Field experiments were conducted during 1998 and 1999 in June-September with rice variety ASD18 at the wetland farm, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, India to find out theeffect of N management approaches and planting densities on N accumulation by transplanted rice in a split plot design.The main plot consisted of three plant populations (33, 66 and 100 hills m-2) and the sub-plot treatments of five N management approaches. The results revealed thatthe average N uptake in roots and aboveground biomass progressively increased with growth stages. The mean root and aboveground biomass Nuptake were 26.1 to 130.6 and 6.4 to 17.8 kg ha-1, respectively. The N uptake of grain and straw was higher in theSesbania rostratagreen manuring + 150 kg N treatment, but it was not effective in increasing the grain yield. The mean total N uptake was found to be significantly lower at 33 hills m-2(76.9 kg ha-1) and increased with an increase in planting density (100.9 and 117.2 kg ha-1at 66 and 100 hills m-2density). N application had a significant influence on N uptake and the time course of N uptake in all the SPAD-guided N approaches. A significant regression coefficient was observed between the crop N uptake and grain yield. The relationship between cumulative N uptake at the flowering stage and the grain yield was quadratic at all three densities. The N uptake rate (µN) was maximum during the active tillering to panicle initiation period and declined sharply after that. In general, µNincreased with an increase in planting density and the increase was significant up to the panicle initiation to flowering period.thereafter, the N uptake rate was similar at densities of 66 and 100 hills m-2.