Give Your Ricefield A Break

Every effort needs a little push and a break afterwards. The ricefield is no different. It needs a rest, too. Experts call it fallow period, the time of allowing the field to stand by for at least 30 days after harvest before replanting.

"Fallow period is important because it breaks the insect pest cycle and destroys diseases host left in the field after harvest," said Nelson Parpados of the Seed Production and Health Division of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice).

"The fallow period varies from wet to dry season, depending on the condition of the land. The recommendation ranges from 30 to 45 days after harvest. "Farmers should wait for the land to dry up a bit before plowing. So, the process is faster during dry season than wet season," Parpados advised.

A rotavator is used to plow the field. "If the land is too soft or wet, the rotavator might not properly cultivate the land," Parpados added.

Starting The Right Way

The land should be plowed during fallow period to prevent drop seeds from germinating.

"Weeds and stubbles should be plowed under 10 to 15 cm deep, 3 to 4 weeks before transplanting," Parpados said. A second round of plowing should be done to ensure that drop seeds will not recur.

Land levelling follows after this. "The field should have 2 to 5 cm water depth during levelling. There should be no visible mound of soil above the water surface after the final levelling," Parpados averred.

A properly levelled field gives more uniform water distribution, reduces weed incidence, requires less water to fill up, and allows better management of golden apple snails.

"All these things contribute to achieving a uniform crop maturity. This is a good way to start land preparation right," Parpados stressed.

PhilRice soil experts advise that there should be no high and low soil spots in the field after final levelling. In addition, dikes and ditches must be cleaned when preparing the land. It must also be compacted and maintained at 15 cm high and 20 cm wide. Parpados explained that it will prevent seepage and rat attack, and ensure even water distribution.

Draining the field through the dikes and ditches also removes toxic substances, allows organic matter to decompose, and helps the plant to produce healthier roots.

For direct wet seeded rice, Parpados advises farmers to construct small canals near the levee surrounding the field and in the middle of the field as paths for excess water, collecting snails, and field operations such as planting missing hills and weeding.

PhilRice is a government office attached to the Department of Agriculture geared in developing high-yielding and cost-reducing technologies so farmers can produce enough rice for all Filipinos. /MP