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WATER MANAGEMENT Key Check 6: Avoided excessive water or drought stress that could affect the growth & yield of the crop Part 1: Understanding the PalayCheck System

WATER: its importance Helps rice plant to use soil nutrient efficiently Influences farm operations Aids in weed control

WATER: its functions WHAT IT DOES TO THE SOIL WHAT IT DOES TO THE RICE PLANT  Transports “food” (i.e. medium for photosynthates & soil nutrients)  Regulates temperature  Facilitates physico- chemical processes & gas exchange  Dissolves soil nutrients  Regulates temperature  Facilitates field operations & biological processes

 Temperature regulation  Nutrient uptake  CO 2 absorption

WATER: issues & concerns  Common farmers’ practices/experiences suggest that water is not used economically: i) Rice paddies remain open during fallow period ii) No definite schedules/guidelines of irrigation ?? iii) Paddy to paddy irrigation has no ditches. iv) Farms are continuously flooded.

WATER: issues & concerns  “Biased” seasonal & geographic rainfall distribution - some areas have long dry season, some are endowed with sufficient/excessive rainfall  High cost of irrigation development  High water requirement to produce rice About li of water  1 kg of rice BUT, if a field is well-managed, a square meter only needs about 2,000 li of water to produce 1kg of rice

WATER: issues & concerns  By 2025, it is estimated that M ha of irrigated rice worldwide will have some degree of water scarcity.

WATER supply should be adequate! KEY CHECK 6: Avoided excessive water or drought stress that could affect the growth & yield of the crop

 Aids in proper seed germination  Promotes seedling vigor, including crop growth & development  Improves nutrient uptake because it corrects some nutrient imbalances & minimizes leaching BENEFITS of Key Check 6

 Helps in controlling weeds  Provides better snail control  Minimizes lodging  Significantly reduces irrigation cost (pump)

ASSESSMENT of Key Check 6  No symptoms of water stress due to excessive water i. Reduced tillering & leaf area ii. <10 tillers per hill iii. Root color should be reddish brown or lighter During vegetative stage Excessive water means more than 5 cm water depth for 7 days or more.

ASSESSMENT of Key Check 6  No symptoms of water stress due to drought During vegetative stage i. Leaf rolling ii. Leaf tip drying iii. Prolonged & deep soil cracking (>3 days) iv. Stunted growth

ASSESSMENT of Key Check 6 During PI to grain filling stage  No symptoms of stress due to drought i. Leaf rolling ii. Leaf tip drying iii. Reduced panicle exertion iv. Many unfilled grains

PalayCheck recommends…  Achieve 3-5 cm water depth every irrigation time from early tillering until 2 wk before crop maturity or harvest  Drain water or stop irrigation 1-2 weeks before harvest  For medium-textured soil or during DS, drain 1 wk before harvest  For fine-textured soil or during WS, drain 2 wk before harvest

INPUT  straight bunds  leveled fields  water supply rates & depth control  drainage OUTPUTOUTCOME  avoidance of water stress  high yield  good grain quality

CREDITS Instructional presentation designer: Dr. Karen Eloisa Barroga Sources & reviewers of technical content: Mr. Jovino de Dios; Dr. Romeo Cabangon, IRRI; Ms. Elsa Manango & Ms. Teresita Sandoval, BSWM Note: Adapted from a powerpoint presentation developed by: Mr. Jovino de Dios For more information, visit: You may use, remix, tweak, & build upon this presentation non-commercially. However, always use with acknowledgment. Unless otherwise stated, the names listed are PhilRice staffers. Produced in 2011 Text: