Rice establishment method affects nitrogen use and crop production of rice–legume systems in drought-prone eastern India

The inclusion of grain legumes in rainfed lowland rice farming systems provides an opportunity to increase food production, household income, and human nutrition of impoverished rice farmers in Asia. We examined the effect of rice establishment method on the performance of wet season rice (Oryza sativa L.) and post-rice crops of either chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) or moong [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek] on an Udic Haplustalf in the drought-prone, rainfed lowlands of eastern India. Rice was either direct seeded in lines on moist soil immediately after the onset of wet season rain or transplanted after sufficient rainwater accumulated for soil submergence. Crop establishment method had no effect on rice performance in a season (2001) with normal rainfall. In a drought season (2002), direct seeding resulted in mean rice grain yield of 2.3 t ha⁻¹, whereas the transplanted rice crop failed. The agronomic efficiency of N fertilizer applied to direct-seeded rice was comparable for the 2 years (18 and 24 kg grain per kg N applied). Topsoil inorganic N was markedly higher following chickpea and moong than following a post-rice fallow. Direct-seeded rice had higher yield and accumulation of N following a post-rice legume than following fallow, but transplanted rice derived no such benefit from the legume. Direct-seeded rice was established 1–2 months before transplanted rice, and direct-seeded rice matured before transplanted rice by 8 days in the favorable season and by 26 days in the drought season. The soil nitrate present after legumes and fallow rapidly disappeared, presumably by denitrification, following the onset of rains and soil flooding prior to transplanting. A portion of this accumulated soil nitrate was taken up by the direct-seeded rice before it could be lost. But transplanted rice did not benefit from this inorganic N derived from legumes because virtually all soil nitrate was lost before transplanting. Direct seeding of rice ensured better use of residual and applied N, reduced risk due to drought, and favored intensification with post-rice legumes in drought-prone lowland systems.     

Crop and water productivity as influenced by rice cultivation methods under organic and inorganic sources of nutrient supply

A field experiment was conducted during the wet seasons of 2010 and 2011 at New Delhi, India to study the influence of organic, inorganic, and integrated sources of nutrient supply under three methods of rice cultivation on rice yield and water productivity. The experiments were laid out in FRBD with nine treatment combinations. Treatment combinations included three sources of nutrient supply viz., organic, integrated nutrient management, and inorganic nutrition and three rice production systems viz., conventional transplanting, system of rice intensification (SRI) and aerobic rice system. Results indicated that the conventional and SRI showed at par grain and straw yields but their yields were significantly higher than aerobic rice. Grain yield under organic, inorganic and integrated sources of nutrient supply was at par since the base nutrient dose was same. Plant growth parameters like plant height, tillers, and dry matter accumulation at harvest stage were almost same under conventional and SRI but superior than aerobic rice system. Root knot nematode infestation was significantly higher in aerobic rice as compared to SRI and conventional rice. However, organic, inorganic and integrated sources of nutrient supply did not affect nematode infestation. There was significant advantage in term of water productivity under SRI over conventional transplanted (CT) rice and less quantity of water was utilized in SRI for production of each unit of grain. A water saving of 34.5–36.0 % in SRI and 28.9–32.1 % in aerobic rice was recorded as compared to CT rice.     

