Seed Coating in Direct Seeded Rice: An Innovative and Sustainable Approach to Enhance Grain Yield and Weed Management under Submerged Conditions

Dry direct-seeded rice is an alternative cropping technique that should require less water and labor than the classical method of transplanted-flooded rice. Weed competition major biological constraint in this resource-conserving production reducing crop yield by 30–80%. This study evaluated effects different seed coating treatments on performance dry direct seeded under field conditions. The used were preliminarily optimized lab seeds coated with sodium lauryl sulphate (20:1), calcium peroxide (CaO2) (20:6), alginate plant growth promoting bacteria Bacillus sp. KS-54 (20:6 g:mL) a weight basis. Among treatments, CaO2 resulted higher emergence (85%) suppressed fresh biomass weeds at 15 35 days after sowing which subsequently improved seedling followed other control. Rice effective enhancing morphological, related attributes as compared to control better morphological plants raised from associated concentrations sugars enhanced antioxidant enzymes activities.