1. An Application of Field Monitoring Data in Estimating Optimal Planting Dates of Cassava in Upper Paddy Field in Northeast Thailand
----- Meeting Notes (9/26/12 09:03) -----
cropping system in Northeastern part of Thailand.
Mallika SRISUTHAM1,2, Masaru MIZOGUCHI1, Anan POLTHANEE2, Ryoichi DOI1 1 Department of Global Agricultural Sciences, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo. JAPAN. 2 Department of Land Resources and Environment, Faculty of Agriculture, KhonKaen University. THAILAND.

2. Topics for today Back ground of research Objectives
Material and Method
Results and discussion
Conclusion
Kindly suggestions and questions

3. Northeast Thailand Map
Location & Problem
Several areas experience both flood & drought problems
----- Meeting Notes (9/26/12 09:03) -----
Thailand is located in the tropical areas.
totally more than 60% are agricultural land.
When talk about agriculture. we have to think about water supply and any factors that influences for cropping.
Source: Disaster Prevention and Mitigation
Northeast Thailand Map
Flood risk Map
Drought risk Map

4. Climate Change & Rainfall
Monthly rainfall; March 2006 to 2011 Compared to average from 1950 to1997
Source: Hydro and Agro Informatics Institute (HAII) Ministry of Science and Technology, Thailand

5. Monthly rainfall; May, 2006 to 2011 Compared to average from 1950 to1997
Source: Hydro and Agro Informatics Institute (HAII) Ministry of Science and Technology, Thailand

6. Climate Change & Air Temp.
Mean of Daily High Temperature in Thailand
Climate Change & Air Temp.

7. Limitation factors for cropping
Water supply is limited in upper paddy field.
Precipitation (Rainfall) is mainly water supply.
Ground water/water table were found at m. depth from ground surface in dry season.
Poor soil; high-drainage, low nutrients fertility.
Environmental conditions
Socio-Economic conditions
Rice is a main crop for farmers in Thailand. Intercropping are needed in those areas.
Poor farmers; low cost crops
Source: Hydro and Agro Informatics Institute (HAII), Ministry of Science and Technology, Thailand

8. Cropping Systems in Upper Paddy Areas, Northeast Thailand
Major crop
Minor crops
Source: URL;
Sugarcane
Cassava
Corn
Peanut

9. Cropping systems in NE, Thailand
Upper Paddy (Rain-fed areas)
Source: Anan P. and G. Marten (1986)

10. Why’s Cassava?
Droughts tolerant plant, it can grow in areas with as little as 500 mm rainfall per year and survives in areas with dry period of 5-6 months (since it has a conservative pattern of water use) (Cock, 1985).
Cassava is well adapted to poor soils (Barnaud et al, 2006), low fertility and very acid soil (Howeler, 2006).
It is a popular crop among poor farmers because it requires few input besides labor to produce a reasonable yield.

11. Objectives
To estimate the optimum planting dates and harvesting time for cassava after rice in upper paddy areas.
To investigate the influences of environmental conditions (climatic data and soil moisture) in changing of cropping system in the upper paddy areas, Khon Kaen province.

12. The study area in Khon Kaen province
The study areas is located in the upper paddy field at Phea-fan village in Khon Kaen province, Thailand. At latitude 164718 N, longitude.1024926 E, which is located about 40 km of Khon Kaen city. The elevation at 206 m above mean sea level, with slope about 2 to 5 %.
Thailand map
The study area in Khon Kaen province

13. Maturity Stem and Preparation for Planting
Cutting stem cm
Maturity stem : 8-12 months old
Preparation before planting

14. Land Preparation and Planting cassava
70-80 cm
Growth measurement
50 cm
Cutting stem cm
Planting on ridge

15. Real-time Monitoring System
Meteorological data;
Rainfall
Solar radiation
Air temperature
Air humidity
Wind direction-wind speed
Weather station (June 17th, 2011)
2nd-Planting date area (November 21st, 2011)
1st-Planting date area (November 21st, 2011)
5TE sensor;
Soil moisture
Soil temperature
Bulk electrical conductivity

16. Real-time Monitoring system
Source: Mizoguchi et.al (2011)

17. Planting Date Soil moisture content at 4 and 16 cm
1st-Planting date on 21st Nov 2011
2nd -Panting date on 21st Dec 2011
Rice cropping
(June to Mid-October)
Cassava cropping/or any 2nd crops
(November to end-May)
Soil moisture content at 4 and 16 cm
November: to 0.38 cm3/cm to 0.29 cm3/cm3
December: to 0.31cm3/cm to 0.27 cm3/cm3
The distributions of rainfall (mm) and soil moisture content (cm3/cm3) in cassava field from June 17th, 2011 to February 27th, 2012

18. Growth of cassava
2nd-Planting date area
1st-Planting date area
16 samples around soil moisture sensor were measured and recorded growth rate

19. Results and Discussions

20. (a) The fluctuations of rainfall (mm) in cassava field, (b) and (c) changes of soil moisture, growth of cassava and waterlogging occurred in the areas of the first -planting date and second-planting date respectively.
Growth of cassava (cm)
Watarlogging occured
(a) The distribution of rainfall from November 2011 to June 1st, 20112
(b) Changes of soil moisture related to growth rate in the areas of first-planting date
(c) Changes of soil moisture related to growth rate in the areas of second-planting date
Growth of cassava (cm)
Watarlogging occured
May 26th, 2012 :
At 8, 16 and 32 cm
----- Meeting Notes (9/26/12 09:03) -----
cassava growth is very active to soil moisture.
Watarlogging occured
May 25th, 2012:
At 4 and16 cm
At 8 cm, there is no data (sensor broken). 20

21. Growth Rate of Cassava I II
III
Growth measurement

22. Root yield & the Starch content
Harvesting date;
May 31, 2012
1st- Planting date: ton/ha
2nd-Planting date: ton/ha
6 months
Sampling 5 kg;
to investigate the obtained of starch content
4 months
5 months

23. Conclusions
Real-time monitoring data in the field is useful to estimate the optimum planting date and the right time to harvest.
The optimum planting dates of cassava after rice in upper paddy field in Khon Kaen, should be starting in period of November rather than December.
The times for harvesting should be more than 6 months after transplanting (if, it possible). Then the starch content will be increased. However, in this case the harvesting date was done by the end-May. That is the right times for market condition.

24. Distribution of cassava growing areas in Thailand
Percent of cassava area harvested in each month for the whole of Thailand.
May, June, July
Source: Office of Agriculture Economics, DOA,1999.

25. Common cropping systems in Northeast Thailand
Conclusions
Common cropping systems in Northeast Thailand
Cropping system in the upper paddy areas in Khon Kaen province are changes, it seems influences by climate change in this region.

26. Thank you very much for your kind attention
MARCO Symposium 2012 (24th – 27th Sept, 2012)