What to Do When Rice Seedlings Hit a Late Spring Cold Snap? The Latest Countermeasures
Spring is precisely the season for rice planting, but a late spring cold snap often inevitably occurs, affecting rice sowing, emergence and growth, and bringing incalculable losses to farmers. So what should you do when rice seedlings hit a late spring cold snap? Let's take a look at the detailed introduction below.
1. Sow at the right time
To prevent a late spring cold snap, the sowing time must be well controlled. Generally, sowing can be done when the air temperature is 5-6 degrees, the seedbed temperature is 12 degrees, and the soil has thawed to more than 20 cm. Therefore, when sowing, be sure to pay attention to the weather forecast and, without delaying farming, avoid low-temperature and rainy weather as much as possible. When the daily average temperature is steadily above 10 degrees and the minimum temperature is not lower than 5 degrees, choose a sunny time to sow, and at the same time make preparations for soaking and sprouting the seeds so that the seeds emerge as quickly as possible.
2. Lay plastic film flat
After sowing and covering with soil, lay plastic film flat; this can raise the ground temperature by 1-2 degrees and can greatly ease the low-temperature effects brought by a late spring cold snap. This method is often used for cultivation and seedling raising in the north, with good results. Generally, when the nighttime temperature is not lower than 5 degrees, no extra insulation or cold protection measures are needed. Pay attention to the weather forecast, and if a low-temperature cold wave is found, you can also cover with straw for insulation. After the seedlings emerge and when the temperature is too high, remove the plastic film in time to avoid excessively high ground temperature affecting normal seedling growth.
3. No watering before the two-leaf stage
When using dry-field seedling raising, if the soil has been thoroughly watered, watering is prohibited before the seedlings reach the two-leaf stage, because watering during this period will lower the ground temperature and is unfavorable for seedling root growth. Once the temperature is too low, root freezing may even occur, making the seedling roots fragile and highly prone to disease infection later, so cultivating strong seedlings becomes a vain hope.
4. Regulate temperature with water
If a late spring cold snap occurs during the transplanting period, you can protect the seedling bed with deep water when the cold snap arrives, increasing the water level to raise the ground temperature, protect the seedling roots, and allow them to grow safely. The irrigation depth should be flexibly adjusted according to seedling age, and the water level should be lowered after the late spring cold snap passes.
The above is an introduction to what to do when rice seedlings hit a late spring cold snap. We hope it helps you. For more related knowledge, please stay tuned to us.