Causes and prevention of rice seedling death

As the saying goes, "Good seedlings determine 80% of the grain." Cultivating strong seedlings is the most critical part of high-yield rice technology. However, many farmers often encounter the problem of dead seedlings due to improper management methods. So what is the reason for rice seedling death? How to prevent and treat? Let’s learn more about it below.

1. Fertilizer kills seedlings

This is mainly because the organic fertilizers such as human and animal manure are not fully decomposed, or the fertilizer is not applied deeply, and the fertilizer is not mixed evenly with the soil.

Prevention and control measures: When preparing the rice field, sufficient base fertilizer must be applied, and the farmyard manure must be well-rotted. The application of topdressing should depend on the growth of the seedlings, mainly using urea or compound fertilizer , and adding water according to the situation.

2. Dry and dead seedlings

Mainly during the one-leaf to three-leaf stage, the leaves gradually dry up and die from bottom to top. The main causes include compaction of the seedbed, over-dense sowing, etc.

Prevention and control measures: If the soil in the seedbed becomes compacted, use a watering can to moisten the soil. At the same time, the appropriate sowing density should be mastered. Generally speaking, it is more appropriate to plant 8,000 to 10,000 plants per acre. However, for certain specific varieties, such as hybrid rice, the planting density per mu may be higher, reaching 12,000-15,000 holes, with 2-3 seedlings planted in each hole.

3. Withered and dead seedlings

Generally, the film should be removed when the seedlings turn green 5-7 days after sowing. If it is removed too late, the tender and weak seedlings may die easily if they encounter abnormal weather. Remove the film at noon on a sunny day, the seedlings will wither and die.

Prevention and control measures: The focus is to strengthen seed processing before sowing, such as seed drying, seed selection, seed soaking and disinfection, germination work, etc., and at the same time create a soil environment with fertilizer, air and water to maintain the vitality of the root system. In addition, attention should be paid to appropriate watering and strengthening cold protection in case of drought to prevent seedlings from withering and dying.

4. High temperature burns seedlings

During the film covering period, when the average daily temperature is above 20℃, the temperature inside the film can reach 50-60℃, resulting in high temperature burn of the seedlings.

Prevention and control measures: The key points of prevention and control are ventilation, spraying water to cool down, and increasing humidity. First, the plastic film covering the nursery field should be removed to prevent the seedlings from being burned by high temperature inside the film. It is best to cover it with a shade net and water it to keep it moist. Second, the surface of the seedling bed for dry seedling cultivation should be soaked with water, generally 5-10cm. After sowing, cover it with fine mud and cover it with a shade net to prevent the seeds from being exposed to the sun.



In general, there are many reasons for the death of rice seedlings. When preventing and controlling them, we should first find out the reasons for the death, and then carry out targeted prevention and control, so as to minimize the losses.