Abstract:
Objective To clarify the effects of soil covering and nitrogen(N), phosphorus(P), potassium (K) nutrient regimes on the seedling quality of mechanically transplanted rice, and to provide a theoretical basis for standardized seedling raising for mechanical transplanting.
Method Two treatments were established: soil covering (CS) and no soil covering (NCS), combined with different fertilizer application levels (N1: 1.39 g/tray, N2: 2.78 g/tray; P1: 0.26 g/tray, P2: 0.51 g/tray; K1: 1.01 g/tray, K2: 2.03 g/tray). Morphological and physiological traits of seedlings at the optimal stage for mechanical transplantation were systematically analyzed.
Result Compared with NCS, CS increased the seedling emergence rate by 4.01%, and increased plant height, leaf age and dry matter accumulation by 8.80%, 7.06% and 7.30%, respectively. Chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and total chlorophyll contents increased by 8.40%, 8.45% and 11.30%, respectively. Nutrient regimes also affected seedling quality. Above ground and below ground dry matter under N1 were 59.70% and 169.05% higher, respectively, than under N2, while those under K1 were 1.25% and 42.70% higher than under K2. In contrast, N2 suppressed dry matter accumulation. Under the interaction of soil covering and nutrient regimes, P2 significantly increased seedling emergence rate by 24.10%, N2 significantly increased leaf age by 25.23%, and K1 significantly increased plant height and stem base width by 7.20% and 13.50%, respectively.
Conclusion Soil covering improves seedling emergence rate, leaf age, plant height and stem base width. The effects of N, P and K nutrient regimes on seedling quality differ markedly: N1 and K1 favor dry matter accumulation, whereas N2, P2 and K2 promote chlorophyll accumulation. Soil covering and nutrient regimes exhibit interaction effects. Under soil covering, P2, N2 and K1 show significantly better performance in seedling emergence rate, leaf age and plant height, respectively, than under no soil covering. The interactions between soil covering and N and P have significant positive effects on dry matter accumulation.