Relations of rice seeding rates to crop and weed growth in aerobic rice

Aerobic rice describes a management adaptation to reduced irrigation water supplies but, due to reduced intervals of flooding in this system, this requires revised weed management approaches to reduce costs and provide effective weed control. One approach is to make the crop more competitive and reduce the effects of weeds on the crop by using higher rice seeding rates. A study was conducted in the Philippines and India in 2008 and 2009 to assess the relations of seeding rates (15-125 kg ha⁻¹) of hybrid and inbred varieties to crop and weed growth in aerobic rice. Plant densities, tillers, and biomass of rice increased linearly with increased in seeding rates under both weedy and weed free environments. Weed biomass decreased linearly with increasing seeding rates from 15 to 125 kg ha⁻¹. Panicles and grain yields of rice in competition with weeds increased in a quadratic relation with increased seeding rates at both locations; however, the response was flat in the weed free plots. A quadratic model predicted that seeding rates of 48-80 kg ha⁻¹ for the inbred varieties and 47-67 kg ha⁻¹ for the hybrid varieties were needed to achieve maximum grain yield when grown in the absence of weeds, while rates of 95-125 kg seed ha⁻¹ for the inbred varieties and 83-92 kg seed ha⁻¹ for the hybrid varieties were needed to achieve maximum yields in competition with weeds. On the basis of these results, seeding rates greater than 80 kg ha⁻¹ are advisable where there are risks of severe weed competition. Such high seeding rates may be prohibitive when using expensive seed, and maximum yields are not the only consideration for developing recommendations for optimizing economic returns for farmers. Results of the present study do suggest however that increasing seeding rates of aerobic rice does suppress weed growth and reduce grain yield losses from weed competition. This information could be incorporated in integrated crop management packages to manage weeds more effectively.     

Raised and sunken bed land configuration for crop diversification and crop and water productivity enhancement in rice paddies of the north eastern region of India

Paddy and Water Environment - The crop and water productivity (WP) of monocropped rice in lowland of north-eastern region of India is low mainly due to cultivation of long duration variety, meagre...     

Effects of long-term use of sodic water irrigation, amendments and crop residues on soil properties and crop yields in rice-wheat cropping system in a calcareous soil

One of the options to ameliorate the deleterious effects of sodic water irrigation is to apply gypsum to soil. We examined whether the application of organic manures or crop residue can reduce the need for gypsum in calcareous soils. A long-term field experiment with annual rice-wheat cropping rotation was conducted for 15 years (1991-2006) on a non-saline calcareous sandy loam soil (Typic Ustochrept) in northwestern, India. The irrigation water treatments included good quality canal water (CW) and sodic water (SW) with residual sodium carbonate (RSC) of 10 mmol_c L⁻¹ from 1991 to 1999 and of 12.5 mmol_c L⁻¹ from 2000 onwards. Gypsum was applied at 0, 12.5, 25, and 50% of the gypsum requirement (GR), to neutralize RSC of the SW. Three organic material treatments consisted of application of farmyard manure (FYM) at 20 Mg ha⁻¹, Sesbania green manure (GM) at 20 Mg ha⁻¹, and wheat straw (WS) at 6 Mg ha⁻¹. The organic materials were applied every year to the rice crop. Continuous irrigation with sodic water for 15 years without gypsum or organic materials resulted in a gradual increase in soil pH and exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP), deterioration of soil physical properties, and decrease in yields of both rice and wheat. The cumulative yield loss in SW irrigated plots without gypsum and organic materials remained <1.5 Mg ha⁻¹ for up to eight years in the case of rice and up to nine years in the case of wheat. Thereafter, marked increase in pH and ESP resulted in further depression in yields of rice by 1.6 Mg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ and wheat by 1.2 Mg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹. Application of gypsum improved physical and chemical properties of the soil. The beneficial effects on crop yields were visible up to 12.5% GR in rice and up to 50% GR in wheat in most of the years. All the organic materials proved effective in mobilizing Ca²⁺ from inherent and precipitated CaCO₃ resulting in decline in soil pH and ESP, increase in infiltration rate, and a increase in the yields of rice and wheat crops. Although the application of organic materials resulted in comparable reductions in pH and ESP, the increase in yield with SW was higher for both crops with FYM. Pooled over the last six years (2000-2006), application of FYM resulted in 38 and 26% increase in rice and wheat yields, respectively, over SW treatment; corresponding increases in 50% GR treatment (recommended level) was 18 and 19%. During these years, application of GM and WS increased wheat yields by 20%; for rice, GM resulted in 22% increase compared to 17% in WS amended SW irrigated plots. Combined application of gypsum and organic materials did not increase the yields further particularly in the case of FYM and GM treated plots. This long-term study proves that organic materials alone can be used to solubilize Ca from inherent and precipitated CaCO₃ in calcareous soils for achieving sustainable yields in sodic water irrigated rice-wheat grown in annual rotation. The results can help reduce the dependency on gypsum in sodic water irrigated calcareous soils.     

