Detailed explanation of rice seed pre-germination technology: master the method for fast and uniform sprouting

Before sowing, rice must go through a pre-germination process; unlike other crops, it cannot be sown directly. After pre-germination, the germination rate of the seeds can reach 95%, and the sprouts are strong with short roots and grow more robustly. So what exactly is the pre-germination method? Let's take a look at the detailed introduction from Qinongwang.

1. Sun-drying the seeds

The first step in pre-germination is sun-drying the seeds. Choose a sunny day and expose the rice seeds to the sun for one or two days, but be careful not to place the seeds directly on a concrete surface, as this will bake the seeds to death. It is best to prepare a tarpaulin and spread the seeds evenly on it, turning them occasionally while drying to ensure even exposure. Sun-drying can increase the seeds' water and light permeability and also has a sterilizing effect. After sun-drying is complete, place the seeds in a dry, cool place to cool down for later use.

2. Seed selection

After sun-drying comes seed selection. Seed selection mainly involves choosing high-quality seeds and removing inferior ones, so that after sowing the seedlings can grow robustly and uniformly. Clean water can be used for seed selection: first soak the seeds in water, and after the seeds absorb water they will sink, while empty-shelled seeds will float. In this way, plump, high-quality seeds can be selected, improving the germination rate.

3. Soaking the seeds

There are many methods for soaking seeds, commonly including soaking by day and airing by night, intermittent soaking, and chemical soaking. When soaking, place the seeds in warm water; generally the soaking time is 24-48 hours, and if the soaking time exceeds 48 hours it is unfavorable for germination. The specific time depends on the variety and water temperature, generally judged by the seeds showing white sprouts. It should be noted that the chemical soaking method is better than ordinary methods, but attention must be paid to the concentration of the solution and the water temperature, and the water must also be changed frequently or the seeds soaked in running water. After soaking is complete, pre-germination can begin.

4. Pre-germination

During pre-germination, the seeds should not be placed in woven bags or exposed directly to the sun. You can choose to use double-layer gunny sacks; the sacks are best disinfected and sterilized to ensure safety during pre-germination, and the sacks should be soaked wet. Then spread a layer of clean straw on the ground in a greenhouse environment, lay out the soaked gunny sacks, scatter the seeds evenly on top, and cover with another gunny sack. Alternatively, you can directly put the seeds into a gunny sack with good air permeability, keep the temperature between 35-38, turn them over to dissipate heat when the temperature is high, and find ways to raise the temperature when it is low. After one to two days, once the seeds show white sprouts and break through the hull, pre-germination has succeeded and they are ready for sowing.

The above is the rice seed pre-germination technology brought to you by Qinongwang. That concludes the introduction on how to pre-germinate rice. If you want to learn more, please follow Qinongwang.