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Rice and the Filipinos: The Last 100 yearsRice and the Filipinos: The Last 100 years

Chapter 2: The Evolution of Rice Production Practices

Chapter 2: The Evolution of Rice Production Practices

I. Introduction

• Rice production trends over time

• Varieties and their role in the evolution of rice production practices

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Figure 1. Area harvested and palay yield (1902-1972)

Figure 2. Area harvested and palay yield (1970-2002)

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Trad

ition

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Intermediate height

C4-63, BPI-76, IR5;Upland (PSB, NSIC);Rainfed (PSB,NSIC)

1946 2001Year

1968

Stan

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Are

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are

(%)

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0

Semidwarf

IR8 to IR74;BPI 3-2 to BPI Ri-12;Irrigated (PSB, NSIC)Saline (PSB, NSIC);Cool (PSB, NSIC)

Rice varieties

Hybrids (PSB, NSIC,Seed Co. )

Trad

ition

al v

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Impr

oved

var

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all

Mod

ern

var

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s, s

emid

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f, in

term

edia

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eigh

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20011968

Stan

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S 1 S 2 S 3

1946Year

Are

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(%)

010

0

Variety adoption sequence

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Over the last 100 years thus . . .

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2

4

6

8

10

12

14

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1900 1930 1950 1965 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015

Land Pureline Cross Semidwarfs Indica/ NPT Crop-races selection bred (IR8 - IR72) Indica hybrids design

hybrids

Progress in the yield potential of rice in the tropics

II. Evolution of rice production practices

A. Yield Enhancing Practices

B. Labor-saving Practices

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A. Yield Enhancing Practices1. Variety

• 1900-1960 (Traditional period)

• 1961-1988 (Green Revolution era)

• 1989-present (Modern period)

3. Crop Establishment and Care

• 1900-1960

• 1961-1988

• 1989-present

2. Water Management

• 1900-1960

• 1961-1988

• 1989-present

Traditional period:

1900-1960

Green Revolution

Era:

1961-1988

Modern times:

1989-present

Milagrosa (from USA), Wagwag, Buenavista (Kasungsong), Ketan Koeteok from French Indo-China, Fortuna from Formosa, Celery Sticks = 20-30 cavans/haRamai x native Inadhica varieties of the Raminad Strain 3 (also known as Quezon Rice)

Buenkitan (Buenavista and Ketan Koetek), Milketan, the Milfor (Milagrosa x Formusa) and Milbuen(Milagrosa x Buenkitan.

IR8, cross between Dee-gee-won and Indonesian variety Peta = 273 cav/ha at shorter duration of only 125 days

BPI-76 at150 cav/ha at 120 days, and the C4-63 at 65-195 cav//ha at 120-140 days

PSB and NSIC varieties, with IR 64 still the most popularly planted at 5tons/ha at 113 days

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• Since 1521, rice has been documented to had been under cultivation in different parts of the Philippines.

• Its cultivation took place only during the rainy season where water is plenty while leaving most of the land idle during dry season.

• In 1840, the Spanish government started construction of irrigation systems and succeeded in irrigating 27,798 hectares during the dry season.

Ancient Times

• Under the American administration, the first irrigation system in Tarlac, San Miguel Irrigation System, was built in 1913 (Camus, 1929)

• Subsequently, the Irrigation Act (Legislature Act No 2152) authorized construction of more irrigation systems

During that time, 16 irrigations systems were completed and distributed in 15 rice-producing provinces. Additional areas were irrigated by the systems reaching as many as 100,000 hectares.

Traditional period (1900-1960)

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In 1939

• 30% of the total acreage planted to rice was served with irrigation system

⇒ only few farms have sufficient supply of water to support two rice croppings per year (Alfonso and Catambay, 1948). This may explained why most of the farmers in the irrigated areas practiced intermittent irrigation.

• 70% was still totally dependent on rainfall.

• In 1951, in response to the insufficiency of rice production, the Irrigation Service Unit (ISU) was launched as the pump irrigation program (Sta Iglesiaand Lawas, 1959)

211 pumps were installed from 1952-57 for organized farmer irrig. associations, paid in 10 amortizations at 6% interest.

