IMPROVEMENT OF BORO SEEDLING STRENGTH AND YIELD THROUGH SEED PRIMING AND SEEDBED SOIL AMENDMENT

Abstract

A pot experiment was conducted under the net house of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University (SAU), Dhaka, Bangladesh, during December 2020 to May 2021, to study on yield performance of a rice variety (BRRI dhan84) as influenced by the effects of seed priming with salicylic acid (SA) and using organic material (Shrimp Shell Powder, SSPd) in the seedbed. Fourteen (14inches) size plastic pots were used in the experiment having height (10.5inches) and diameter (9.5inches). The pots were filled with 10 kg SAU field moist soils having the texture silty clay loam soil. The experiment was laid out in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) having six treatments (T 1 = 0 μM Salicylic Acid + 0% Shrimp Shell Powder, T = 0 μM Salicylic Acid + 0.25% Shrimp Shell Powder, T 3 2 = 0 μM Salicylic Acid + 0.5% Shrimp Shell Powder, T 4 = 50 μM Salicylic Acid + 0% Shrimp Shell Powder, T = 50 μM Salicylic Acid + 0.25 % Shrimp Shell Powder, T 6 5 = 50 μM Salicylic Acid + 0.5% Shrimp Shell Powder) with twenty four (24) replications. A significant variation was observed in the germination (%), seedlings height, biomass production, seedling strength and chemical properties of the seedbed soils due to the seed priming with SA and application of Shrimp Shell Powder in the seedbed. The maximum germination (79%), seedlings height (24.65cm), seedling fresh weight (593.29mg), seedling oven dry weight (396.14mg), seedling strength (18.08mg cm −1 ), grain yield sundry weight (66.35g pot −1 ), grain yield oven dry weight (58.17g pot −1 ) and straw yield (70.25g pot −1 ) were observed in the treatment T . Otherwise, the minimum germination (61%), seedlings height (19.52cm), seedling fresh weight (239.67mg), seedling oven dry weight (144.84mg), seedling strength (7.42mg cm 6 ), grain yield sundry weight (49.59g pot −1 ), grain yield oven dry weight (43.61 g pot ) and straw weight (51.12g pot −1 ) were recorded in the treatment T (control). Whereas, the maximum level of OC (0.78%), OM (1.34%), pH (6.4), available Phosphorus (39.34 ppm) and available Sulphur (30.36ppm) were recorded in the treatment T 1 . Otherwise, the minimum level of OC (0.64%), OM (1.1%), pH (6.3), available Phosphorus (17.69ppm) and available Sulphur (17.22ppm) were recorded in the treatment T

(control). Shrimp Shell 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 organic matter in a dose dependent manner and the treatment T (50μM Salicylic Acid + 0.5 % Shrimp Shell Powder) was the more effective than other treatments. Most of the morphological, yield attributes and grain yield were increased with increasing the dose of Shrimp Shell Powder. Maximum grain yield was observed in T 6 treatment followed by T 5 ,T 4 ,T 3 , T 2 and T (control). So overall result indicated that application of shrimp shell powder in soil has significant impact on growth and yield of BRRI dhan84 and some on chemical properties of soil.