Detailed Explanation of the Causes of Rice Seed Rot and Control Measures

Rice is one of the food crops with the widest planting area in Wogan cultivation, but some farmers have discovered seed rot during the seedling-raising process. So-called seed rot means that the seed grain has not yet sprouted or has just sprouted and then rotted, and the husk color often turns deeper, even to dark brown. This phenomenon seriously affects the yield of rice and also causes considerable economic losses to farmers. So what causes rice seed rot? How should it be prevented and controlled? Follow the editor and take a look.

I. Causes of Rice Seed Rot

There are many causes of rice seed rot, including the seeds themselves, diseases and insect pests, and improper management. Let us understand them one by one. First, if the seeds are stored improperly and not thoroughly sun-dried, their germination ability will be damaged, making them unable to sprout smoothly, thus causing seed rot; if the water is not changed frequently enough during seed soaking, or if the seeds are disinfected improperly, the vigor of the plants during germination acceleration will be weakened, which can also lead to seed rot; if the temperature is not regulated properly during germination acceleration, causing high-temperature damage to the seedlings, the seeds will have an extremely low possibility of emerging after sowing and will only rot in the field; in addition, if the seedling field is fertilized too heavily, the concentrated fertilizer will burn the seeds and cause seed rot; or if the mud in the seedling-raising field is too soft, the seed grains sink deeply and suffocate, causing seed rot.

II. Control Measures

1. Seed germination test

Before sowing rice, randomly sample from the upper, middle, and lower layers of the seed pile, mix them thoroughly, and divide them evenly into three portions for a germination test. When the germination rate reaches above 80%, they can be used as production seed; otherwise, they are not suitable for sowing as seed.

2. Sun-drying seeds

Place the plants with a germination rate above 80% under the sun for 2-3 days, using the sun to sterilize and remove insects, while also releasing carbon dioxide and moisture, and enhancing the seeds' air permeability and water absorption, prompting enzyme activation, thereby increasing the germination rate and germination vigor and achieving uniform emergence.

3. Seed selection

Seed selection should remove the blighted and keep the plump, so that the seeds germinate uniformly and the seedlings are robust. First soak the seeds in clean water weighing 2-3 times their weight, add an appropriate amount of table salt, and after soaking select plump grains for sowing.

4. Chemical seed soaking

After washing the selected seeds with clean water, soak them with dichlorvos and carbendazim agents for 3 days, but pay attention to the dosage and concentration of the chemicals to avoid using too much and harming seed germination. If the dosage is insufficient or the soaking time is too short, the effect on preventing and controlling rice white-tip nematode disease and rice bakanae disease will not be obvious.

5. Germination acceleration

After disinfection, the seeds have already absorbed enough water. At this time, take them out and put them into a bag with good air permeability for germination acceleration. At the same time, continuously pour warm water and stir frequently to avoid high-temperature damage to the seedlings. When more than 80% of the seeds have broken white, they can be sown.

6. Fertilization

One month before sowing, plow the seedling field, then apply 2000-3000 kg of decomposed organic fertilizer per mu as base fertilizer, and break up the clods and prepare the land, raking the soil surface finely and leveling it. Before sowing, 35 kg of nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium compound fertilizer per mu can be applied as seed fertilizer. Undecomposed farmyard manure must not be applied, and attention should also be paid to the application of seed fertilizer to avoid burning sprouts due to overly concentrated surface fertilizer. In addition, seed fertilizer should try not to come into contact with the seed grains.

The above is an introduction to the causes of rice seed rot and control measures. We hope it can help you. To learn more related knowledge, please keep following us.