Abstract
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.J. Bangladesh Agril. Univ. 15(1): 55-59, January 2017
Highlights
Soil solarization is a method for controlling soil borne pest and diseases, which involves in-situ solar pasteurization of soil using transparent polythene sheet and solar heat
Solarization for up to four weeks in May–June before sowing seed in the nursery is possible for soil disinfestation and controlling nematodes, fungi and weeds. With these facts in view, 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
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
Summary
Soil solarization is a method for controlling soil borne pest and diseases, which involves in-situ solar pasteurization of soil using transparent polythene sheet and solar heat. Solarization as a pre-treatment for pest and disease-free healthy crops was originally described by Katan et al (1976) It is an alternative and inexpensive technique as compared to chemical soil disinfection methods. Summers in the rice growing areas of Bangladesh are generally hot especially in April and May when hot, dry and intense sunny weather is common These conditions are favorable for effective soil solarization. Solarization for up to four weeks in May–June before sowing seed in the nursery is possible for soil disinfestation and controlling nematodes, fungi and weeds With these facts in view, 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
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