Effect of methanol foliar application on rice (Oryza sativa L.) growth and grain yield

Abstract

The aim of this experiment was to evaluate the effect of methanol foliar application on growth and grain yield of two rice cultivars. The experiment was carried out in Bandar Anzali, north of Iran, during rice growing season in 2011 and 2012. The experiment was conducted as a randomized complete block design with a factorial treatment arrangement and three replicates. Factors were two rice cultivar (‘Shiroudi’ and ‘Hashemi’) and five aqueous methanol foliar applications (0, 7, 14, 21, and 28% v/v). ANOVA indicated that the effects of methanol and cultivar and cultivar × methanol interaction were significant for grain yield and yield components, aboveground dry weight, and root dry weight. These indicate that the cultivars had different response to methanol foliar application. For ‘Shiroudi’ cultivar, the highest grain yields were obtained when methanol was sprayed at 14% and 7% concentration, while the lowest one was observed in non-treated plants. For ‘Hashemi’ cultivar, the greatest grain yield was obtained when methanol was sprayed at 28% v/v concentration, while the lowest ones were observed in non-treated plants and plants treated with 7% v/v concentration. This experiment illustrated that methanol foliar application increased rice growth and grain yield.