Local rice cultivars in Nagaland were studied to see how they respond to different levels of nitrogen in rainfed upland conditions. The study found that higher nitrogen levels improved the growth and yield of the rice plants. Applying 80 kg of nitrogen per hectare resulted in the best plant height, number of leaves, tillers, growth rate, leaf area, root volume, panicle length, weight, and overall grain yield. The 'Apaghi' cultivar outperformed 'Inglongkiri' in terms of panicle length, weight, number of grains, and yield, producing the highest grain and straw yields.