Alleviating soil sickness caused by aerobic monocropping: Responses of aerobic rice to nutrient supply

Yield decline is a major constraint in the adoption of monocropping of aerobic rice. The causes of the yield decline in the continuous aerobic rice system are still unknown. The objective of this study was to determine if nutrient application can mitigate the yield decline caused by continuous cropping of aerobic rice. Micro-plot experiment was conducted in 2005 dry season (DS) in a field where aerobic rice has been grown continuously for eight seasons from 2001 DS at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) farm. Pot experiments were done with the soil from the same field where the micro-plot experiment was conducted and aerobic rice has been grown continuously for 10 seasons. Apo, an upland rice variety, was grown under aerobic conditions with different nutrient inputs in field and pot experiments. The field micro-plot experiment showed that micronutrients had insignificant effect on plant growth under continuous aerobic rice cultivation but the combination of N, P, and K mitigated the yield decline of continuous aerobic rice. A series of pot experiments studying the individual effects of nutrients indicated that N application improved plant growth under continuous aerobic rice cropping, while P, K, and micronutrients had no effect. Increasing the rate of N application from 0.23 to 0.90 g per pot in the continuous aerobic rice soil increased the vegetative growth parameters, chlorophyll meter readings, and aboveground N uptake consistently. Our results suggested that N deficiency due to poor soil N availability or reduced plant N uptake might cause the yield decline of continuous cropping of aerobic rice.     

Nitrogen dynamics and crop growth on an Alfisol and a Vertisol under a direct-seeded rainfed lowland rice-based system

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) followed by chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) or a fallow is one of the predominant cropping systems in the rainfed lowlands of India. Crop rotation experiments over 3 years (1996–1998) to quantify N supply and demand under rainfed lowland rice–chickpea and rice–fallow cropping systems on a loam Alfisol and a clay Vertisol in Raipur, India were conducted under direct-seeded rice culture. The rice growth, yield, development and N accumulation were affected most by N rates (0, 40, 80, 120 kg ha⁻¹) followed by cropping system (rice–chickpea, rice–fallow) and soil types (Alfisol, Vertisol). The incorporation of chickpea in the cropping system helped in accumulating a greater amount of soil N than fallow. The rice yield, dry matter and N accumulated were significantly higher in rice–chickpea than rice–fallow systems on both soils and in all years. The lowest rice yields were recorded in 1997 due to unfavorable rainfall distribution. The total rainfall was the highest in this season, but most of it occurred during a short period at an early growth stage. The post-heading rains were lowest in this season and resulted in the lower rice yield as compared with that of 1996 and 1998. This indicates the significance of rainfall distribution in controlling yield in a rainfed environment. The rice yields were lower on Vertisol than Alfisol during periods of drought. The performance of chickpea was also better in Alfisol as compared with that in the Vertisol due to its better soil physical attributes. The residual effect of N applied to the preceding rice crop was non-significant on all yield, growth and N accumulation parameters of chickpea. The N balance computed from the top 70 cm soil layers indicated less N loss in the rice–chickpea system as compared with that in rice–fallow. The recovery efficiency at the highest N rate (120 kg N ha⁻¹) was higher for the rice–chickpea (57–61%) than that of rice–fallow (49–53%) system. The improved N balance for rice–chickpea system from third year onwards was due to switch to dry seeding and improved soil N status. The inclusion of legume and the effective capture of biologically fixed N and soil N through direct-seeded rice system in rainfed lowlands may help in improving the rice yield of resource poor farmers.     

