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Effect of Seedbed Solarization on Plant Growth and Yield of Two Rice Varieties–br11 and BRRI Dhan33

M. G. Neogi
International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Banani, Dhaka

A. K. M. Salah Uddin
FAO, Dhanmondi, Dhaka

M. T. Uddin
Department of Agricultural Economics, BAU, Mymensingh

J. Lauren
Cornell University, USA,

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

An experiment was carried out at RDRS Farm in Rangpur during the 2014 T. aman rice season to determine the impact of seedbed solarization on plant growth and yield of rice varieties, BR11 and BR33. Solarization was achieved by covering the seedbeds with transparent polythene sheet for four weeks prior to sowing. Seedlings of both varieties were raised on solarized and non-solarized seedbeds and later transplanted into the main field for comparison of growth and yield. Emergence, seedling height and weight, root length and weight were higher with seedlings raised on solarized seedbeds compared to seedlings from non-solarized seedbeds. Also root knot nematode galls decreased significantly on seedlings from solarized seedbeds compared to those from non-solarized seedbeds for both the varieties tested. The increase in height and weight of solarized seedlings enabled easy access for uprooting and transplanting seedlings in the main field within the recommended 20-25 days after sowing. When transplanted in untreated main fields, plants grown from the solarized seedlings of both the rice varieties had significantly less infestation of stem borer as compared to non-solarized plants. Grain yields obtained from solarized seedlings were 7% higher for BR11 and 9% higher for BR33 relative to normal seedlings.

Keywords: Soil solarization, Healthy seedlings, Rice,

Location: RDRS Rangpur Farm, Rangpur

Start Date: 00-00-2006

End Date: 00-00-2006

Program Area: Crop-Soil-Water Management

Commodity: Rice

Objectives:

The present study was undertaken to compare the effects of seedbed solarization on seedling height, plant growth and yield performance of two T. aman rice varieties used in Northwest Bangladesh.

Methodology:

The experiment was conducted in a field of RDRS Rangpur Farm during the 2006 Kharif season. BRRI Dhan33, a short duration variety (116–119 days), and BR-11, a traditional variety (140–145 days), were tested for their performances under two treatments viz, solarized seedbed and non-solarized (normal) seedbed. The experiment was laid out in a paired-plot design with five replications. The treatments were randomly assigned to the experimental plots for both the varieties tested. The seeds of these two varieties were obtained from Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), Joydebpur, Gazipur. The soil of the experimental site has a silt loam texture and is acidic in nature with a pH of 5.3. The experimental site was on medium highland and belongs to the Tista Meander Flood plain under agroecological zone-3. The size of each seedbed was 2m × 1m. In between two beds, a distance of 50 cm was maintained for proper drainage. One of the two beds in each replicate for a variety was solarized and the other was kept non-solarized as a normal seedbed. Prior to treatment the seedbed soil was lightly tilled and wetted to field capacity to promote deep soil heating. The seedbeds then were covered by transparent polythene sheets of approximately 0.03–0.05mm in thickness. The edges of the polythene sheet were buried in the soil to prevent loss of heat and moisture. The seedbeds under solarization remained covered for 28 days during which time weed seeds germinated but then quickly died as the temperature rose. By the end of the solarization period, the soil underneath the polythene sheet had turned black.
After four weeks of soil solarization, the polythene sheet was removed from the soil, and the beds were loosened and left for two days. Then both seedbeds (solarized and non-solarized) were prepared for seed sowing through proper irrigation and puddling. Pre-germinated seeds of BR-11 and BRRI Dhan33 were sown at the rate of 96 g/m2 in both seedbed treatments on the same day. Water was applied whenever necessary to the seedbeds to maintain normal growth of the seedlings. Transplanting of seedlings was done in the main field at the age of 25 days following the same experimental design and with the same number of replications as used for the seedbeds. An individual plot size in the main field was 5m × 5m. The seedlings were transplanted in hills at the rate of two seedlings per hill with hill to hill and row to row spacing of 15 and 25 cm, respectively. Recommended doses of fertilizers (Urea:100 kg/ha; Triple Super Phosphate: 37 kg/ha; Muriate of Potash: 50 kg/ha; Gypsum: 33 kg/ha; Zinc sulphate 2.50 kg/ha) were used and regular intercultural operations were done for normal plant growth. Seedling data were recorded on number of seedlings/m2, seedling height, seedling weight, root length, root weight and number of root galls/plant. The number of seedlings/m² was obtained from seedling counts in 0.25 m² quadrate placed randomly at three spots in each seedbed. Data on seedling height, seedling weight, root length, root weight and number of galls/plant were collected on 20 seedlings, which were uprooted randomly from each seedbed along with some soil to avoid root damage. Before taking notes on these parameters, the roots were washed gently in water contained in a bucket. Rice root knot nematode galls were counted from individual root systems using a hand lens. From the main field, data were recorded on number of stemborer/5m², plant height, number of tillers/hill, number of panicles/hill, number of filled grain/panicle, number of empty grain/panicle, 1000 grain weight and grain yield Stem borer infestation/5m² was recorded by counting the number of white heads in a 1 m² quadrate placed randomly in five spots in each of the plots. Plant height, number of tillers/hill and number of panicles/hill were recorded from 10 hills selected randomly in each plot. Number of filled and empty grains/panicle was based on counts from 10 panicles taken randomly from each plot. Grain was collected from five random samples of 1 m² harvested in each plots and the yields were adjusted to a standard 14% moisture content.

Source of Information: J. Bangladesh Agril. Univ. 15(1): 55–59, 2017

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

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Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

To overcome the difficulty of uprooting small seedlings especially for short duration rice varieties (where the recommended age for transplanting is 20–25 days), farmers can adopt the solarization technology to obtain healthy and larger seedlings within the recommended period. Rice seedlings produced from solarized nurseries also have the potential to increase rice yields compared to using normal seedlings

Knowledge Management: Journal