Development of Cultural Matrix for Propagating Rice Seedlings

News source: Taiwan Agriculture Research Institute. Taiwan, ROC.
For further information: J. Agric. Res. China 49(1), 1-11, 2000., 2001-02-01

Cardboard Tray for Rice Seedlings

Due to the difficulty in acquiring soil for rice nurseries in Taiwan, there is an urgent need for alternative cultural media. The Tainung No. 1 tray, recently developed by the Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute, is made out of soft cardboard. It has proved ideal for raising rice seedlings. Holes 0.4 cm in diameter were drilled in the tray at a spacing of 1 x 1 cm. By using the hydroponic culture method, the tray could be successfully substituted for soil in producing healthy rice seedlings.

Performance of Rice Seedlings

Seedling height, age, and dry weight measured at the transplanting stage indicated no significant difference between the Tainung No. 1 and conventional trays. In field experiments, the rate of missing hills after machine transplanting was higher for seedlings from the Tainung No. 1 tray than for those from the soil tray, yet it still complied with the national standard (CNS). The agronomic and yield traits investigated throughout the whole growth course of the rice plants in the field were also comparable between the two treatments. The new tray has already been granted patent rights by authorities in Taiwan, Japan, and Korea.

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