• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.120-124
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• 2005

Expanded rice husk (ERR) is different from commercial rice seedling media in chemical and physical properties such as pH, permeability, and water content. This study was conducted to test a possibility of improving rice seedling growth by improving the texture of ERR as a rice seedling medium. The seedling media used were a commercial seedling medium (CSM), rice husk, and ERR 1, 2, 3, and 4 with different expansion degrees. The pH of the ERHs ranged from 6.3 to 6.8. As the expansion rate increased, ERR particle sizes decreased, and water permeability and absorption rates improved. No significant differences in shoot dry weight and rate of maturity were found among the seedlings cultivated in the different ERH media. However, the mat formation of seedling roots became loose as the expansion rates were decreased. Further studies are necessary to determine the cause of poor root growth in ERH media.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.55-59
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• 2005

Rice farmers can save labor and expenses by using expanded rice husk (ERH) as a seedling medium since ERH is lighter and cheaper than other commercial seedling media (CSM). This study was carried out to develop a method for rice seedling cultivation using ERH as a seedling medium. It is suggested that a mixture of $60\%$ of ERH and $40\%$ of a CSM could be used as a seedling medium; the planting densities would be 240g per tray for infant seedlings and 200 g for young seedlings; and nitrogen (N) would be applied at a rate of 1g per tray for infant seedlings prior to planting and 2g per tray for young seedlings with division. Great care should be taken to use $CO(NH_2)_2$ as an N-source fertilizer. These results would lay a foundation for the rice seedling cultivation with ERH as a medium.