Effect of Seed Priming Practices on Dry Matter Production, Yield and Yield Attributes of Aerobic Rice in Coastal Deltaic Region of Karaiakal

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at Karaikal “the tail end of Cauvery Delta Zone” during Navarai season, 2017 (spring) to identify the optimum dates of sowing and seed priming practices on dry matter production (DMP), yield and yield attributes under aerobic rice condition. The treatment variables were replicated thrice and further evaluated in factorial concept of RBD. The treatments consisted of three dates of sowing by weekly interval (started from Feb. 6, 2017) and five seed priming practices viz., water, 1% KCl, 2% moringa leaf extract, 1% pungam leaf extract and 5% cow dung slurry. Considering the seed priming practices, dry matter production, yield and yield attributes of aerobic rice were higher in seed primed with 2% moringa leaf extract which ultimately produced higher grain yield (2256 kg ha-1) followed by the seeds primed with 5% cow dung slurry (1945.1 kg ha-1) and 1% pungam leaf extract (1912.3 kg ha-1), respectively. From the study, it has proved that seed priming @ 2% moringa leaf extract provides higher productivity of aerobic rice during Navarai season at Karaikal.