1. Rice Production Course
Land Preparation
By JF Rickman and Tom P. Clemeno
Ag. Engineering & Experiment Station
IRRI

2. IRRI: Rice Production Course
Learning Objectives
Clarify the need for plowing
Describe primary tillage and its implementation
Describe secondary tillage and its implementation
Clarify the need for puddling
Present different plowing patterns
IRRI: Rice Production Course

3. Can anyone explain the use of plowing?
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4. IRRI: Rice Production Course
Why plow?
Create seedbed
Kill weeds/pest
Incorporate fertilizer
Water control (in/out)
Change clod size
Incorporate residues
IRRI: Rice Production Course

5. Fallow Field (Starting Point)
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6. What is primary tillage and what should be achieved?
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7. IRRI: Rice Production Course
Primary Tillage
First working after harvest
Most aggressive
Cuts and shatters soil
Burying crop residues
Highest power requirement
Leaves rough surface
Done either wet or dry
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8. Primary tillage operations
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9. Field after first plowing
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10. Primary Tillage Implements Moldboard and Disc Plow
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11. Primary Tillage Implements Offset and Chisel plow
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12. Primary Tillage Implements Rotovator
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13. What is secondary tillage and what is to be achieved ?
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14. IRRI: Rice Production Course
Secondary tillage
Follow primary tillage
Normally shallower working depth
Provide additional soil pulverization/puddling
Level soil surface
Control weeds
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15. Secondary tillage operations
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16. After secondary working
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17. Secondary Tillage Implements Tandem Disc
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18. Secondary Tillage Implements Tine cultivator
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19. After final dry working
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20. Zero tilled field-chemical tillage
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21. Can anyone explain “puddling”?
Why do farmers puddle the soil?
IRRI: Rice Production Course

22. IRRI: Rice Production Course
Puddling
Create hard pan to reduce deep water percolation
Kill emerging weeds prior to planting
Level fields
Softens soil for transplanting
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23. Puddling using 4wd tractor
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24. Puddling using a Hydro tiller
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25. Puddled field prior to planting
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26. Why do we use different plowing patterns?
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27. IRRI: Rice Production Course
Plowing patterns
Determined by implement (one-way plow can only throws soil in one direction)
Determined by desired field levelness-headland most level
Determined by field shape-long narrow fields
Determines efficiency (headland pattern most efficient)
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28. Circuitous Plowing Patterns Starts at outside and leaves a furrow in the middle of field

29. Headland Pattern Starts at one end and leaves flat even field

30. Land Plow System Starts In middle and leaves a level field

31. IRRI: Rice Production Course
Conclusion
Poorly prepared fields will cause management problems through the following crop.
Symptoms include:
Poor plant establishment
Excessive pest / weed burdens
Uneven crop growth and maturity
Poor water use efficiency
 “You reap what you sow”
IRRI: Rice Production Course

32. IRRI: Rice Production Course
Questions or Comments?
IRRI: Rice Production Course