Eight Measures for Safe Rice Seed Use Explained in Detail

1. Select varieties rationally. Rice blast is the main disease affecting harvest, and the resistance differences among varieties are very obvious; choosing varieties with strong resistance is one of the most effective preventive measures. In old rice blast areas and shaded cold-waterlogged fields, first, when purchasing seeds, carefully understand the resistance of the variety; second, new varieties should only be promoted after small-scale trial planting; third, use imported Fuji No. 1 for prevention at the early stage of disease onset and during the booting and heading stages.

In mountainous areas with high humidity, for hybrid late rice it is not advisable to choose two-line hybrid late rice combinations, to prevent damage from rice false smut.

2. Adhere to rational close planting. Appropriately increasing the seeding rate, rational close planting, and increasing the basic number of seedlings are important measures for saving costs and enhancing disaster resistance. Early rice should be transplanted at 5 x 6 cun, late rice at 6 x 6 cun, and middle rice and single-season rice at 6 x 9 cun. For seedling throwing, the number of soft trays should also be determined according to this requirement. For the seeding rate per mu, hybrid early rice must be guaranteed 2.5 kg. For hybrid late rice, medium-maturing combinations should be 1.5 kg, and late-maturing and single-season rice 1 kg. Sufficient seeding rate can effectively reduce weed damage and reduce the amount of chemical fertilizer applied. Especially when seed purity is not very high, it can greatly reduce the impact on per-unit yield.

3. Scientifically determine the sowing period. Early rice should not be sown too early, because if the temperature has not steadily passed 10 degrees C, seedling rot is likely to occur, and at the same time the early rice will not mature early. Early rice is generally sown after March 15; it is more suitable to soak the seeds during a cold wave and sow after the cold wave passes. For middle rice and single-season rice, there is also a safety issue, namely that the heading stage must avoid high-temperature weather. For example, if Liangyoupeijiu is cultivated as single-season rice, sowing from May 15-25 is more suitable. For late rice, sow at the appropriate time according to the variety's cultivation technical requirements to ensure safe full heading.

Because rice seeds require relatively high temperatures to break dormancy, regardless of which seedling-raising method is used for early rice, it is not advisable to sow blind grain, to prevent encountering low temperatures lasting more than 5 days after sowing, which can lead to severe seed rot.

4. Strictly disinfect seeds. The most effective way to prevent bakanae disease is to strictly disinfect the seeds. The main disinfectants include Shibaike, strong chlorinated lime, and others. Operate strictly according to the requirements; the dose must be sufficient and the disinfection time must be sufficient to achieve the disinfection effect. When soaking seeds with 40% strong chlorinated lime soluble powder, each packet (10 grams) can be mixed with 3 kg of water to soak 3 kg of seeds; soak early rice for 16-24 hours and late rice for 6-8 hours. For hybrid rice seeds, the method of intermittent soaking and airing can be adopted to ensure the disinfection time.

5. Transplant in a timely manner. To determine the transplanting period for water-raised seedlings, do not look only at time; especially in years with relatively high temperatures, look at the leaf age of the seedlings and strive to transplant early. Early rice should be transplanted promptly when it reaches 4 leaves, to prevent early heading. Regardless of the rice season, short seedling age gives higher yield than long seedling age. Early-maturing varieties have less elasticity in seedling age than late-maturing varieties, and special attention should be paid to this.

6. Use herbicides with caution. When applying herbicides in paddy fields, first, the timing must be well controlled. It can only be done 5-7 days after transplanting or throwing; applying the chemical too late, especially applying herbicides (barnyardgrass killers) during the young panicle development stage, can cause malformed spikelets and pollen sterility, leading to severe yield reduction because normal grain setting cannot occur; second, glyphosate is a non-selective herbicide used on dry land and cannot be used in paddy fields; third, pay attention to the application method and apply strictly according to the dose. Generally, the method of mixing with poisoned soil or poisoned fertilizer should be adopted to apply evenly, and repeated broadcasting is strictly prohibited. A certain water layer must be maintained in the field for more than 3 days. Pesticides without labels and without confidence in them cannot be used. After rice enters the booting stage (round stem), herbicides cannot be applied, and only manual barnyardgrass removal can be used.

7. Regulate temperature with water to reduce disaster impact. During the rice growth period, when encountering abnormal high-temperature or low-temperature weather or weather with a sudden temperature drop, promptly deepen the water layer to protect the seedlings and regulate the temperature and humidity of the field microclimate, which can effectively reduce losses from natural disasters.

8. Notes on purchasing seeds. First, purchase seeds from fixed stores of a certain scale that have a Business License; second, ask for a seed purchase invoice and properly keep the invoice, packaging bag, inner label, and other vouchers; third, if quality problems occur and negotiation with the dealer fails, file a complaint with the seed management station of the agriculture bureau of the county (city, district) where you are located.