Germination Of Rice Seeds Research Articles

A cadmium-tolerant endophytic bacterium reduces oxidative stress and Cd uptake in KDML105 rice seedlings by inducing glutathione reductase-related activity and increasing the proline content

The effect of the endophytic Cupriavidus taiwanensis KKU2500-3 on the Cd toxicity of KDML105 rice seedlings was investigated in a 10 μM CdCl2 hydroponic system. As demonstrated after bacterial inoculation of germinating rice seeds, KKU2500-3 colonized all rice plant parts. In RB (Rice + KKU2500-3) and RBC (Rice + KKU2500-3+Cd), KKU2500-3 effectively colonized and was detected at a markedly higher number in the root surface and interior than in shoots and leaves. The activities of antioxidant enzymes ascorbate peroxidase (APOX), glutathione reductase (GR), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the proline content in inoculated rice were higher in roots and aboveground tissues. RBC exhibited a higher reduced-to-oxidized glutathione ratio in roots and leaves (3–55%) but a lower malondialdehyde content (8–78%). Phytochelatins (PCs) were detected in all rice tissues, but their levels in RBC were 13–70% lower than those in RC (Rice + Cd), demonstrating that the induction of PCs in rice was unrelated to KKU2500-3. The Cd levels in roots and shoots were lower in RBC than RC, and the root-to-shoot Cd translocation factor was 0.6–62.2% lower. At 30 DAT, the Cd levels in RBC roots and shoots were 30.2% and 73.7% lower, respectively, than those in RC. Colonized KKU2500-3 activated GR and increased the proline content to overcome rice Cd toxicity. These effects may trap Cd in plant cells and reduce its translocation. Hence, KKU2500-3 synergistically interacts with rice to detoxify Cd at early growth stages, and KDML105 rice grains with low Cd accumulation could be produced if this interaction is maintained until late growth stages.

Exogenous Betaine Enhances the Protrusion Vigor of Rice Seeds under Heat Stress by Regulating Plant Hormone Signal Transduction and Its Interaction Network.

Rice is an important food crop. Rice seedlings are mainly composed of root, coleoptile, mesocotyl and euphylla. The elongation of coleoptile and mesocotyl promotes the emergence of rice seedlings. Therefore, analyzing the mechanism of coleoptile and mesocotyl elongation is important for the cultivation of rice varieties. Due to global warming, heat stress is threatening rice yields. Betaine plays an important role in plant resistance to heat stress; however, we lack research on its regulation mechanism of rice seed germination under heat stress. Therefore, we explored the effects of soaking seeds with betaine at different concentrations on rice seed germination under heat stress. According to the results, soaking seeds with 10 mM of betaine could effectively improve the seeds’ germination potential and rate under heat stress to promote the germination of rice seeds. To clarify the mitigation mechanism of betaine in heat stress, we measured the antioxidant enzyme activity, malondialdehyde content, soluble protein content and endogenous hormone content of seed protrusion under heat stress. We constructed the cDNA library for transcriptome sequencing. According to the results, 10 mM of betaine improved the activities of the superoxide dismutase, peroxidase and catalase of seed protrusion under heat stress to reduce the malondialdehyde content and increase the soluble protein content to alleviate the effect of heat stress on rice seed germination. The detection of the endogenous hormone content showed that soaking seeds with 10 mM of betaine increased the content of gibberellin and decreased the contents of auxin and abscisic acid of seed protrusion under heat stress. According to the transcriptome analysis, betaine can induce the expressions of key genes in the biosynthesis and metabolism of auxin, abscisic acid and gibberellins in the seed coleoptile and mesocotyl elongation stage, regulate the signal transduction of three hormones and promote the germination of rice seeds under heat stress. This study revealed, for the first time, the physiological and molecular regulation mechanism of betaine promotion of seed germination under heat stress.

Seed Bio-Priming to Enhance Seed Germination and Seed Vigor of Rice Using Rhizobacteria from The Northern Coast of Pemalang, Central Java, Indonesia

The growth and yield of plants are strongly influenced by the early growth ability of the plants. Similar germination and good seed vigor will greatly support plant growth and increase production. Increasing the germination and vigor of seeds can be done through biopriming. The application of biopriming using rhizobacteria is developing environmentally friendly agricultural technology. This study aimed to determine the effect of inoculation of rhizobacteria from the north coast of Pemalang on rice plants' germination and vigor index. The study was arranged in a Randomized Block Design, consisting of 10 treatments with three replications. Ten rhizobacteria isolates were isolated from the North Coast of Pemalang, Central Java, consisting of Ju1, Jn3, Jn1, J, J12, J5, Kn1, A3, Jn, and K3. The biopriming with rhizobacteria isolated from the rice rhizosphere of the Northern Coast of Pemalang increased the seed germination rate, seed vigor index, and early vegetative growth of rice seedlings. Inoculation with isolate J12 produced the highest vigor index of 8280.01. The results of this study imply that the application of rhizobacteria from saline soil has the potential to increase the vigor of rice seedlings to impact better seedling growth in saline conditions.