Fortification of rice with folic acid using parboiling technique: Effect of parboiling conditions on nutrient uptake and physical characteristics of milled rice

Parboiling was used as a technique for folic acid fortification in brown rice. A range of parboiling conditions (i.e. 70 °C soaking for 1, 2 and 3 h with 0.15, 0.3, 0.6 and 1.2 g folic acid/300 g brown rice and milled for 0, 60 and 120 s) were studied to investigate the uptake of folic acid in the fortified rice. Approximately 20–300 μg folic acid/g was found in the fortified rice and an average of 90% of folic acid was retained in the washed and cooked fortified rice. The quality of the fortified rice was evaluated based on head rice yield (HRY), kernel dimensions and color. No significant change in HRY and grain dimensions were observed between raw and fortified rice, suggesting the economic value of rice will not be compromised with the fortification process and rice uniformity may likely be achieved after mixing with the untreated rice. Despite the inherent yellow color of folic acid, in comparison with parboiled rice, a significant difference in yellowness was exhibited only in rice fortified at 1.2 g folic acid/300 g brown, but not among those fortified at lower fortificant concentrations. The difference in lightness (ΔL^∗) (between fortified rice and parboiled rice) was reduced as soaking duration increased.     

Rice root growth and physiological responses to SRI water management and implications for crop productivity

This paper reports on several research findings on rice root responses, in terms of growth and physiology, manifested when applying System of Rice Intensification water management principles under semi-field and field conditions, in conjunction with variations in plant density and microbial density in the soil. The research aimed to learn about causal relationships, if any, between rice root and shoot growth at different growth stages of the rice plant’s development and their cumulative effect on yield, which is affected by both biotic and abiotic influences. It was seen that greater root length density and a higher rate of root activity affected the yield-contributing parameters in all of the trials, whether conducted under semi-field or field conditions. At the same time, both root parameters were significantly affected by the water regime, soil microbial density, and planting pattern, the three main factors considered. The most important finding observed under semi-field conditions was that enhanced microbial density in the soil improved the sink capacity of the rice plants under all water regimes evaluated. Positive correlations were found between the chlorophyll content of the flag leaf and the duration of grain filling, between the chlorophyll content of plants’ lower leaves and their roots’ oxidizing activity rate, and the roots’ oxidizing activity rate at later growth stage and the available soil nitrogen. These relationships can significantly improve rice plants’ physiological efficiency and hence grain yield, provided that soil nutrients are not a limiting factor and when source–sink demand is maintained simultaneously. To realize the highest crop yield per hectare, both planting pattern and spacing are factors that need to be optimized. This paper in its conclusion considers the relevance of exploiting roots’ potential for plasticity to enhance crop productivity in the context of impending water constraints and climate-change effects.     

Effect of fertilization on crop responses and solute transport for rice crop in a sub-humid and sub-tropical region

In order to increase the efficacy of water and control the losses of fertilizer, it is necessary to assess the influence of level of fertilization on crop responses, movement and balance of water and solutes from fertilizers in the root zone. With this goal, the reported study was undertaken to determine the effect of fertilization on crop responses and fertilizer solute transport in rice crop field in a sub-humid and sub-tropical region. Field experiment was conducted on rice crop (cultivar IR 36) during the years 2003, 2004, and 2005. The experiment included four fertilizer treatments comprising different levels of fertilizer application. The fertilizer treatments during the experiment were: F₁ = control with N:P₂O₅:K₂O as 0:0:0 kg ha^?1; F₂ = fertilizer application of N:P₂O₅:K₂O as 80:40:40 kg ha^?1; F₃ = fertilizer application of N:P₂O₅:K₂O as 120:60:60 kg ha^?1 and F₄ = fertilizer application of N:P₂O₅:K₂O as 160:80:80 kg ha^?1. The results of the investigation revealed that the magnitudes of crop parameters such as grain yield, straw yield, and maximum leaf area index increased with increase in fertilizer application rate. The levels of fertilization had very little effect on water loss via deep percolation and water use by the crop. The levels of fertilization had considerable effect on N leaching loss and uptake of N whereas it had no significant impact on leaching loss of water-soluble phosphorus. This indicated that PO₄-P leaching loss was very low in the soil solution as compared to nitrogen due to fixation of phosphorus in soils. The results also revealed that increase in level of fertilization increased water use efficiency considerably by increased crop yield. From the observed data of nutrient use efficiency, crop yield and environmental pollution, the fertilization rate of N:P₂O₅:K₂O as 80:40:40 kg ha^?1 (F₂) was the most suitable fertilizer treatment for rice crop among studied treatments.     

