Relationship between seed traits and seedling parameters in rice wild species

Abstract

Abstract Rice is everyday meal of about half of the world’s population. Demand for rice is continuously growing because of increasing population. With the impact of climate change, rice crop needs to be diversified with direct seeded cultivation. Under direct seeded condition seeds of high seedling vigour and good crop stand are preferred. Therefore, the following study was undertaken to analyse the seed traits and its effect on seedling vigour and grain yield in rice wild species. It was found that large seeds have larger embryos and better seedling vigour. Significant positive correlation found between embryo area grain yield, germination percentage nodal root number and seedling height. The cultivated Oryza sativa genotypes had largest embryo area and seed area followed by Oryza meridionalis. Oryza glaberrima had the smallest embryo area. The seed size was observed to be evolved under selection pressure. Bigger seed sizes in the Oryza sativa cultivars indicate gradual selection for increased seed size and fitness under agronomic condition.