Despite the critical role of rice in global food security, rice cultivation in Pakistan faces significant challenges due to climatic variability, inefficient nitrogen utilization, and a limited understanding of genotype-specific responses to various agronomic practices. Improved nitrogen management and a deeper understanding of rice genotypes are crucial for enhancing productivity and ensuring food security. This study aims to evaluate agronomic practices and radiation use efficiency in promising rice genotypes under different nitrogen levels. The field experiment was conducted in Agronomic Research Area of the University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan. The treatments included four rice cultivars (Super Gold, Super Basmati, Chanab Basmati, and Punjab Basmati) and five nitrogen levels (Control, 50 kg ha⁻¹, 100 kg ha⁻¹, 150 kg ha⁻¹, and 200 kg ha⁻¹). The experiment used a randomized complete block design with a factorial layout having three replications. The results indicated that 2020 showed superior performance in several aspects: Leaf area index (LAI) was higher in 2020 (3.04) compared to 2019 (2.87); Total dry matter (TDM) was greater in 2019 (10898 kg ha⁻¹) than in 2020 (10476 kg ha⁻¹). Super Basmati had the highest 1000-grain weight (22.49 g). The highest RUE for TDM (1.77 g MJ⁻¹) was observed at the 150 and 200 kg ha⁻¹ nitrogen levels. Among the genotypes, Super Basmati exhibited the highest grain yield (3199 kg ha⁻¹), while Super Gold had the lowest (3101 kg ha⁻¹). Nitrogen treatments of 150 kg ha⁻¹ and 200 kg ha⁻¹ significantly enhanced growth and yield parameters, whereas the control (0 kg N ha⁻¹) lagged behind, underscoring the essential role of nitrogen in rice cultivation. These findings highlight the importance of optimizing nitrogen levels and genotype selection to improve rice productivity and resource efficiency in Pakistan.