Bradbrook - 2012 - Rice Farming complete with methods to increase ric

ut does not experience long periods of flooding or submergence as in rainfed lowland
rice. Rice farmers take advantage of frequent rainfall by planting in lowland areas and
on the slopes of hills and mountains. Rainfall flows down from the top and is
naturally collected in the rice paddies. Southeast Asia accounts for much of upland
rice production, although it is also being practiced in South Asia and China. Because
of its reliance on rainfall, the plants are usually subjected to periods of drought stress.
As such, yield from upland rice culture can vary significantly for each growing cycle.
Upland rice culture is also practiced in rotation with other crops, unlike the other types
of rice culture. Rainfed upland culture yields rice at 1 to 2 tons per hectare.
4. Deepwater
Deepwater rice is cultivated along low-lying areas in rivers, deltas, estuaries, and
swamps. The practice is common in the tropical regions of Asia and in Sub-Saharan
Africa. Generally, rice plants that are submerged to a depth of at least 50 cm for long
periods are considered deepwater rice. In this type of culture, the rice farmer relies on
rainfall and the natural flooding caused by the swelling of the bodies of water nearby.
The farmer has no control of the amount of water available to the rice field, and there
may be periods of drought and flood throughout the growing season. The rice plants
must be able to tolerate being dry or being submerged for periods of time and to high
levels of salinity (as in the case of flooding near estuaries). Deepwater culture yields
0.5 to 2 tons per hectare of rice.
NOTE:
The terms “upland” and “lowland” does not necessary refer to the topography or elevation of
the planted rice. The more appropriate term would be “dryland” and “wetland”, respectively,
because they refer to the surface hydrology of the soil in which the rice is planted. However,
because the terms upland and lowland have been in use for so long, its use is not likely to
change.
Part 5: Assessing Climate, Soil and Water
When considering whether to grow rice or not, and specifically which type of rice culture
would be most appropriate for a given area, the farmer needs to carefully study the ecosystem
in which the rice plant will be grown. Some points to consider include the following;
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