The effect of biofertilizer (compound of microbial inoculants or groups of micro-organisms) on growth and yield of rice was investigated. The experiment was carried out in a randomized complete block design with 3 replications and 7 treatments namely: RF=N-P2O5-K2O (11-5.5-4.8 kg 10a-1 ); half of the recommended fertilizer rate, HRF=N-P2O5-K2O (5.5-2.75-2.4 kg 10a-1 ); HRF+Bio 250=HRF combined with 250 kg biofertilizer 10a-1 ; HRF+Bio 500=HRF combined with 500 kg biofertilizer 10a-1 ; Bio 250=250 kg biofertilizer 10a-1 ; Bio 500=500 kg biofertilizer 10a-1 ; and NF = No Fertilizer. Results showed that the recorded values of plant height, tiller number and chlorophyll content at 40 to 60 days after transplanting (DAT) in HRF+Bio 500 were significantly higher than those recorded in the RF treatment. Similar observations between these two treatments were only recorded from 60 DAT onwards. Yield components were also superior in HRF+Bio 500 treatment and comparable to that of RF. The highest grain yield obtained in HRF+Bio 500 treatment (785.8 kg 10a-1 ) was statistically similar to that of RF (739.8 kg 10a-1 ) but significantly higher than that of NF (506.7 kg 10a-1 ). Finally, head grain recovery (90.9) was low while chalkiness (0.03) was high at HRF+Bio 500 treatment as compared with RF, which were (96.1) and (0.3), respectively. Results showed that combined treatment of HRF and 500 kg biofertilizer 10a-1 has similar effects on the growth and yield of rice with that of RF.

The study of this experiment is focused on labor saving of healthy rice seedling production using PSF (polypropylene spunbonded fabrics) as thermal protection material. Several factors such as different compositions of nursery soil and PSF materials were tested to produce healthy rice seedlings. The inner thermal protection material in PE film (polyethylene film) showed 0.9-1.7~circC higher than that of PSF 40-100 ~textrmgm-2 . The light transmittance-ratio also showed similar trends. It is considered that the appropriate PSF material density was 40 gm~textrmgm-2 in accordance with economic values and healthy rice seedlings. Plant height and dry weight according to various nursery soil showed the rang-es of 8.5-14.2cm and 5.5-10.0mg, respectively. In composition of nursery soil, artificial soil combined with paddy soil was effective in producing healthy seedling for rice seedling production. The total sugar content also showed the difference between PSF 40, 60 ~textrmgm-2 PE film (0.43-0.52mg FW ~textrmg-1 ) and PSF 80, 100 ~textrmgm-2 (0.28-0.35mg FW ~textrmg-1 ) and it showed the same tendency among varieties as well as various nursery soil. These results demonstrate that PSF 40 ~textrmgm-2 economically affordable, and can be recommended as thermal protection material for producing good healthy rice seedling.