. Experimental sites and seasons and Transplanted Aman (T. Aman, wet season) 2012 at the farmer’s field in Babuganj, Barisal . Two rice crops were grown annually in two seasons known as T. Aman and Boro. T. Aman was the wet season (June–July to November–December) in which transplanted rice was grown under partially irrigated conditions in the study area. Boro was the dry season (December–January to April–May) in which transplanted rice was grown under fully irrigated conditions. Semi-dwarf, high-yielding rice varieties were grown in the study area; BRRI dhan29 with 165 days growth duration was grown in dry season (2011-12), and local inbreed variety (Sada mota) with 215 days growth duration was grown in wet season. The field belongs to agro-ecological zone (AEZ) number 13 known as Ganges Tidal Floodplain (Mahmud et al., 2016). The silt clay loam soil having pH 6.84, organic carbon 1.04%, total N 0.10%, available P 17.4 mg kg-1 , available K 0.17 cmol kg-1 , available S 19.9 mg kg-1 and available Zn 1.5 mg kg-1 was used in the experiment. Experimental design and treatments The experiment was established in farmer’s fields in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Treatments consisted of options for managing fertilizers in rice of non-saline tidal flood ecosystem. There were eight treatments in total: T1 = 100 % NPKSZn (Soil Test Basis, STB, according to the BARC, 2005); T2 = T1 + 25 % N; T3 = T1 + 25 % NP; T4 = T1 + 25 % NK; T5 = T1 + 25 % PK; T6 = T1 + 25 % NPK; T7 = 75 % of T1 and T8 = Absolute control (no fertilizer). In dry season, NPKSZn were applied at 162-11-58-11-0, 203- 11-58-11-0, 203-14-58-11-0, 203-11-73-11-0, 162-14-73-11-0, 203-14-73-11-0, 122-8-44-8-0 and 0-0-0-0-0 kg ha-1 in T1, to T8 treatments, respectively. In wet season, NPKSZn were applied at 22-3-19-5-0, 28-3-19-5-0, 28-4-19-5-0, 28-3-24-5-0, 22-4-24-5-0, 28-4-24-5-0, 17- The experiment was carried out for two consecutive seasons: Boro (dry season) 2011-12 2-14-4-0 and 0-0-0-0-0 kg ha-1 in T1, to T8 treatments, respectively. The total amounts of P as triple superphosphate, K as KCl and S as gypsum, were applied as basal-immediately before transplanting of rice. In the recommended practice for rice, N was applied as urea in three equal splits at basal, 25-30 days after transplanting (DAT) and 5-7 days before panicle initiation (PI) stage and at basal, 20-25 DAT and 5-7 days before panicle initiation (PI) stage in dry season. In wet season, N fertilizer was applied as urea in two equal splits at basal and 5- 7 days before panicle initiation stage after drainage out of flood water. Unit plot size was 20 m2 (4 m × 5 m). All plots were surrounded by permanent bunds to prevent transfer of soil and nutrients between plots. In all cases, rice was transplanted and grown on submerged soil with irrigation. Weeds and insects were controlled to avoid yield losses. Soil and plant sampling and analysis Initial soils were collected before land preparation with an auger with 5 cm internal diameter in the plough layer (0–15 cm) at nine randomly selected locations and then mixed as one sample. All fresh soil samples were air-dried, ground and passed through a 2-mm sieve and prepared for routine analyses of texture, pH, organic carbon, total N, available K, P, S and Zn using the methods described by Islam, 2009; Islam et al., 2013a; Islam et al., 2013b; Islam et al., 2014; Islam et al., 2016 and Saha et al., 2016. Grain yield was recorded from the central 5 m2 harvest area in each plot at maturity and reported on 14% moisture basis. At maturity, 16 hills (four hills from each of the four sides of the grain harvest area) were collected at ground level and fresh straw weight was determined after separating the grains. Grain and straw were dried at 70°C to constant weight and dry weights were recorded. The ratio of fresh and oven-dry weights of straw for 16-hill samples was then used to determine straw yields on an oven-dry basis from fresh straw weights (Islam et al., 2015 and Islam et al., 2016b. Dry grain and straw from the 16-hill samples were ground to pass through a 0.5-mm sieve and analyzed for total N, P and K following standard procedure. The N, P and K contents in grain plus straw were taken as the measure of total N, P and K uptake. Total N was determined following Micro Kjeldahl method (Bremner, 1965). Plant samples were digested using the HNO3-HCLO4 (5:2) di-acid mixture. Phosphorous was determined colorimetrically by spectrophotometer (model-V-630, Jasco) and potassium was determined by flame photometer (model-410, Sherwood) according to the procedure described by Yoshida et al. (1981).