Effects of crop establishment techniques on weeds and rice yield

Field and pot studies were conducted to evaluate the effects of seven rice establishment techniques {puddling transplanting (PT), no tillage transplanting (NTT), puddling drum wet seeding (PDWS), no tillage drum wet seeding (NTDWS), conventional tillage dry drilling (CTDD), furrow irrigated raised beds system dry drilling (FIRBSDD), and no-tillage dry-drilling (NTDD)} and water submergence stress on weeds and rice yield. The highest yield and least weed abundance were in the PT treatment. The direct seeded rice (DSR), both dry and wet exhibited severe weed infestation, and compared to transplanting showed reduced yield both in the presence and absence of weeds. The yield losses due to weeds in the DSR treatments ranged from 91.4 to 99.0%, compared to 16.0 and 42.0% in the transplanting treatments (PT and NTT). Weeds, including Cyperus rotundus L., Dactyloctenium aegyptium (L.) Willd., Digera arvensis Forsk., Phyllanthus niruri L., and Trianthema portulacastrum L. which were found in the un-puddled DSR treatments were absent in the puddled plots, particularly the PT treatments. In pot studies, continuous water-submergence (2.5 cm) for 20 days reduced the emergence of C. rotundus, D. aegyptium, T. portulacastrum, and Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) Beauv. by 99.4, 100, 100, and 24.4%, respectively, compared to alternate wetting–drying. In farmer's field studies, when compared to the PT treatments, the DSR treatments exhibited lower yields (15.8%) with coarse varieties (HKR-47 & IR-64), but fine cultivars (Sharbati & PB-1) exhibited similar yields under both systems. In view of the shortage of labour for manual transplanting, there is a need to develop suitable cultivars for aerobic system conditions (unpuddled DSR and NT machine-transplanting).     

Nitrogen and winter cover crop effects on spring and summer nutrient uptake

Overseeded winter annuals in bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] improve annual dry‐matter (DM) yield and capture nutrients in fields receiving manure application. This study determined the DM and nutrient uptake responses of annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum L.), cereal rye (Secale cereale), berseem clover (Trifolium alexandrinum L.) and bermudagrass‐winter fallow to 0, 50, 100 and 150 kg N ha^?1 applied approximately 2 months before a single spring harvest, and in addition to swine‐effluent N (258 and 533 kg ha^?1 in summer 2000 and 2001, respectively). Under drought conditions in 2000, DM yield at the spring harvest was highest in ryegrass, and summer DM yield of bermudagrass was greater at 100 and 150 kg N ha^?1 than 50 kg N ha^?1(P < 0·05). The concentration and uptake of N at the spring harvest increased linearly across N rates in both years (P < 0.05). Cover crops differed in N uptake in 2000 (P < 0.01) and values ranged from approximately 141 kg N ha^?1 in berseem clover to 86 kg N ha^?1 in rye. Per unit of N applied, uptake of N increased by approximately 0·409 kg ha^?1 in 2000 and 0·267 kg ha^?1 in 2001; uptake of P increased by 0·029 and 0·014 kg ha^?1 respectively. In 2000, uptake of P was responsive to N rate and this relationship was significant (P < 0·01) in winter fallow (slope = 0·032) and ryegrass (slope = 0·057). Increased uptake of N and P at the single spring harvest was due mainly to higher concentrations in herbage and not higher DM yield.     