A Long Noncoding RNA Derived from lncRNA-mRNA Networks Modulates Seed Vigor.

The discovery of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) has filled a great gap in our understanding of posttranscriptional gene regulation in a variety of biological processes related to plant stress responses. However, systematic analyses of the lncRNAs expressed in rice seeds that germinate under cold stress have been elusive. In this study, we performed strand-specific whole transcriptome sequencing in germinated rice seeds under cold stress and normal temperature. A total of 6258 putative lncRNAs were identified and expressed in a stage-specific manner compared to mRNA. By investigating the targets of differentially expressed (DE) lncRNAs of LT-I (phase I of low temperature)/NT-I (phase I of normal temperature), it was shown that the auxin-activated signaling pathway was significantly enriched, and twenty-three protein-coding genes with most of the members of the SAUR family located in chromosome 9 were identified as the candidate target genes that may interact with five lncRNAs. A seed vigor-related lncRNA, SVR, which interplays with the members of the SAUR gene family in cis was eventually identified. The CRISPR/Cas 9 engineered mutations in SVR cause delay of germination. The findings provided new insights into the connection between lncRNAs and the auxin-activated signaling pathway in the regulation of rice seed vigor.

Seed-Soaking with Melatonin for the Improvement of Seed Germination, Seedling Growth, and the Antioxidant Defense System under Flooding Stress

Flooding is the main cause of inhibited seed germination and seedling growth during the direct seeding of rice. As a growth-regulating hormone, melatonin plays an important role in promoting seed germination and enhancing plant stress resistance. However, there are still many unknown mechanisms related to the exogenous-melatonin-mediated regulation of submergence tolerance during seed germination. To overcome these challenges, this study investigated the effects of seed-soaking with different melatonin concentrations on the germination and physiological characteristics of rice seeds over different flooding times. The results showed that the exogenous administration of 100 μM of melatonin significantly improved the germination potential, germination rate, germination index, and vigor index of seeds and increased the size of the aboveground and underground biomass. By increasing the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) in shoots and roots, and reducing the content of malondialdehyde (MDA), the 100 μM melatonin alleviated the damage of rice seeds under flooding stress. The gray relational grade between the root MDA content and the melatonin seed-soaking treatment was the highest, and this was used to evaluate the effect of melatonin in alleviating flooding stress. A two-factor analysis of variance showed that the flooding stress treatment and the melatonin treatment had more significant effects on rice seed germination than the flooding and melatonin interaction treatments (p < 0.01). The optimal number of days for rice seeds to resist flooding stress was two, and the optimal concentration for the melatonin seed-soaking treatment was 100 μM. In sum, a 100 μM melatonin seed-soaking treatment can effectively alleviate the damage of flooding stress on rice seeds and promote the growth and development of seedlings. This study provides the theoretical basis for a light and simple cultivation technique for the direct seeding of rice.

Soaking curve and physiological quality of red rice seeds under salt stress

Red rice stands out as a component of the diet of family farmers in the semi-arid Northeast. In this region, the accumulation of salts can occur on the soil surface causing saline stress to the plants. Studies related to salinity during the critical phases of plant development are recommended. Therefore, the objective was to evaluate the effect of salt stress on water uptake and germination of red rice seeds. The experimental design used was entirely randomized. The treatments were four levels of electrical conductivity of water: 1.0 dS/m, 2.0 dS/m, 3.0 dS/m and 4.0 dS/m. The following variables were evaluated: water absorption, humidity, germination percentage, germination speed index, and mean germination time. Salinity decreased the speed of water uptake and provided the lowest water accumulation required for germination of red rice seeds. Salinity increased the germination time of red rice seeds by improving germination performance.

