This study was conducted to establish the elaborate nitrogen fertilization method to enhance N use efficiency in direct-seeded rice on flooded paddy. The nitrogen uptake by rice plants was insignificant until 25 days after seeding, and increased gradually thereafter. During this early growth stage, rice plants absorbed only the

of basal applied N, while the

of N fertilizer remained in the paddy soil. The absorption of basal N by rice plants was almost completed at 46 days after application. Nitrogen top-dressed at 5-leaf stage was well matched to crop nutrient demand, so it could be absorbed so actively in 8days after application. As a result, we could cut down the amount of N fertilizer to

of the basal N level without significant difference in yield. Plant recoveries of fertilizer

applied with different application timings were

for basal,

for 5-leaf stage,

for tillering stage, and

for panicle initiation stage, respectively. When urea was applied with nitrogen fertilization practice based on basal incorporation (BN), plant recovery of

at harvest was

, which was originated from

for grain, and

of the fertilizer

remained in the soil, and the rest could be uncounted. Plant recovery of fertilizer

applied with nitrogen fertilization practice based on topdressing at 5-leaf stage (TN), where N rate was reduced by

compared with BN, was

(grain

), and

of the fertilizer

remained in the soil, and the rest could be uncounted. TN showed a higher

recovery than BN because it was to apply N fertilizer at a time to well meet the demand of rice plant direct-seeded on flooded paddy. We concluded that TN would be the nitrogen fertilization method to enhance N use efficiency in direct-seeded rice on flooded paddy.