Yeongcheon City: "Proper Seedling Management" Is Key to a Successful Rice Harvest

On April 15, Yeongcheon City announced that it had disseminated the "Safety Guidelines for Rice Seedling Management" to local farmers to ensure a successful rice harvest this year, urging thorough preparations in advance.

The quality of rice seeds to be sown this year may be lower than usual due to the high temperatures and frequent rain during the rice ripening season in August and September last year, which led to the widespread occurrence of kernel smut and pre-harvest sprouting. As a result, more meticulous seedling management is required than ever before.

Comparison photos of rice seedlings Choi Ayul. Provided by Yeongcheon City.

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Yeongcheon City emphasized that the success or failure of rice farming depends on raising healthy seedlings. Therefore, the city advised farmers to strictly follow seedling safety protocols, including: verifying the seed's germination (Choi Ayul), preparing for low temperatures, and disinfecting against pests and diseases.

First, the germination process that ensures the seed embryo protrudes about 1-2mm is extremely important.

Sowing should only be done after confirming that the germination rate (Choi Ayul) is 80% or higher; sowing with a germination rate below 50-60% may result in uneven sprouting.

Additionally, if low temperatures are forecasted in April or May, farmers are advised to postpone sowing and refrain from moving seedling trays to outdoor seedbeds (rice paddies).

This is because raising seedlings in low-temperature conditions can cause growth disorders, such as poor root mat formation.

Furthermore, to prevent bakanae disease, it is essential to strictly adhere to guidelines for hot water disinfection (soaking seeds in water at 60°C for 10 minutes) and chemical disinfection (treating seeds at 30°C for 24-48 hours).

Choi Jaeyeol, Director of the Agricultural Technology Center, stated, "Due to last year’s weather conditions, the quality of seeds may be lower than usual this year. I strongly urge farmers to thoroughly follow seedling safety protocols, including sufficient germination and disinfection, to ensure the first step toward producing high-quality rice is carried out successfully."

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