Department of Agriculture encourages local rice farmers to adopt early maturing varieties of rice for the upcoming dry season. Respectively, farmers are also urged to use water-saving technologies.
Adopting these varieties and technologies will prevent losses for the upcoming summer season.
Early Maturing Varieties of Rice
According to Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice)’s in-house agriculturist and Text Center lead agent Fredierick M. Saludez, early-maturing varieties require lesser water. Thus, they can mature faster than other inbred varieties.
Further, Saludez explained that a rice crop that matures in 100 days will require approximately 1000mm of water while a crop that matures in 150 days will require 50% more.
On the other, using these varieties in rainfed and irrigated areas will minimize the water consumption for cultivation. Moreover, this will also lessen the number of days needed to supply water.
These are the varieties which are recommended by the PhilRice to use during dry season.
In the report in the Philstar, average yield of these varieties ranges from four to 10 metric tons per hectare and matures between 105 and 110 days compared to 115 to 125 days for other varieties.
Water Saving Technologies
Alternate-wetting, and drying (AWD) is one of the recommended water saving technology that can be used during dry season.
Saludez explained that AWD reduces the use of irrigation water without penalizing crop yield.
If properly implemented, studies shown that rice farmers in lowland areas can save water by up to 50 percent. More significantly, materials that are needed are readily available such as bamboo or PVC tubes with four inch diameter and 25 centimeters in length are used to install AWD.
For effective and efficient use of AWD, farmers were also advised to put holes (3-5 mm) to serve as a water passage, around the tube with 5 cm distance.
In Zambales, one farm give a testimony that AWD saves water consumption in irrigating his farm.
Objective of the recommendation
Adopting the usage of early maturing varieties of rice and water saving technologies will help to prevent reduction of yield during dry season.
According to Saludez, “studies identified that reduction in yield happens when rice plants are exposed to stress like drought, especially during the flowering stage. With early-maturing varieties, this is less likely to happen.”
Agriculturists from the local government units, rice technicians, extension workers, and rice advocates are urged by Saludez to promote the use of these technologies for farmers to avoid yield losses during the dry season.
Sources:
Early maturing varieties recommended for dry season
Early-maturing varieties, water-saving technologies recommended for dry season
