Enhancing Planting Value of Rice Seed through Priming with Humic Substance

A study was carried out at seed testing laboratory of Institute of Agricultural Research and Training, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ibadan to examine the response of rice to treatment with Plant Growth Regulator (VimpelTM) developed in Nigeria, with a view to determining the effect of the humic substance on germination and seedling growth rate of the seed. FARO 44 rice variety was divided to five parts before priming each lot with four varied concentrations: (0%, 25%, 50% and 100%) and one control (dry unprimed seed). Fifty seeds in three replicates were drawn from each concentration after two (2), four (4) and eight (8) hours of priming (duration) and planted into separate planting round transparent plastic bowl filled with sterilized river sand. Each treatment was replicated three times and the experiment was repeated twice. Data was collected on final germination percentage (FGP), mean germination time (MGT), coefficient of velocity of germination (CVG), seedling vigour index (SVI), germination rate index (GRI), relative seedling growth rate (RSGR) and speed of germination index (SGI). Rice seed priming with PGR (VimpelTM) did not significantly improve seed germination but the growth rate is significantly influenced with priming with humic substance. Priming with 50% concentration of humic substance for 4 hours significantly improve the seedling growth rate of rice. Therefore, priming rice seed with humic substance can improve seedling growth and vigour of rice under upland and lowland cultivation.