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Contents & Foreword, Characterizing And ... - IRRI books

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<strong>Characterizing</strong> rainfed riceenvironments: an overviewof the biophysical aspectsV.P. Singh, T.P. Tuong, and S.P. KamThe literature reveals that rainfed rice environments have been characterizedfor various purposes at differing scales using a range of techniques. Thischapter reviews the biophysical aspects of characterization undertaken inrainfed rice environments, more specifically at sites of the Rainfed LowlandRice Research Consortium. It presents the status of the work done; providesan inventory of techniques applied; discusses scale, variability, and accuracy;pinpoints gaps in knowledge; and provides future directions for workfrom which these sites can benefit. The chapter brings out commonalities ofcharacteristics across rainfed sites, provides insights into which issues newtechnological developments should focus on when addressing major limitationsto production enhancement, and identifies opportunities for makingfuture work more efficient and relevant to needs. Examples for each of theseaspects are drawn from case studies in the rainfed rice regions, and specificcases where environmental characterization has made a significant impacton national systems are cited.Rainfed rice environments are characterized for various purposes. Some of the predominantuses are prioritizing research on a broad scale, extrapolating technology,interpreting multilocation network research, and identifying recommendation zones.Each of these uses requires different degrees of classification subdivisions, from onlya few at broad levels to many at specific levels, using a combination of parametersand available tools and techniques.Whatever the purpose, characterization in general is supposed to help increasethe productivity of rainfed environments via a better understanding of their properties,particularly in rainfed areas that face a high degree of temporal variability andspatial heterogeneity. It is within this context that rainfed rice research sites, includingthe Rainfed Lowland Rice Research Consortium (RLRRC) sites, are characterizedat different scales with corresponding degrees of detail. However, characterizationalone cannot lead to the impact of technology without addressing aspects of<strong>Characterizing</strong> rainfed rice environments: an overview . . . 3

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