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Small water impounding pond

• Massive investments in irrigation infrastructure in the late 1960’s

Green Revolution Era (1961-1989)

Construction of dams

Rehabilitated old canals

• Construction of the Pantabangan Dam

• Establishment of the NIA-UPRIIS

• Planting of early maturing variety

Α increased production area

Α increased yield at 3.6% per annum

Α 40% increase in irrigated area

Α A second crop was given importance after 1967-68

Also:

Α weeding time was reduced

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35.8%97%Combined

52.5%99%Direct seeding

13.5%92%Transplanting

AfterBefore Crop Establishment

Weeding duration was reduced with the availability of water in the paddy:

Modern times (1989- present)

• Technology on intermittent irrigation was revived

• Drought resistant varieties developed

• Aerobic Rice technology to combat El Nino-La Nina phenomena

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Secano or Hasik or Dalatan

Dry land preparation, dry seed and dry planting: furrow

seeding and dibbling Tubigan transplanted in puddled fields

Sabog seeding directly in the paddies

Traditional Era (1900-1960)

Seedbed methods:

• Punlaan

seeds were pre-germinated before sowing into slightly elevated beds in a well prepared plot and allowed to grow for at least 30 daysbefore transplanting.

• Dry seedbed

area was prepared dry, not puddled nor flooded. A 1.5 meters x 10-20 meters-plot is constructed and the seeds are sown into it and harrowed lightly to cover the seeds, then watered subsequently; however the seedbed could get too dry and too hard for young seedlings to grow and to be pulled later.

• Dapog

1 x 15 meter-plot was constructed; banana leaves were placed on top of it; a thin layer of mud mixed with clean rice hull or finely chopped rice straw covering the banana leaves. Seeds were sown

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• Upon introduction of water pumps, the method of planting rice was changed.

In 1954-55, only 16 % were transplanting rice while 84 % were practicing hand broadcast seeding directly into the paddy field.

In 1956-57, 72% had shifted to transplanting method while broadcast farmers dropped to 11% and 17% practiced combined transplanting and direct seeding in their farms.

Green Revolution Era (1961-1989)

Transplanting Seedbed management 3-8 seedlings per hillWaray method

Wet direct seeding 150-200 kgs/ha seeding rate

Combined method:Transplanting at wet season Wet direct seeding at dry season

Combined method:Transplanting at wet season Wet direct seeding at dry season

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Seedbed and seedling management

seedbedSeedling pulling with

temporary root cleaning

Final seedling root cleaning and bundling and top-cutting

Transplanting top-cut seedlings

Modern times (1989-present)

TransplantingWet Direct Seeding

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Modern times (1989-present)

Wetbed seedling production and care

The seeding rate of 20-40 kg seeds per hectare

18-21 days old seedlings to be transplanted

1-2 seedling per hill

Straight planting

20 x 20 planting distance during wet season

20 x 30 cm planting distance during dry season

The introduction of mechanized transplanter.

Transplanting

Mechanized transplanter

Seedlings grown in trays

Mechanical transplanter

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Modern times (1989-present)

Pregerminated 40 kg seeds/ha

Sown right after leveling during the dry season. Re-irrigate 5-7 days after seeding

Sown 1-2 days after leveling during the wet season. Drain the area after seeding and re-irrigated 10-14 days after seeding

Done by broadcast seeding or furrow seeding by a mechanical seeder

Wet direct seeding

PhilRice drum seeder

PT-drawn drum seeder

Broadcast seeding of rice

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Crop Care and Management

Traditional Era

Green Revolution

Modern Times

• (natural) Organic fertilizer e.g. guano, rice straw and rice straw ash, horse manure, copra cake,dried lye or algae, and others

• inorganic at only 13-19-57 kg NPK/ha applied several days after transplanting. (lower N to avoid lodging; varieties non- N responsive)

• Masagana 99 rice technology using more of inorganic fertilizer; basal application (2/3) was introduced, topdressing at panicle initiation

