PLANTING DEPTH ASSESSMENT ON GERMINATION AND EMERGENCE OF DIFFERENT LOCAL RICE CULTIVARS GROWN IN GOMBE, NIGERIA

Effect of different planting depths on germination and the emergence of different local rice cultivars; Mai manja, B.G Doguwa and Nerica as control, were investigated under different planting depth conditions of 2 cm, 4 cm and 6 cm depths respectively. There were three (3) replicates each of the rice cultivars sowed in transparent potting polythene bags under the three (3) different seeding depths. Germination rate was determined by measuring the shoot length (cm) that firstly emerged faster, twice weekly for six weeks. After harvest, root length (cm), biomass (g) and root to shoot ratios of the rice cultivars were measured. Results showed that the local rice varieties seeds can emerge from deep down 6 cm depth. The seedlings of the local variety, BG Doguwa were noticed to be significantly taller at (P<0.005) when the seeds were sown on the soil surface in well-aerated soils with no standing water at 2-cm depth by producing increased heights of 97.70 cm compared to Mai manja and Nerica which were having shoot length of 80.40 cm and 79.40 cm respectively. The three cultivars showed significant differences (P<0.001) of emergence and germination characteristics under the 3 (three) different planting depths where both the tested cultivars including the control variety (Nerica) emerge faster in the 2-cm planting depth. It is suggested that further research should be carried out to determine suitable planting depths for various rice varieties as well as to improve on the varieties with higher germination and faster seedling emergence which can produce more vigorous seedling yield under different seeding depths.