Department of Agricultural Chemistry and Soil Science, Marathwada Agricultural University, Parbhani, Maharashtra
*Present address: Water and Soil Management Institute, Aurangabad, Maharastra
In a laboratory study, emergence of rice seedlings in a clay soil decreased significantly with reduction in soil moisture content and increase in bulk density. The effect of increasing bulk density was considerable at tower soil moisture. Soil moisture level of 33 per cent with 1.0 to 1.15 g/cc bulk density wai most favourable. The rate of seedling emergence at all the soil moisture levels was reduced with an increase in bulk density. The seedling emergence was faster in variety IR-8 than in Tuljapur-1 at all the bulk density and soil moisture content. IR-8 variety showed higher percentage of seedling emergence than Tuljapur-1 at all the seeding depths.
Seedling emergence, soil moisture content, bulk density, seeding depth
