The researchers studied how different amounts of nitrogen fertilizer affected the quality of rice as it grew. They found that the shape of the grains changed early on in the growth process, with thicker grains forming as the rice filled out. The amount of amylose, a type of starch, in the grains increased and then decreased during the growth period. The researchers also discovered that the colloidality of the rice changed differently depending on the nitrogen level, with higher levels leading to lower colloidality. Additionally, they found that certain characteristics of the rice, like grain width and weight, were correlated with the percentage of brown rice and protein content.