On-farm evaluation of seed priming technology in Nigeria

Abstract

A simple pair-plot comparison of primed and unprimed seed plots of NERICA 1 (FARO 55) was established on farmers’ field in Nasarawa, Ekiti and Ondo States of Nigeria in 2007 and 2008 with the objective of improving seedling germination for better upland NERICA establishment and performance in an upland ecology. Rice in the primed seed plot showed superiority over the unprimed seed plot in the percentage seedling emergence, percentage weed occurrence, plant height, panicle/hill and grain yield. The mean advantage of primed seed ranged between 13 – 20% across the States in the growth parameters. Seed priming technology is recommended for adoption by upland rice-growing farmers.