Effect of different seedbeds on performance of rice seedlings under different nursery structure during early spring

Abstract

Abstract Early spring rice shows seedling failure in nursery during the colder months due to low temperature. This experiment evaluates the effect of different nursery structure and nursery seedbed on seedling growth. The experiment was laid out in two factorial split plot design with three replications. Among the two factors, one factor was nursery structure including gumose, straw cover, plastic cover and open field; and another factor was nursery seedbed including tray, plastic mat and normal. Among nursery structure better growth of seedlings were observed in the plastic mat whereas in nursery seedbeds growth of seedling was better in gumose but seedling ready for planting is earlier under plastic cover. Seedling sown in the plastic mat under the gumose showed better growth of seedlings. This can be recommended as the appropriate technique for nursery establishment during early spring.