• Use of pesticide was also introduced

• Development of new tools for higher nutrient use efficiency

• Integrated Nutrient Management • Integrated Weed Management • Integrated Pest Management

Omission-plot technique

The new innovations: Nutrient Diagnostic Tools

The Leaf-based N Application Soil nutrient assessment techniques

MOET

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Integrated Weed Management

Manual weeding

Push-type weeder

Herbicide/pesticide spraying

Thorough land preparation and irrigation water

Integrated Crop Management

Thorough land preparation and irrigation water

Use of good seeds and

appropriate variety

Clean surroundings and proper water management

Proper pest management

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Proper kind, rate and time of fertilizer application

B. Labor-saving PracticesMechanization in rice production was driven by:• the drudgery involved in manual tasks

• the intensive power required e.g. plowing, harrowing and leveling of the field prior to transplanting

• the increasing cost of manual labor

• the significant amount of time devoted to manual labor

• the better quality of output or product resulting from the mechanical tools/machines

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Some Labor-saving Practices1. Land Preparation

2. Harvest and post-harvest practices

• Harvesting

• Threshing

• Drying

• Milling

3. Wet direct seeding

Land preparation

Trampling

Carabao-drawn moldboard plow

Traditional Era

Green Revolution

Large4-wheel tractor

IRRI Power tiller

KuligligMini tractorModern

Times

Back Hoeing

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Traditional Period

Hand Hoeing

Carabao-drawn moldboard plow

Animal Trampling

Green Revolution Era

4-wheel tractor with extension wheels

IRRI power tiller

Imported tillers

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Green Revolution Era

• President Ferdinand Marcos promoting an IRRI-designed power tiller commercialized by PI Farm under the brand “Kuliglig” - meaning “Cricket”” – a benevolent creature – whose name in Tagalog has become synonymous with “power tiller” in a similar way the “Band-Aid” brand came to represent bandage adhesive.

Modern Times

Bigger kuligligs

Mini tractor w/ rotavators

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Harvesting

Yatab

Lingcao

Traditional Era

Green Revolution

Karet

IRRI Reaper

Kubota ReaperMini

CombineModern Times Stripper

Traditional Period

Harvesting w/ karetPanicle harvesting

w/ yatab

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Green Revolution EraIRRI reaper

Karet system

Kubota reaper

Modern Times

ReaperStripper

Mini Combine

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ThreshingTreading

Tilyadora

Traditional Era

Green Revolution

IRRI Thresher

IRRI Thresher- different sizes

Modern Times

Hampasan

Traditional Period

Treading

Hampasan

Tilyadora(McCormick Thresher)

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Green Revolution Era

IRRI thresher prototype in 70s

Commercial thresher in 70s-80s

Modern Times

… and now

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Drying

Mandala

LSU type recirculating

dryer

Traditional Era

Green Revolution

Sun dryingon pavements

Flatbed dryer

Flash dryer

Flatbed dryerModern

TimesImported

recirculating dryers

Traditional PeriodPanicle drying before pounding

Mandalas prior to threshing

Rice stacked before threshing

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Green Revolution Era

Pavement drying

UPLB Flatbed dryer

Modern Times

Recirculating dryers

Flatbed dryer

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Milling

Kiskisans

Traditional Era

Green Revolution

Mini cono

Mobile millsfor villages

Multipass rice mills Modern

Times

Mortar & Mazo

Traditional Period

Mortar and mazo

Kiskisan

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Green Revolution Era

Rubber roll (mini cono)

Modern Times

Multipass rice mill

Mobile rice mill

Village mini cono

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Wet direct seeding:

• better establishment with leveling and water mgt.• use of 40-80 kg/ha seed rate• use of seeders• integrated nutrient and pest mgt.

Modern Times

Implications to Technology Research and Extension

Basic issue: Less cost, higher productivity

Other Considerations:

• Environmental effects e.g. global warming

• Scarcity of water: other ways to grow riceincrease water use efficiency

• Soil health and productivity especially in intensive cropping systems

• Excessive use of pesticides

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by EU Bautista & EF Javier