Enhancement of Germination of Oryza sativa L. (Rice) Seeds using Solar Concentrators

Background: The initial stage of plants and sunlight as the energy source are very critical for plants. A boost of biochemical reactions given by concentrating solar energy at the initial stage of plants may continue accelerated growth and yield. Rice is a high-demand crop. Therefore, in this research study, the germination of rice seeds was studied under different radiation levels using a spherical solar concentrator (SSC). Methods: The germination percentage of rice seeds was observed under different radiation levels. Experimental setup 1 consisted of 60 cm below the SSC (SSC 60 cm) and open environment (OE) whereas Experimental setup 2 consisted of 45 cm below the SSC (SSC 45 cm) and OE. Result: SSC (60 cm) and SSC (45 cm) manifested 1.2 and 1.5 times higher solar energy than the OE, respectively. In experimental setup 1, it was observed germination percentages of 65.2 and 58.8 in SSC (60 cm) and OE, respectively whereas, in the experimental setup 2, 86.9 and 77.5 in SSC (45 cm) and OE, respectively. It can be assumed that plants grown under SSC during the nursery stage, reach the fullest potential at maturity as a result of increased flux density and lower soil temperature under the SSC.

Comparison of critical factor affecting the germination of rice seeds treated by LASER and plasma

The effects of laser (single, double, and triple pulse laser) and plasma treatment (time and voltage variation) on rice seeds (KS-186) with and without seed coat are investigated in this research work. Germination rate, fungus attack, root to stem ratio and water absorption was explored. The germination rate of the seeds reached 86% and maximum water absorption for 3- and 4-min plasma treated seeds whereas 100% growth rate is observed for single pulsed LASER treated leads to best root to stem ratio. In contract to the LASER treatment, there was no fungus attack on seeds with seed coat treated with plasma as compared to untreated seed coat. The protein analysis reveals that nutritional contents of seeds were enhanced due to irradiation by laser.

Effect of fire retardants on germination of agricultural seeds

The occurrence of fires in agricultural areas grown with winter maize has become recurrent in the Central-West region of Brazil, since the harvest occurs in the dry season in the region. Fire retardants can be used as an indirect control of fire; they consisted of chemical products that can remain in the straws or on the soil after the fire extinction. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of two short-term fire retardants (Phos-Chek WD881® and Hold Fire®) and a hydrogel (alternative fire retardant) on germination of rice (Oryza sativa), common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), millet (Pennisetum glaucum), maize (Zea mays), and soybean (Glycine max) seeds. The control treatment consisted of only distilled water. The seed germination percentage and speed index, mean time for germination, and seedling growth (shoot and root length and dry weight) were evaluated. A completely randomized experimental design was used, with 4 replications per treatment; each experimental unit consisted of 100 seeds maintained in germination chambers (30 °C and photoperiod of 12 hours). The effects of the fire retardants and hygroscopic polymer on the seed germination and seedling initial growth were specific, and no significant effect caused by the variations in the concentrations of the fire retardants was found.

Lysinibacillus sphaericus.

Lysinibacillus sphaericus comprises a group of motile Gram-positive spore-forming bacilli. Members of this group are characterized by their terminal endospore, the capability to utilize acetate as the sole carbon source, and the presence of lysine and aspartic acid in their cell-wall peptidoglycan. Some L. sphaericus strains with larvicidal activity have been successfully used in vector-control programs against malaria, filariasis, yellow fever, dengue fever, and West Nile virus. Commercially available formulations containing L. sphaericus spores include JianBao®, VectoLex®, VectoMax®, Spherimos®, and Spicbiomoss®. L. sphaericus has other environmentally relevant capabilities, including degradation of organic contaminants such as hydrocarbons and dyes; promotion of plant growth via nitrogen fixation; production of indole acetic acid; and solubilization of silicates and phosphates – as measured by the enhanced germination of tomato, cucumber, and rice seeds – and the adsorption of toxic metals (cadmium, lead, arsenic, mercury, chromium) and precious metals (gold).

Pyrite bio-leachate, mine wastewater can sterilize the rice (Oryza sativa L.) seeds and promote the germination.

