Effect of Foliar Application of Yeast on Yield and Seed Quality of Some Rice Cultivars

Abstract

Two field experiments were conducted at El-Serw Research Station, Agricultural Research Center, Egypt, during 2012 and 2013 seasons to study the effect of 5 concentrations of dry yeast ( Saccharomyces cervisia ) i.e. 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 g/L as foliar application at 25, 55 and 85 days after sowing on growth characters, yield and its components of Giza 178, Sakha 105 and Sakha 106 rice cultivars. The produced seeds obtained from the field experiment were investigated under Laboratory condition to study seed quality characters) seed, seedling vigor and its health) at Seed Technology Research Unit in Mansoura, Egypt. Results revealed that Giza 178 cv. was significantly thumping as compared with other studied cultivars in all studied characters of both growth and yield components. Maximum growth and yield components were produced from foliar spraying with 6 or 8 g/L dry yeast where show enhancement in heading date, plant height, number of tillers, and increased dray matter, number of panicles, panicle length, 1000 grain weight and grain yield with high significant in both seasons. The data of seed and seedling vigor test showed that Giza 178 cv. gave the highest values of normal seedlings (GP), speed germination (SG), seedling length (SL), while Sakha 105 cv. gave the highest values of dry weight followed by Sakha 106 cv. as compared with other cultivars. On the other hand, foliar spraying with 6 or 8 g/L dry yeast were the best treatments of seed and seedling vigor as compared with control and other concentrations of dry yeast and also decreased abnormal seedlings and seed rot percentages with significant effect. Seed health test recorded thirteen fungus species were associated with seeds of three cultivars under study. Giza 178 cv. was the less values of total fungi, followed by Sakha 106 and Sakha 105 cvs. Alternaria padwickii showed maximum values presented on seeds of three cultivars followed by Bipolaris oryzae, A. longesima, Fusarium semitectum, A. tenuis, F. graminearum and Sarocladium oryzae …et. The beneficial effects of yeast lead to lower the number of seed-borne fungi with increasing concentration from 2 to 8 g/L especially pathogenic fungi which caused reduction to seed and seedling vigor of rice. It could be recommended that use of foliar spray with dry yeast (S. cervisia) at 6 - 8 g/L at 25, 55 and 85 days after rice sowing gave the highest values of yield, yield components and next enhanced seed, seedling vigor and lower numbers of seed-borne fungi associated with rice seeds(seed quality(.