Effects of Priming and Growth Regulator Treatment of Seed on Emergence and Seedling Growth of Rice

An experiment was carried out to determine the effects of priming and growth regulator treatment of seeds on the emergence and seedling growth of rice, Oryza sativa L. (cv. 'Ilpumbyeo'). Normal seeds were primed in a -0.6 MPa polyethylene glycol solution at 15$^{\circ}C$ for four days with air-bubbling. Then both primed and non-primed seeds were soaked in water, 100 ppm GA$_3$, 2 ppm ABA, and 10 ppm kinetin solutions for 24 hours. The seeds were planted in soil at 3 and 5 cm depths and allowed to germinate in a growth cabinet at 2$0^{\circ}C$. Generally, the emergence rate at the 3 cm seeding depth was higher and emerged faster compared with the 5 cm seeding depth. The emergence rate of primed seeds was higher and emerged faster compared to non-primed seeds. GA$_3$ and kinetin treatments were the most effective to improve the emergence rate of non-primed seeds. Coleoptile length at the 5 cm seeding depth was longer than that at the 3 cm seeding depth. Leaf number, plant height, and root length of primed seedlings were higher compared with non-primed seeds. GA$_3$ promoted the elongation of plant height and mesocotyle length.