We developed the way to use pyrite bio-leachate (PBL), the wastewater of bioleaching of refractory gold ore in agriculture. PBL contains high amount of iron and at certain concentration, iron has toxicity on microorganisms. Therefore PBL can be used for rice seed sterilization. Method 1 is soaking rice seeds in 100%, 10%, and 2% PBL for 1, 2, 3, and 4days (25℃) and drying them. Method 2 is soaking rice seeds in 100%, 10%, and 2% PBL for 30min, 60min, and 120min (25℃), wetting for 2days under the shade and drying for 5days. Method 1 with 100%, 10%, and 2% PBL did not sterilize rice seeds completely. Method 2 with 100% and 10% PBL showed the complete sterilization effect and enhanced the germination of rice seeds in any soaking time. Similar results were achieved in seedbed experiments. PBL which has serious potential to pollute the environment can be used for rice seed sterilization. Soaking rice seeds in 100% and 10% PBL for 30min, 60min, and 120min (25℃), wetting for 2days under the shade and drying them for 5days, can sterilize the rice seeds completely and enhance the germination.

Promoting Effect of Pectic-Oligosaccharides Produced from Pomelo Peel on Rice Seed Germination and Early Seedling Growth

Promoting Effect of Pectic-Oligosaccharides Produced from Pomelo Peel on Rice Seed Germination and Early Seedling Growth

Increasing SnRK1 activity with the AMPK activator A-769662 accelerates seed germination in rice

Sucrose non-fermenting-1-related protein kinase 1 (SnRK1) plays a key role in rice germination. The small molecule drug, A-769662, activates AMP-activated protein kinase, a mammalian homolog of SnRK1. However, it is unknown whether A-769662 activates SnRK1, thereby affecting germination. SnRK1 in desalted extracts from germinating rice seeds was strongly activated by adding A-769662 in vitro. Applying 50 or 100 μM A-769662 accelerated germination and increased the root length, shoot length, and seedling fresh weight. 50 μM A-769662 treatment increased the catalytic activity and phosphorylation of SnRK1 during germination. Transcriptome analysis and biochemical validation were performed to investigate the mechanism whereby A-769662 treatment promoted rice germination. A-769662 treatment promoted starch hydrolysis by increasing the expression and activity of amylase and inhibited starch biosynthesis by decreasing the expression of OsAGPL2, OsAGPS2a, Wx, and SSIIa. The abscisic acid (ABA) level and gene expression of ABA-induced transcription factors, including OsNF-YC9, OsNF-YC12, OsWRKY24, OsPYL8, OsMKKK62, and OsMKKK63, which reduced the inhibition of germination by ABA were decreased under 50 μM A-769662 treatment. The increased expression of the OsACO3 and OsACO5 genes and increased ethylene levels under A-769662 treatment, which counteracted the inhibition of ABA on germination and, thus, promoted germination. These results demonstrate the activation of A-769662 on SnRK1 and further reveal the regulatory mechanism of A-769662 in rice seed germination and nutrient remobilization.

The GacA-GacS Type Two-Component System Modulates the Pathogenicity of Dickeya oryzae EC1 Mainly by Regulating the Production of Zeamines.

The GacS-GacA type two-component system (TCS) positively regulates pathogenicity-related phenotypes in many plant pathogens. In addition, Dickeya oryzae EC1, the causative agent of soft rot disease, produces antibiotic-like toxins called zeamines as one of the major virulence factors that inhibit the germination of rice seeds. The present study identified a GacS-GacA type TCS, named TzpS-TzpA, that positively controls the virulence of EC1, mainly by regulating production of the toxin zeamines. RNA-seq analysis of strain EC1 and its tzpA mutant showed that the TCS regulated a wide range of virulence genes, especially those encoding zeamines. Protein-protein interaction was detected between TzpS and TzpA through the bacterial two-hybrid system and pull-down assay. In trans expression of tzpA failed to rescue the defective phenotypes in both the ΔtzpS and ΔtzpSΔtzpA mutants. Furthermore, TzpA controls target gene expression by direct binding to DNA promoters that contain a Gac-box motif, including a regulatory RNA rsmB and the vfm quorum-sensing system regulator vfmE. These findings therefore suggested that the EC1 TzpS-TzpA TCS system mediates the pathogenicity of Dickeya oryzae EC1 mainly by regulating the production of zeamines.[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.

