Growth, yield and nitrogen use efficiency of dry-seeded rice as influenced by nitrogen and seed rates in Bangladesh

•Nitrogen fertilizer rate for maximum yield of dry seeded rice (DSR) is higher than the recommended rate for puddled transplanted rice (PTR).•Maximum rice yield was achieved with seed rates of 40 and 60kgha−1 with N rates of 180 and 160kgha−1 for boro and aman crops, respectively.•Optimum N rate was lower at 20kgseedha−1 than at higher seed rates.•The low agronomic (15–20kggrainkg−1) and recovery (35–40%) efficiencies of N fertilizer with DSR suggest further improvements in N management are needed.•Dry seeding of boro rice in November is risky due to cold damage during the vegetative stage.