Influence of Seedling Age at Transplanting on Growth and Grain Yield of Medium Duration Lowland Rice (Oryza sativa l.) at Ibadan, Nigeria

Abstract

Field experiments were conducted at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, Nigeria in the long and short rainy seasons of 1987 to study effect of seedling age (21, 31 and 41 days old seedlings) at transplanting on growth and grain yield of medium duration irrigated lowland rice. Randomized complete block design with four replications, and plot size of 3 m x 4 m, planted with an improved medium duration (128 days to maturity) rice variety, ITA 212 were used. Plant height, tiller production, and dry matter production were determined at 30 and 50 days after transplanting, at flowering and at harvest. Leaves of the eight rice plants sampled at flowering were used for leaf area index determination. Harvest index, panicle production, grain production, percentage of ripened grains and 1000-grain weight were recorded at harvest. Grain yield was determined from 5 m2 in the middle of each plot. Results obtained showed that 21 days old seedlings gave significantly taller rice plants, higher tiller and panicle number per m2 than the 31 and 41 days old ones. Seedling age had non-significant effect on leaf area index and 1000-grain weight. The 31 and 41 days old seedlings gave significantly higher harvest index and percentage of filled grains than the 21 days old ones. However, seedling age at transplanting had a non-significant effect on grain yield. It is suggested that a delay in transplanting of 21 days old seedlings for up to 20 days may not have pronounced effect on grain yield of medium duration lowland rice