Exogenous SA Affects Rice Seed Germination under Salt Stress by Regulating Na+/K+ Balance and Endogenous GAs and ABA Homeostasis

Salinity reduces agricultural productivity majorly by inhibiting seed germination. Exogenous salicylic acid (SA) can prevent the harm caused to rice by salinity, but the mechanisms by which it promotes rice seed germination under salt stress are unclear. In this study, the inhibition of germination in salt-sensitive Nipponbare under salt stress was greater than that in salt-tolerant Huaidao 5. Treatment with exogenous SA significantly improved germination of Nipponbare, but had little effect on Huaidao 5. The effects of exogenous SA on ion balance, metabolism of reactive oxygen species (ROS), hormone homeostasis, starch hydrolysis, and other physiological processes involved in seed germination of rice under salt stress were investigated. Under salt stress, Na+ content and the Na+/K+ ratio in rice seeds increased sharply. Seeds were subjected to ion pressure, which led to massive accumulation of H2O2, O2−, and malonaldehyde (MDA); imbalanced endogenous hormone homeostasis; decreased gibberellic acid (GA1 and GA4) content; increased abscisic acid (ABA) content; inhibition of α-amylase (EC 3.2.1.1) activity; and slowed starch hydrolysis rate, all which eventually led to the inhibition of the germination of rice seeds. Exogenous SA could effectively enhance the expression of OsHKT1;1, OsHKT1;5, OsHKT2;1 and OsSOS1 to reduce the absorption of Na+ by seeds; reduce the Na+/K+ ratio; improve the activities of SOD, POD, and CAT; reduce the accumulation of H2O2, O2−, and MDA; enhance the expression of the GA biosynthetic genes OsGA20ox1 and OsGA3ox2; inhibit the expression of the ABA biosynthetic gene OsNCED5; increase GA1 and GA4 content; reduce ABA content; improve α-amylase activity, and increase the content of soluble sugars. In summary, exogenous SA can alleviate ion toxicity by reducing Na+ content, thereby helping to maintain ROS and hormone homeostasis, promote starch hydrolysis, and provide sufficient energy for seed germination, all of which ultimately improves rice seed germination under salt stress. This study presents a feasible means for improving the germination of direct-seeded rice in saline soil.

NLP2-NR Module Associated NO Is Involved in Regulating Seed Germination in Rice under Salt Stress.

Salt stress has the most severe impact on plant growth and development, including seed germination. However, little is known about the mechanism of NR (nitrate reductase)-associated nitric oxide (NO) regulates salt tolerance during seed germination in rice. Herein, we shown that inhibition of seed germination by salt stress was significantly impaired by sodium nitroferricyanide (SNP), a NO donor. Then a triple mutant, nr1/nr2/nr3, was generated. Results shown that germination of triple mutants were delayed and were much more sensitive to salt stress than WT plant, which can be rescued by application of SNP. qPCR analysis revealed that expressions of abscisic acid (ABA) catabolism gene, OsABA8ox1, was suppressed in triple mutants under salt stress, resulting in an elevated ABA content. Similar to SNP, application of nitrate also rescued seed germination under salt stress, which, however, was blocked in the triple mutants. Further study revealed that a nitrate responsive transcript factor, OsNLP2, was induced by salt stress, which thus up-regulates the expression of OsNRs and NR activity, resulting in promoted salt tolerance during seed germination. In addition, nitrate-mediated salt tolerance was impaired in mutant of aba8ox1, a target gene for NLP2. Transient trans-activation assays further revealed NLP2 can significantly activate the expression of OsABA8ox1 and OsNR1, suggesting that NLP2 activates expression of ABA catabolism gene directly or indirectly via NR-associated NO. Taken together, our results demonstrate that NLP2-NR associated NO was involved in salt response by increasing ABA catabolism during seed germination and highlight the importance of NO for stress tolerance of plants.

Plant growth promoting potential of butyl isobutyl phthalate and Streptomyces sp. from Rumex dentatus on rice.

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is one of the most important staple foods consumed in many countries of the world. It is mostly consumed in developing countries where different chemical fertilizers are used to improve the productivity of the crop plant. In the present study, endophytic actinomycetes isolated from Rumex dentatus were identified morphologically and by scanning electron microscopy. Butyl isobutyl phthalate (BIBP) was isolated from the root endophyte Streptomyces sp. JR9 using column chromatography and HPLC methods. The compound was tested for its effect on rice seed germination. BIBP, extracts, and isolates were evaluated for their plant growth effect on rice in a growth chamber. Isolates were also screened in vitro for phosphate solubilization activity and enzyme production. Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and BIBP produced in extracts were quantified and detected using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) methods, respectively. BIBP was found to increase the germination of rice seeds by 6 to 12% in treated samples and displayed potent effect at lowest concentration (0.437µM). Both the compound and the extract depicted significant increases in almost all growth parameters at lowest concentration of 0.125µg/mL and 62.5µg/mL, respectively. BIBP also increased significantly shoot length, fresh root, fresh shoot, and dried shoot weight at high concentrations and was more potent than the standard phytohormone IAA. HPLC quantification showed 7.952µg/mg and 0.371µg/mg of IAA in extracts of Streptomyces sp. JR9 and the stem endophyte Streptomyces sp. KS3, respectively. IAA containing extract of JR9 increased significantly most growth parameters at lowest concentration (125µg/mL). The extract of KS3 depicted significant increases in almost all growth parameters at high concentration (500µg/mL). Our investigation showed that streptomycetes isolated from R. dentatus and BIBP are potent growth promoting agents and can be used in agriculture as bio-fertilizer to improve the growth and productivity of rice. KEY POINTS: • Butyl isobutyl phthalate (BIBP) isolated from endophytic Streptomyces sp. JR9 is a potent rice seed germination activator and promotes significantly the growth of rice • Isolated endophytes showed the ability to produce enzymes and phytohormone IAA • Isolates enhanced significantly the growth of rice.

