Efficacy of seaweed liquid fertilizer on the germination and seedling growth of rice (Oryza sativa L.) raised on wet bed

Abstract

The experiment was conducted at the College of Agriculture, Resources and Environmental Sciences Research and Development Center, Central Philippine University, Jaro, Iloilo City on April 23 to May 13, 2019. This study aimed to determine the efficacy of seaweed liquid fertilizer on the germination and growth of rice (Oryza sativa L.) seedlings in a wet bed. The treatments were composed of different levels of seaweed liquid fertilizer such as: 10% SLF, 15% SLF, 20% SLF, and synthetic fertilizer and water recorded as positive and negative control respectively. The experimental treatments were laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCRD) with three replications. Results revealed that germination percentage taken at 20 days after broadcasting (DAB) 20% seaweed liquid fertilizer had a highest percent germination of 93.77% while those in the water had the lowest of 86.75%. Moreover, plant height taken at 20 days after broadcasting ranged from 40.13 to 42.76 cm with seedlings under 15% seaweed liquid fertilizer as the highest. The leaf count taken at 20 DAB was 5 to 6 per plant. The root length taken at 20 DAB ranged from 10.65 to 11.47 cm. The number of tillers taken at 20 days after broadcasting ranged from 1 to 2 tillers and 20% SLF had the highest number of tiller. Based on the results of the study, rice seeds responded positively to the seaweed liquid fertilizer based on percent germination and other growth parameters, and that seaweed liquid fertilizer is comparable to synthetic fertilizer. Thus, it is recommended that seaweed liquid fertilizer can be a substitute to synthetic fertilizer for seedlings to be used in transplanting using wet bed method.