The chlorophyll meter (SPAD-502) can be used to diagnose the nitrogen (N) status of rice (Oryza sativa L.) to decide for fertilizer-N side-dressing. The objective of this study was to determine the relationships between SPAD meter readings, unadjusted and adjusted for specific leaf weight (SLW) and N on dry weight basis (Ndw), N on leaf area basis (Na) and yield. The correlation coefficients (r) between SPAD and Ndw ranged from 0.82 to 0.90; between SPAD and yield, from 0.75 to 0.90; and between SPAD/SLW and yield from 0.77 to 0.85 on pooling the data experiment-wise. The corresponding ‘r’ values over all experiments were 0.87, 0.81 and 0.80, respectively. The results of better relationship between SPAD and Ndw; and between SPAD and yield in the late reproductive and early ripening phases allows prediction of plant N status based on direct SPAD meter readings. It is quick, simple and non-destructive unlike N prediction based on Kjeldahl procedure or SPAD/SLW.