The role of phytochrome-mediated gibberellic acid signaling in the modulation of seed germination under low light stress in rice (O. sativa L.).

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12298-022-01167-7.

Effects of Soil Moisture Content on Germination and Physiological Characteristics of Rice Seeds with Different Specific Gravity

Soil relative water content and seed plumpness have been shown to be the key factors affecting seed germination and seedling growth of rice under direct drought cropping. It remains to be determined whether seed germination and seedling growth of water-saving and drought-resistant rice (WDR) and conventional rice with the same proportion of rice seed have the same response to soil moisture changes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the seed germination and physiological characteristics of the rice cultivars Guangliangyou 1813 (GLY-1813,indica hybrid rice) and Hanyou 73 ((HY-73), WDR) with four different specific gravities (T1, T2, T3, and T4; the rice seeds were divided into four specific gravity levels by weight using saline water, the representative specific gravities were <1.0, 1.0–1.1, 1.1–1.2 and >1.2 kg m−3, respectively), at five soil moisture content gradients (soil relative water contents of 10–20%, 20–40%, 40–60%, 60–80%, and 80–100%), under dry direct seeding conditions. The results showed that GLY-1813 had a higher germination potential, germination and seedling emergence rates, greater root dry weight, seedling dry weight, root oxidation activity, and chlorophyll content, and lower malondialdehyde (MDA) content when the soil relative water content was 20–40% or 40–60%. Cultivar HY-73 had the highest germination rate and seedling physiological activity at 20–40% relative water content; its growth vigor was better than that of GLY-1813 at the same soil moisture level. In conclusion, the soil relative water content for seed germination of HY-73 was 20–40%, which was less than that of GLY-1813. When soil relative water content was sufficient for seed germination and growth, the higher the plumpness of the rice seed, the easier it was to resist the negative effects of an adverse growth environment.

Determining the effects of LFHV-PEF treatment on the water distribution and vigor of aged rice seeds using LF-NMR

This study aimed to investigate the effect of low-frequency high-voltage pulsed electric field (LFHV-PEF) treatment on the germination of aged rice seeds. Aged rice seeds were subjected to LFHV-PEF treatment with different electric field strengths, and low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) was performed to acquire the LF-NMR data of rice seeds at different germination periods during a standard seed germination test to analyze their internal patterns of water state and distribution. Optimal treatment conditions were determined based on the physicochemical data collected during germination, and the improvements in seed vigor were verified. The findings indicated that during germination, the contents of bound and semi-bound water within the aged rice seeds initially increased and then decreased, whereas free water and total water contents increased continuously and rapidly. Side peaks were also observed within the seeds. Under the LFHV-PEF treatment, the semi-bound water within the seeds was more easily converted to free water, and the water absorption rate, germination potential, germination rate, germination index, and vigor index of these seeds improved. Further, the optimal electrical field strength was 12 kV. By analyzing the internal patterns of water state and distribution in seeds, the mechanism by which electric field treatment improved seed vigor was elucidated, thus, providing theoretical support and data evidence for research on water absorption during the germination of rice seeds, and methods for improving seed vigor. Keywords: aged rice seeds, germination, water phase, seed vigor, LF-NMR, LFHV-PEF DOI: 10.25165/j.ijabe.20221504.7590 Citation: Cheng E S, Song P, Hou T G, Wu L Y, Zhang B H. Determining the effects of LFHV-PEF treatment on the water and vigor of aged rice seeds using LF-NMR. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2022; 15(4): 190–196.