The implications of land preparation, crop establishment method and weed management on rice yield variation in the rice-wheat system in the Indo-Gangetic plains

The implications of adopting alternative seeding methods for rice and wheat establishment were examined at three geographically separate sites in the rice-wheat system of the Indo-Gangetic plains, across northern India. Rice yields in cultivated plots, established by either wet or dry seeding methods, were evaluated in comparison to yields from zero-tillage plots and under conventional transplanting methods. In the same trials, the effects of crop establishment methods in wheat were assessed both on wheat yields and rice yields. Rice crop establishment methods markedly influenced the emerging weed flora and attainable yields were measured in relation to intensity of weed management. Over four years, average rice grain yields in the absence of weed competition were greatest (6.56 t ha⁻¹) under wet seeding (sowing pre-germinated rice seed on puddled soil), and similar to those from transplanted rice (6.17 t ha⁻¹) into puddled soil, and dry seeded rice after dry soil tillage (6.15 t ha⁻¹). Lowest yields were observed from dry seeded rice sown without tillage (5.44 t ha⁻¹). Rice yield losses due to uncontrolled weed growth were least in transplanted rice (12%) but otherwise large (c. 85%) where rice had been sown to dry cultivated fields or to puddled soil, rising to 98% in dry seeded rice sown without soil tillage. Weed competition reduced multiple rice yield components, and weed biomass in wet seeded rice was six-fold greater that in rice transplanted into puddled soil and twice as much again in dry seeded rice sown either after dry tillage or without tillage. Wheat grain yields were significantly higher from crops sown into tilled soil (3.89 t ha⁻¹) than those sown without tillage (3.51 t ha⁻¹), and also were elevated (5% on average) where the soil had been dry cultivated in preparation for the previous rice crops rather than puddled. The method of wheat cultivation did not influence rice yield. Soil infiltration rates in the wheat season were least where the land had been puddled for rice (1.52 mm h⁻¹), and greater where the soil had been dry-tilled (2.63 mm h⁻¹) and greatest after zero-tillage (3.54 mm h⁻¹).These studies demonstrated at research managed sites across a wide geographic area, and on farmers’ fields, that yields of dry seeded rice sown after dry cultivation of soil were broadly comparable with those of transplanted rice, providing weed competition was absent. These results support the proposition that direct seeding of rice could provide an alternative to the conventional practice of transplanting, and help address rising costs and threats to sustainability in the rice-wheat rotation. Further, analysis of patterns of long-term rainfall data indicated that farmers reliant on monsoon rainfall could prepare fields for dry direct seeded rice some 30 days before they could prepare fields for either transplanting or seeding with pre-germinated seed. Dry, direct seeding of rice contributes a valuable component of an adaptive strategy to address monsoonal variability that also may advance the time of wheat establishment and yield. Whilst the results illustrate the robustness, feasibility and significant potential of direct seeded rice, they also highlight the critical nature of effective weed control in successful implementation of direct seeding systems for rice.     

Long-term effects of inorganic and organic fertilizer sources on yield and nutrient accumulation of lowland rice

