EFFECTS OF DEGRADABLE MULCHING FILM ON SOIL TEMPERATURE, SEED GERMINATION AND SEEDLING GROWTH OF DIRECT-SEEDED RICE (ORYZA SATIVA L.).

The effect of degradable mulching film on dry direct- seeded rice remains largely unknown. Then the aim of this research is to investigate the effects of degradable mulching film on dry direct-seeded rice. A field investigation of four treatments (CK: non-mulching; MF1: a degradable film (Shanghai Hongrui Biotech, Shanghai, China); MF2: a degradable film (Xifeng Plastic Corp. Ltd., Baishan, China); MF3: common agricultural mulching film (Jialiming New Material Corp Ltd., Hinggan League, China)) was conducted to evaluate the effects of degradable mulching film on the rice seed germination, seedling growth, soil temperature, and grain yield of dry direct-seeded rice. The results showed that compared to CK, mulching film treatments increased soil temperature, especially at night time, improved seed germination rate, plant height, leaf area of seedlings, and grain yield. MF1 showed good degradation performances and had the highest soil temperature at the night time of 13.65°C- 14.08 °C, grain yield at 7.938t ha-1, and seedling growth with shoot dry mass at 46.73 mg plant^-1 and root dry mass at 31.34 mg plant^-1. The germination rate significantly increased by 6.99%-755.60% at MF1 as compared to CK. Overall, mulching films resulted in high yield due to the increasing soil temperature, seedling germination, and improving seedling growth, amongst MF1 performance the best. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]