Enhancing the performance of transplanted coarse rice by seed priming

Abstract

Raising the rice seedlings in the nursery and its transplantation into the flooded fields is principal method of rice cultivation in the world. Traditional nursery raising method in Pakistan is tedious and produces week seedlings, which reduces the final yield due to high mortality. The potential of seed priming to improve the nursery seedlings and thus the transplanted rice was evaluated in the present study. Seed priming tools employed during the investigation included traditional soaking (pre-germination), hydropriming for 48 h, osmohardening (KCl or CaCl 2 ) (ws-1.25 MPa) for 24 h (1 cycle), ascorbate priming (with 10 ppm ascorbate) for 48 h or seed hardening for 24 h. Priming improved nursery seedling vigor and resulted in improved growth, yield and quality of transplanted rice. Osmohardening (KCl) consequently resulted in the best performance, followed by osmohardening (CaCl 2 ) , hardening and ascorbate priming. Osmohardening (KCl) produced 4.28 t ha -1 (vs. 3.51 t ha -1 from untreated control) kernel yield, 10.27 t ha -1 (vs. 9.34 t ha -1 from untreated control) straw yield and 29.41% (vs. 27.31% from untreated control) harvest index. The improved yield was attributed to increase in number of fertile tillers.

Seed priming with KNO3 mediates biochemical processes to inhibit lead toxicity in maize (Zea mays L.)

“…Seed priming has been identified as one of the most efficient, feasible, low risk cost‐effective approach to enhance germination and stand establishment in plants at early growth stages . Priming of seeds with water or plant growth regulators empowers the seeds to tolerate abiotic stresses during germination . The possible mechanisms stimulated by seed priming include the occurrence of epigenetic changes, repair of membranes due to accumulation of signalling proteins and increased activities of antioxidant enzymes under environmental stress conditions .…”

“…17 Priming of seeds with water or plant growth regulators empowers the seeds to tolerate abiotic stresses during germination. 18 The possible mechanisms stimulated by seed priming include the occurrence of epigenetic changes, repair of membranes due to accumulation of signalling proteins and increased activities of antioxidant enzymes under environmental stress conditions. 19,20 Several priming techniques such as hydropriming, hormone priming, osmopriming, hardening, stratification, humidification and thermal shock have been reported in literature.…”

Improvement in anaerobic germination potential and grain yield of rice (oryza sativa) through seed priming

“…Water seed priming had positive effect on yield. Yield was greater due to priming both under direct seeding and transplanting conditions (Farooq et al, 2009). Submergence at germination stage greatly decreased the yield.…”

Direct Seeded Rice: A New Technology for Enhanced Resource-Use Efficiency

“…Biotechnol. Vol 6(3): 181-198 This paper can be downloaded online at http://ijasbt.org&http://nepjol.info/index.php/IJASBT (Harada et al, 2007) 3.83 3.63 Rainfed lowlands Thailand and Cambodia (Mitchell et al, 2004) 2.93 3.95 Irrigated Pakistan (Farooq et al, 2006a;Farooq et al, 2009) 5.40 5.30 Favourable irrigated India and Nepal (Hobbs et al, 2002) 5.59 5.22 Favourable irrigated India (Sharma et al, 2004) 5.38 5.32 Irrigated South korea (Ko and Kang, 2000) 3.15 2.99 Unfavourable rainfed lowland India (Sarkar et al, 2003) 4.64 4.17 Rainfall lowland-hill India (Rath et al, 2000) 6.09 6.35 Rainfall lowland-hill India (Tripathi et al, 2005) 2.56 3.34 Irrigated Pakistan (Farooq et al, 2006b); Farooq et al, 2007) 6.6 6.8 Rainfed lowland-hill India (Singh et al, 2009) (Singh et al, 2009) CT-dry-DSR -220 -30 6.6…”