Role of chitosan powder on the production of quality seedlings of BRRI dhan29 and its effect on yield

Abstract

Role of chitosan powder on the production of quality Boro rice seedlings and its effect on yield was examined. The experiment was conducted at the farm of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka. There were six treatments and three replications in the experiment. The treatments were as follows: T 1 = 100 g powder/m 2 , T 2 = 200 g powder/m , T 3 = 300 g powder/m 2 , T 4 = 400 g powder/m 2 , T 5 = 500 g powder/m 2 , T 6 = 0 g powder/m . A significant variation was observed in the seedlings height, biomass production and chemical properties of the seedbed soils due to the application of chitosan powder in the seedbed. The maximum seedlings height, fresh weight, oven dry weight were observed in the treatment T

and the minimum seedlings height, fresh weight and oven dry weight were recorded in the treatment T , control. Whereas, the maximum level of organic carbon, organic matter and soil pH were recorded in the treatment T 6 and the minimum level of organic carbon, organic matter and soil pH were recorded in the treatment T 5 , control. Chitosan powder increased the level of organic matter in a dose dependent manner. Quality of the rice seedlings were improved due to the application of the chitosan powder in a dose dependent manner and the treatment T 4 (400 g powder/m 2 6 ) was the more effective than other treatments. All the treatments were produced good rice seedlings having more chlorophyll level than control treatments. Application of chitosan increased plant height, effective tillers hill , number of panicle/m 2 , panicle length, grain yield and straw yield over control. Most of the morphological, yield attributes and grain yield were increased with increasing the dose of chitosan in the seedbed. Maximum grain yield was observed in T 4 -1 treatment followed by T , T 5 , T 2 ,T 1 and T (control). Results indicate that primary tiller production become earlier, effective tiller become higher, flowering and maturity time become earlier resulting higher yield. These results might be due some growth promoting hormones (especially GA3, Auxin etc.), soil alkalization nature and other some macro-micro nutritional supplementation which might be induced some early flowering genes (ELF1, ELF2, ELF3). 6

2 2 4 3