Effects of Planting Ratio and Planting Distance on Kadaria 1 Hybrid Rice Seed Production

Abstract

Hybrid rice has the potential to outperform existing inbred rice and was said to have the potential to produce 14-20 % more yield. In response, Malaysia Government has introduced its very own first Hybrid Rice Variety knew as Kadaria 1 developed by MARDI. This is in line with one of the strategies outlined in Dasar Agromakanan Negara (DAN) 2011-2020 as an approach to increasing rice productivity within Malaysia. The next step would be developing our hybrid seed rice production system. Therefore, an experiment to determine the planting ratio and planting distance between 0025A (A)-a hybrid with MR283 (R)-inbreed variety was carried out. Planting ratios studied in this study were 2:4, 2:6, 2:8, and 2:10 while planting distance was 14 x 30 cm, 16 x 30 cm, and 18 x 30 cm. Statistical analyses suggested that yield R, yield A, and panicle number A were significantly affected by planting ratios while yield A was significantly affected by an interaction between planting distance and planting ratios. Panicle number A performed significantly higher at planting ratios of 2:4 compared to 2:10. Yield R shows higher significant performance under ratio 2:6 compared to 2:4 and 2:8. Relatively, yield A performed the best under planting distance of 18 x 30 cm. Furthermore, under this particular planting distance, the planting ratio of 2:10 shows the highest significant figure while 2:8 exhibits statistical parity. Both yield R and yield A were significantly affected by planting ratios and have a significant positive association with each other. Therefore, the planting ratio of 2:10 should be the best since it contributed to significantly highest value for yield A while yield R under 2:10 shows statistical parity with 2:6 which was the highest significant value. In conclusion, the combination of 2:10 with a planting distance of 18 x 30 cm was the best since it shows best potential for both yields A and yield R.