Rice production is very important in world agriculture due to the area planted and production levels. It is produced and consumed in every continent and is considered the most important economic cereal in many developing countries. Its increasing consumption and status has lead to a growing interest by research institutions for new technologies to increase high quality seed production at lower costs. The objective of this research was to analyze the effect of different silicon dosages (0, 800, 1600 and 3200 kg ha-1) on the physiological quality of rice seeds after 0, 3 and 6 months of storage. Seeds of the Jequitibá cultivar, produced in a flooded irrigation system in the municipalities of Lambari and Leopoldina, Minas Gerais state, were used. The moisture content, germination, vigor by accelerated aging test, emergence, rate of seed emergence (IVE) and the isoenzymatic activity were evaluated. The 11.5% mean moisture content of seed before storage remained unaltered during the entire storage period. In Lambari, where soils have low Si, although the results are inconsistent, we observed a small positive effect of the calcium silicate applied on seed quality. However, in Leopoldina, where local soils had medium contents of Si, the application of calcium silicate was detrimental to seed quality.
Oryza sativa; physiological quality; isoenzymes
