rice production. propagation & planting two methods transplanting – requires preplanting...

Rice production

Propagation & Planting

Two methods

• Transplanting – requires preplanting &nursery• Direct Seeding

Comparison transplanting vs direct sowing

Transplanting• High labour• Longer to establish• More uniform crop• Less weed problem

Direct seeding• Low labour• Fast to establish• Less uniform crop• More weed problem

Rice nursery

Nursery preparation

• Soil must be level, can be dry or wet

Types of rice nursery

There are 4 nursery systems for transplanting:• The wet-bed nursery• The dry-bed nursery• The dapog or mat nursery• Seedling boxes for mechanical transplanting

The wet bed type

Pre-germinated seeds are broadcasted on a soil that is thoroughly puddled and levelled. Drainage canals for proper removal of water must be constructed. Addition of organic manure (decomposed) and small amount of inorganic fertilizer as basal dressing will increase easiness of uprooting of seedlings and improve seedling vigour.

Total seed bed area is about 1/10 of the area to be transplanted and about 40 kg of seed are required to transplant 1 hectare. The best seedling age for transplanting is about 15-21 days.

The wet bed type..cont..

Seed required Preparing nursery area Pre germinated seeds

Fertilizer top dressing

Irrigating the seedbed

Sowing

Pulling the seedling

The dry-bed type

• The nursery is prepared in dry soil conditions. Raised seed beds of about 5-10 cm. A layer of half burned paddy husk could be distributed on the nursery bed to facilitate uprooting.

The dry-bed type...cont

• The site should be free of shade and with adequate irrigation facilities.

• About 40 kg of seed are required to transplant 1 ha (if germination is lower can increase the quantity to 80 kg).

• Uprooting of seedlings should be done between 15 - 21 days after germination.

• Nursery should be maintained without any moisture stress. A basal fertilizer mixture can be applied and incorporated between rows if the soil nutrient supply is low.

The dry-bed type...cont

• The advantage of the dry-bed method is that seedlings are short and strong, with a longer root system compared with the wet-bed method.

• A disadvantage is however that roots may get

damaged during pulling. Seedlings are more prone to pests such as rodents etc.

The dapog or mat nursery

Dapog nurseries can be located anywhere on a flat firm surface but water supply/control should be very reliable. The area needed is about 100 m2/ha or 1% of the transplantable land which is much smaller than conventional nurseries.

The dapog type …..cont

• Uprooting of seedling is minimal. • Very young seedlings (12-15days) from dapog

nurseries suffer less transplanting shock compared with other nurseries, thus the seedlings are more suitable for short duration varieties.

• Irrigation is obligatory to prevent water stress.

Transplanting

• Transplanting seedlings that are grown in nurseries first.• Transplanting of rice seedlings into puddle fields is

widely practiced in Asia, primarily to better control of weeds.

• Transplanting requires less seed but much more labour, and the crop takes longer to mature because of the transplanting shock.

Transplanting ……cont

Before being transplanted, seedlings are grown for different lengths of time in the nursery:

• Traditional varieties: 40 to 80 days old seedlings;

• Improved varieties: 15 to 20 days old seedlings;

• Machine transplanted seedlings: 15 days old seedlings.

Transplanting …..cont

How to plant seedlingsA. Manually

1-3 days after soil preparation.

Transplanting …..cont

i. Random method Seedlings are transplanted without a definite distance or space between plants.

Transplanting …..cont

ii. Straight rowFollows a uniform spacing between plants. The seedlings are transplanted in straight rows. About 20-25 cm

between rows.

Transplanting …..cont

Plants spacingProper plant spacing can increase grain yield by 25-40%.

So, what is the optimum spacing?

Three factors determine plant spacing during transplanting.

Transplanting …..cont

i. Variety Tall, leafy, heavy tillering and susceptible to lodging at wider spacing (compare to short and lodging resistant variety).

Tall variety = wider spacingShort variety = closer spacing.

Transplanting …..cont

ii. Season Rainy or wet season at wider spacing relative to dry season.

Wet season = wider spacingDry season = closer spacing.

Transplanting …..cont

iii. Soil fertility

Fertile soil = wider spacingPoor soil = closer spacing

What is the actual planting distance

i. Tall, heavy tillering and leafy; Dry season:

Poor soil = 25 X 25 cm Fertile soil = 30 X 30 cm

Wet season;Poor soil = 30 X 30 cmFertile soil = 35 X 35 cm

….cont

ii. Short, lodging resistant and photoperiod-insensitive varieties:

Recommended: 20 X 20 cmPoor soil = 20 X 10-15 cm

Direct seeding

• Using seeds to sow directly on prepared dry or wet fields.

In direct seeding

Several techniques have been employed1. Broadcasting

80 to 100 kg of pre-germinated seeds/ha evenly on the field in a 1 hectare field.

Direct seeding

2. Drilling

80 to 100 kilograms of seed per ha by hand on prepared furrows, or by mechanical seed drillers.

Malaysian innovation – using motorized blower for direct seeding

In direct seeding

3. Dibbling (hill planting)

Thank you