To realize a new method of rice seed disinfection using hot water treatment, the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO) has developed a new disinfection device that uses high-humidity hot air generated by mixing superheated steam and hot air. In this study, three new prototypes designed by NARO for rice seed disinfection were evaluated in terms of their effects on rice blast and “bakanae”disease and on seed germination. The two prototypes using a feeder system showed equal disinfective effects against both diseases to hot water treatment, and seed germination was maintained. Although hot water treatment is generally unsuitable for glutinous rice owing to its adverse effect on seed germination, the results of the two prototypes suggested that superheated steam treatment could be used as an effective seed disinfection method for glutinous rice.
