Effect of biostimulants on cooking qualities in traditional rice (Oryza sativa L.) landraces

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted in the Wetland farm, Department of Agronomy, SRM College of Agricultural Sciences, Baburayanpettai during the Navarai (Dec-Jan) of 2024 - 2025. The experiment was laid out in a split-plot design with three replications. The biostimulants used in these experiments were 3% humic acid, 3% seaweed extract and 3% Panchakavya. These biostimulants were applied as foliar spray at the active tillering stage, panicle initiation stage and flowering stage of the crop. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of biostimulants on the cooking qualities like kernel length, kernel breadth, Kernel L: B ratio, water absorption ratio, volume expansion ratio of these three traditional land races, viz., Karuppukavini, Karunkuruvai, and Kaivarai samba. The result indicated that the Karuppukavuni land race of rice performed well in this region, followed by Karunkuruvai and Kaivarai samba. These three traditional land races were significantly influenced by the biostimulants, specifically humic acid. This study also revealed that the cooking qualities were significantly influenced by the 3% seaweed extract and 3% Panchakavya, than no foliar spray treatment. Therefore, this experiment suggests that these traditional biostimulants align well with the principles of ecological farming and can be particularly valuable in reviving the productivity of indigenous rice varieties.