Rainfed rice - IRRI books - International Rice Research Institute

Minimising economic losses due to intensity and
quantity of rainfall
Rainfall and Its Agronomic Interpretations
High intensity
Select varieties tolerant to lodging.
Choose a suitable variety which matures before the probable occurrence
of high rainfall and thus escapes mechanical damage during the
reproductive and maturity stages.
Keep the drainage channel clean.
Always be prepared for the situation by constantly watching the weather
forecast.
Drought/water stress
Drought is the most common problem for rainfed rice cultivation in the
whole of eastern India.
Mitigation of drought
VARIETAL MANIPULATION
Select varieties having drought-avoidance/ tolerance mechanism.
SOIL MOISTURE CONSERVATION
Line-sow
Weed through inter-culture operations
Decrease plant population if drought persists and intensifies
AGRONOMIC MANAGEMENT
Adopt a technology of, sowing varieties with a difference in duration of
at least 15 days so that the earlier variety can have some yield in case of a
late drought or both an early and late variety can be harvested in the
case of a good rainfall year. Also, threshing can be done separately at
different intervals due to the difference in maturity time.
Adjust the planting dates if the areas suffer from terminal drought.
Practice mixed cropping in uplands.
Drought
Drought can occur at any stage of crop growth (seedling, vegetative and
reproductive stage)
If drought comes during the seedling stage, especially immediately after germination,
re-sowing with another suitable variety is recommended.
If drought occurs during the other stages, mitigation practices such as life-saving
irrigation, moisture conservation, plant population management, etc., are practised.
If drought occurs in the reproductive stages, adjusting the planting time using shortduration
varieties may help.
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