Influence of seed characteristics on seedling vigour parameters in rice ( Oryza sativa L.) varieties

Abstract

Seeds of 61 extant rice varieties raised during kharif seasons of 2013 and 2014 were subjected to various seed quality tests; so to evaluate the intra- and inter-varietal correlation of seed length, width and weight to various parameters of plant and seedling vigour; and to determine the relative contribution of the seed traits to seedling vigour. The study revealed that seed length was positively correlated with leaf area of seedling and plant height thereby indicating that longer seed will produce long and deep penetrating seedling with larger leaf area. Hence, if length is to be criteria for vigour, then endosperm weight is more critical to seedling growth, since it was observed that seed length was highly correlated to endosperm weight as compared to embryo weight. Seed width was positively correlated with high germination percentage and plant height, thus emphasizing that small to medium-sized seed produced better germination and seedling vigour than those of bigger ones. Seed weight was significantly correlated with most of the seedling vigour characteristics examined under present study. Within single cultivars, the long, wide and heavy seed produced the tallest plants, had largest leaf area and heaviest seedling. There were not many differences in seedling growth between medium and low level of the seed traits studied. Selecting for heavy, long and wide seed within cultivars will, therefore, produce vigorous seedling taken as dry weight or as leaf area or as plant height. Thus, it was indicated in the present study that seed length and width could be used as selection traits for vigorous seedling between varieties. Hence, long seed with broader width can be a promising indicator of leaf area and plant height