Traditional Wisdom to safe guard the quality of organic Rice as a salvation to chemical residues of fertilizers

Abstract

Studies were undertaken to elicit information to standardize the optimum dose and soaking period of bio growth regulators in rice seeds, to evaluate the effect of sources and method of application of bio-growth regulators (panchakavya and brassinolide) on organic rice seed during 2003 and 2004 and to assess the quality of rice seeds cv. ADT(R) 45). The results illustrated that, the combined use of panchakavya 3 % and brassinolide 0.5 ppm (M₃) recorded the minimum seed moisture content in the initial period of storage which gradually increased with increasing storage period. Combination of panchakavya 3 % and brassinolide 0.5 ppm (M₃) registered the highest germination % (93) compared to untreated control (inorganic alone) (74%), showed lower values of Electrical conductivity, highest dehydrogenase enzyme activity while, this treatment recorded the maximum root and shoot length, dry matter production and vigor index after 10 months of storage. Among different of treatments, seed treatment + seedling root dip + foliar spray (S₇) recorded the minimum seed moisture content, higher germination potential and higher dehydrogenase enzyme activity which also declined with continuation of storage periods.

Key word:  Quality of organic rice, Seed treatment, Brassinolide, Panchakavya