Seed Coating in Direct Seeded Rice: An Innovative and Sustainable Approach to Enhance Grain Yield and Weed Management under Submerged Conditions

Talha Javed, Irfan Afzal and Rosario Paolo Mauro
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Talha Javed: Seed Physiology Lab, Department of Agronomy, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan
Irfan Afzal: Seed Physiology Lab, Department of Agronomy, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan
Rosario Paolo Mauro: Dipartimento di Agricoltura, Alimentazione e Ambiente (Di3A), Università degli Studi di Catania, Via Valdisavoia, 5-95123 Catania, Italy

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 4, 1-13

Abstract: Dry direct-seeded rice is an alternative cropping technique that should require less water and labor than the classical method of transplanted-flooded rice. Weed competition is the major biological constraint in this resource-conserving production technique reducing the crop yield by 30–80%. This study evaluated the effects of different seed coating treatments on the performance of dry direct seeded rice under field conditions. The seed coating treatments used were preliminarily optimized under lab conditions. The rice seeds were coated with sodium lauryl sulphate (20:1), calcium peroxide (CaO 2 ) (20:6), alginate (20:6), and plant growth promoting bacteria Bacillus sp. KS-54 (20:6 g:mL) on a dry weight basis. Among treatments, seed coating with CaO 2 resulted in higher field emergence (85%) and suppressed the fresh and dry biomass of weeds at 15 and 35 days after sowing which subsequently improved the seedling growth of direct seeded rice followed by other treatments and the control. Rice seeds coated with CaO 2 and Bacillus sp. KS-54 were effective at enhancing morphological, yield and yield related attributes as compared to other treatments and the control under field conditions. The better morphological attributes and yield of rice plants raised from seeds coated with CaO 2 and Bacillus sp. KS-54 were associated with higher concentrations of reducing sugars and enhanced antioxidant enzymes activities.

Keywords: direct seeded rice; seed coating; weed dynamics; sustainable production (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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