SRI Trial in the Caraga Region XIII National Irrigation Administration

Implementor for the Southern Philippines Irrigation Sector Project

(SPISP) of ADB, and the Lower Agusan Development Project (LADP) of the Japan Bank for

International Cooperation

Land preparation, as carried out personally by the NIA Caraga Regional Irrigation Manager, Engr. Bong Salazar, with a small hand tractor and/or carabao-pulled implements. Leveling as precise as possible is done to avoid low spots that are susceptible to flooding or prolonged standing water, which prevents soil aeration and the growth of micro-organisms which should be promoted to increase rice production.

LAND SOAKING AND LAND PREPARATION1

Organic fertilizers, produced from wastes on Engr. Salazar's poultry farm, are applied before transplanting.

2 APPLICATION OF ORGANIC FERTILIZER

After thorough leveling, organic fertilizers are applied

Seedbed preparation is done with a modified dapog method. Seedlings are grown on organic soil 2 cm thick on top of a plastic canvas. Then 200 grams of germinated seeds are broadcast in an area of 3 square meters.

3 METHOD OF GROWING SEEDLINGS

4 TRANSPLANTING AND PLANT GROWTH STAGES

SRI field 7 days after planting

Eight-day-old seedlings are transplanted in straight rows in both directions, spaced 40 cm x 40 cm and with one (1) plant per hill.

PLANT GROWTH STAGES

Rice is not an aquatic plant, hence standing water is not necessary. The ricefield is only flooded with water when doing weeding, cultivating and rotavating. The latter operation is done using a rotary weeder, which promotes aeration thatis very vital to plant growth.

The more space provided for the rice plant to grow, the more tillers it will produce. Such plants are better able to access nutrients in the soil with microorganism support, get sunshine, air, space, etc.

At 25 days

At 45 days

5 WEEDING AND CULTIVATION

At the early tillering stage, a rotary weeder is used to control weeds thru cultivation and rotavation of the soil.

This promotes aeration at the same time it controls weeds. This is one of the particular features of SRI practice.

The versatile rotary weeder shown at left was designed by Engr. Salazar. It includes a floater, a cultivator, and a rotavator.

6 ORGANIC FERTILIZER APPLICATION

Selective application of organic fertilizer is done before panicle initiation. Hills/plants in poor condition are selectively provided with additional organic fertilizer application.

7 PANICLE INITIATION AND FLOWERING STAGE

With SRI, longer panicles and bigger grains are observed.

The highest number of tillers counted in one hill was 104.

Highest number of spikelets was observed at 14 with 305 grains counted in a single panicle.

8 RIPENING STAGE

RESULTING CROP -- 8.9 T/HA

The rice plants are healthy with strong stalks because of the organic fertilizer, soil aeration through intermittent water application, and the 40 cm x 40 cm spacing. With strong stalks, lodging never occurred.

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