Studies on Dormancy in Rice -A Preliminary Note

Abstract

It is well known that most of the short duration varieties of rice do not require a resting period after harvest as a pre-requisite for proper germination. This is advantageous inasmuch as the seeds harvested in one season come in handy for immediate sowing in the succeeding season. But the disadvantages are more than one. If for any reason the harvest of the ripe crop is delayed, it lodges on account of age or due to wind or beating rain and the grains germinate in contact with water which always stagnates in the field at the harvest time of such early varieties in many parts of the rice-growing tracts. Even if the crop does not lodge and come into contact with the water film beneath, some moisture left in the ear helps to germinate the grains in some of the short duration types. Adt. 19, a strain isolated in the variety Sarapalli, is one which succumbs easily to this condition. It also been recorded that varieties which have a quick-after-harvest spring have also a tendency to lose viability under normal conditions This is found in some of the medium duration varieties also. store is a case in point. It deterioratation varieties of the thort term rices, especially when the seeds a quickly ave to pass through an heavy monsoon period as in the of Malabar and South Kanara.