Abstract
Poor crop establishment of direct-seeded rice (DSR) is one of the major constraints to wide adoption of DSR, particularly in areas prone to flooding after sowing or where fields are not level. Seed pelleting is an effective, practical and facile technique to enhance crop establishment under unfavorable environmental conditions. To evaluate the effects of seed pelleting on rice germination, seedling growth and associated metabolic events under waterlogging stress, various seed pelleting treatments including formulae, pelleting times (the weight ratio of pelleting agents: rice seeds = 1:1~7:1 (w/w) and CaO2 contents were tested in series of experiments. Naked seeds were maintained for comparison as a control. Pelleting treatments with CaO2 significantly increased seed germination and seedling growth of DSR under waterlogging conditions compared with pelleted seeds without CaO2 and naked seeds. The optimum weight ratios of CaO2 to dry seeds were found to be in the range of 0.6:1–1:1 based on seed germination and seedling growth performance under waterlogging conditions. Under waterlogging conditions, high seed germination percentage and vigorous seedling growth of DSR due to seed pelleting with CaO2 was associated with an increase in α-amylase activity, but decrease in alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and pyruvate decarboxylase (PDC) activities in pelleted seeds.
Highlights
Poor crop establishment remains a major obstacle for large-scale adoption of DSR, in areas prone to flooding after sowing or where fields are not level[12,13,14]
The objectives of the present study were (1) to examine the effects of various seed pelleting formulae with various pelleting times (the weight ratio of pelleting agents: rice seeds = 1:1~7:1 (w/w)) on seed emergence performance under waterlogging conditions during seed germination and (2) to unravel the physiological and biochemical changes in rice seedlings under the influence of seed pelleting and waterlogging stress to obtain a better understanding of pelleting-induced mechanisms
The seed germination percentages were significantly higher in the pelleting treatments with 10% of CaO2 than those pelleting treatments without CaO2 and naked seeds under waterlogging conditions
Summary
Poor crop establishment remains a major obstacle for large-scale adoption of DSR, in areas prone to flooding after sowing or where fields are not level[12,13,14]. Seed pelleting is an effective, practical and facile technique to enhance rapid and uniform emergence, high seedling vigor, and better yields in many field crops under unfavorable environmental conditions[20]. Guan et al pelleted tobacco seeds using the combined materials with a superabsorbent polymer, poly hydrogel, and salicylic acid enhanced drought-tolerance and significantly improved seed germination, as well as seedling growth[26]. The objectives of the present study were (1) to examine the effects of various seed pelleting formulae with various pelleting times (the weight ratio of pelleting agents: rice seeds = 1:1~7:1 (w/w)) on seed emergence performance under waterlogging conditions during seed germination and (2) to unravel the physiological and biochemical changes in rice seedlings under the influence of seed pelleting and waterlogging stress to obtain a better understanding of pelleting-induced mechanisms
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