Two methods of nitrogen application at the 4th leaf stage were evaluated in direct-seeding rice cultivation on dry paddy soil: one was the top dressing of nitrogen on dry paddy condition before irrigation (TNDP) for labor saving, and the other was the top dressing of nitrogen on dry paddy with mechanical rotavation of the inter-row space (TNDPIR) for increasing the efficiency of nitrogen. To evaluate these two application methods, leaf chlorophyll contents, growth characteristics and yields were compared with two conventional methods, basal application (BA) and top dressing on flooded paddy condition at the 4th leaf stage (TNFP). The SPAD value of rice in TNDP was similar with that in TNFP throughout the whole growth stage of rice. Also, there were no differences in rice growth and yield between the two methods. However, in TNDPIR, the SPAD value was the highest during tillering stage among the four application methods, and the tiller number, LAI at heading stage and the panicle number were higher than the two conventional methods.