Deceleration in rice (Oryza sativa L.) yield over time under fixed management conditions is a concern for countries like Bangladesh, where rice is the primary source of calories for the human population. Field experiments were conducted from 1990 to 1999 on a Chhiata clay loam soil (Hyperthermic Vertic Endoaquept) in Bangladesh, to determine the effect of different doses of chemical fertilizers alone or in combination with cow dung (CD) and rice husk ash (ash) on yield of lowland rice. Two rice crops—dry season rice (December–May) and wet season rice (July–November) were grown in each year. Six treatments—absolute control (T₁), one-third of recommended fertilizer doses (T₂), two-thirds of recommended fertilizer doses (T₃), full doses of recommended fertilizers (T₄), T₂+5 t CD and 2.5 t ash ha⁻¹ (T₅) and T₃+5 t CD and 2.5 t ash ha⁻¹ (T₆) were compared. The CD and ash were applied on dry season rice only. The 10-year mean grain yield of rice with T₁ was 5.33 t ha⁻¹ per year, while the yield with T₂ was 6.86 t ha⁻¹ per year. Increased fertilizer doses with T₃ increased the grain yield to 8.07 t ha⁻¹ per year, while the application of recommended chemical fertilizer doses (T₄) gave 8.87 t ha⁻¹ per year. The application of CD and ash (T₅ and T₆) increased rice yield by about 1 t ha⁻¹ per year over that obtained with chemical fertilizer alone (T₂ and T₃, respectively). Over 10 years, the grain yield trend with the control plots was negative, but not significantly, both in the dry and wet seasons. Under T₃ through T₆, the yield trend was significantly positive in the dry season, but no significant trend was observed in the wet season. The treatments, which showed positive yield trend, also showed positive total P uptake trend. Positive yield trends were attributed to the increasing P supplying power of the soil.     

SRI as a methodology for raising crop and water productivity: productive adaptations in rice agronomy and irrigation water management

The System of Rice Intensification (SRI), developed in Madagascar almost 30 years ago, modifies certain practices for managing plants, soil, water, and nutrients with the effect of raising the productivity of the land, labor, and capital devoted to rice production. Certain production inputs are reduced—seeds, inorganic fertilizer, water, and fuel where water is pumped—with increased yield as a result. This paper introduces the subject of SRI, which is then addressed variously in the articles that follow. SRI is gaining interest and application in over 40 countries around the world. Its practices make soil conditions more aerobic and promote greater root growth, as well as larger, more diverse communities of beneficial soil biota. These below-ground changes support more productive phenotypes above-ground for practically all rice genotypes (cultivars) tested so far, with supportive evidence accumulating both from scientific institutions and field applications. SRI methodology remains controversial in some circles, however, because of the transformational change it introductions into traditional lowland rice production systems. This issue of PAWE brings together the results of formal research on SRI in a number of countries (Part I) and also reports on initiatives by government agencies, NGOs, universities, or the private sector, bringing knowledge of SRI to farmers in a wide range of agroecological circumstances (Part II). This introduction presents the basic principles that underlie SRI and discusses the nature of this innovation as well as considers some of the issues in contention. SRI continues to evolve and expand, being a work in progress. Its concepts and methods are being extended also to upland (rainfed) rice production, as well to other crops. Accordingly, SRI should not be regarded or evaluated in conventional terms as if it were a typical component technology. It is understood more appropriately in terms of a paradigm shift for rice production. In particular, it calls into question the long-standing belief that rice is best produced under continuously flooded conditions.     

豫南稻区不同施钾水平对作物产量效应影响

对豫南稻区不同施钾处理在水稻、小麦和油菜三种作物上的产量效应进行了田间试验研究。结果表明,施钾处理增加效果明显,其中稻田和麦田施钾124.5kg/hm2处理,油菜田施钾186.75kg/hm2处理与对照相比增产效果最明显。水稻、小麦、油菜分别在施钾146.6kg/hm2、145.6kg/hm2、183.6kg/hm2时的产量最高,单位面积产量分别为6869.3kg/hm2、3517.1kg/hm2、2424.2kg/hm2。     

Site-specific nutrient management for intensive rice cropping systems in Asia

Irrigated rice (Oryza sativa L.) yield increases in Asia have slowed down in recent years. Further, yield increases are likely to occur in smaller increments through fine-tuning of crop management. On-farm experiments at 179 sites in eight key irrigated rice domains of Asia were conducted from 1997 to 1999 to evaluate a new approach for site-specific nutrient management (SSNM). Large variation in initial soil fertility characteristics and indigenous supply of N, P, and K was observed among the eight intensive rice domains as well as among farms within each domain. Field- and season-specific NPK applications were calculated by accounting for the indigenous nutrient supply, yield targets, and nutrient demand as a function of the interactions between N, P, and K. Nitrogen applications were fine-tuned based on season-specific rules and field-specific monitoring of crop N status. The performance of SSNM was tested for four successive rice crops. Average grain yield in the SSNM increased by 0.36 Mg ha⁻¹ (7%) compared to the current farmers’ fertilizer practice (FFP) measured in the same cropping seasons or 0.54 Mg ha⁻¹ (11%) compared to the baseline FFP yield before intervention. Average nutrient uptake under SSNM increased by about 10% in the same seasons or by 13% (N) and 21% (P, K) compared to the baseline data. Yield increases were associated with a 4% decrease in the average N rate, but larger amounts of fertilizer-K at sites where the previous K use was low. Average N use efficiencies increased by 30–40%, mainly through the use of improved in-season N management schemes. Across all sites and four successive rice crops, profitability increased by US$ 46 ha⁻¹ per crop or 12% of the total average net return. The performance of SSNM did not differ significantly between high-yielding and low-yielding climatic seasons, but improved over time with larger benefits observed in the second year. Average profitability increased from US$ 32 ha⁻¹ pre crop in the first year to US$ 61 ha⁻¹ pre crop in the second year due to improvements in the SSNM approach and re-capitalization of P and K applied in the first year. SSNM required little extra credit for financing, and remained profitable even if rice prices are somewhat lower than current levels. Further, scope for improvement exists at many sites by alleviating other crop management constraints to nutrient use efficiency. Profit increases ranged from US$ 4 to 82 ha⁻¹ per crop among eight rice domains. However, profit decreases occurred in about 25% of all cases, indicating that a certain minimum level of crop care is required for SSNM to be profitable. Yields at sites with labor-saving direct-seeding of larger fields were about 1 Mg ha⁻¹ lower than those achieved at sites with labor-intensive transplanting and good management, raising concern about future trends in rice production. SSNM has potential for improving yields and nutrient efficiency in irrigated rice to close existing yield gaps. The major challenge for SSNM will be to retain the success of the approach while reducing the complexity of the technology as it is disseminated to farmers. The nature of the approach will need to be tailored to specific circumstances in different countries. In some areas, SSNM may be field or farm specific, but in many areas it is likely to be just region and season-specific.     

Effect of application of vermicompost on methane emission and grain yield of Chinna Ponni paddy crop

Paddy and Water Environment - In separate treatments rice (Oryza sativa) of the Chinna Ponni variety was grown either with the application of synthetic fertilizer (SF) containing...     

Modeling the dependence of the crop calendar for rain-fed rice on precipitation in Northeast Thailand

Rain-fed lowlands are major agricultural ecosystems used for rice production in Northeast Thailand. Developing a tool to assess the effects of variable water conditions on the regional scale yield is also important to predict the effects of climate change on food supply. To estimate regional yields, we need a simple but accurate measure of the crop calendar (i.e., the distribution of planting dates), which has a strong influence on grain yield. In this article, we modeled the dependence of the crop calendar on rainfall patterns based on a survey of the region’s farmers as a part of an effort to provide a stronger basis for regional yield estimates. Our survey, conducted in 11 provinces for 2 years, confirmed the existence of large windows for sowing and transplanting versus narrow windows for heading and harvesting for rain-fed lowland rice culture in all the provinces. Variable water, soil, and toposequential conditions in the paddy fields were responsible for the large sowing and transplanting windows, whereas the use of photoperiod-sensitive varieties explained the narrow windows for heading and harvesting. The crop calendar was well expressed as a function of cumulative precipitation from June onward. When the crop calendar model was combined with a simple phenology-based model that uses growing degree-days adjusted by a day-length factor, we could estimate the rice crop calendar under rain-fed lowland conditions with acceptable accuracy. The model described in this article will be combined with a crop growth model to improve regional yield estimates for rain-fed lowland rice.