La Niña, meet the submarine rice

The rains have come this year earlier than they did when the El Niño was setting in last year, and now farmers are warned against higher than average rainfall with the La Niña expected to occur in the next few months.

With the climate and the weather swinging from one extreme to the other, rice scientists are drumming up calls for farmers to go for “high-technology” seeds, especially those that are well-suited to floods that may occur during  this cropping season.

This manner of “climate-smart” farming is especially needed in rain-fed farms which, with strong typhoons and even La Niña, are likely to get more water than  needed.

The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) advises growers to plant varieties—such as the ones called PSB Rc14, Rc68, NSIC Rc9, and Rc222—that grow to one meter at most, and with strong stems that can withstand winds of 40 to 60 kilometers per hour.

“The varieties suited for flood-prone areas include the NSIC Rc194, also called ‘Submarino 1,’ which can survive, grow, and develop even after 10 to 14 days of complete submergence,” says Norvie Manigbas, head of the plant breeding and biotechnology division at PhilRice.

There are also the PSB Rc18 (also called Ala), which can withstand five to seven days of complete submergence; and PSB Rc68 (Sacobia), a submergence-tolerant and a drought-resistant variety,” Manigbas says.

He says these varieties—which can recover when submerged during the stage of growth before they bear grains —have maximum yields that are mostly above the normal yield of rice in the Philippines. The Philippine Statistics Authority puts the average within the range of three to four tons per hectare (t/ha).

Manigbas adds that under stressed conditions—such as flooding—the Rc222 can yield up to 10 tons of  grain per hectare; Rc18, 8.1 t/ha; Rc14, 6.1 t/ha; Rc68, 4.4 t/ha; and Rc194 (Submarino 1), 3.5 t/ha.

He also reminds farmers that, during the rainy season, the use of fertilizer needs to be eased since over-applications may cause lodging.

Lodge crop plants fall in the field because the condition means that the base is too weak to support the upper portion of the plant.

“Fertilizers cannot be maximized during the rainy season as there is a limited amount of sunlight,” Manigbas explains.

“Depending on soil analysis results and recommended nutrient requirement rates, it is better to reduce fertilizer application rates by 20 percent to 30 percent in wet season,” he says.

Further, Manigbas encourages farmers who till rain-fed farms to practice synchronous [at the same time] planting in their communities, as this minimizes yield loss by reducing the incidence of pests and diseases in a specific area.

He says dry land preparation is  advisable as farmers can do direct-seeding when the rain comes. “With this technique, the seeds will start to germinate within five days,” he says.

As for lowland farms that draw water from irrigation facilities, land preparation should be done at the onset of heavy rains so that fields are well-soaked in water. At the same time, levees and dikes should be repaired to avoid water loss.

Manigbas says farmers can use the wet-bed or “dapog” method for preparing the rice seedlings, depending on field conditions.

He also suggests ensuring proper drainage to avoid flooding, as well as the use of machines during land preparation, harvesting, threshing, and drying to save time and labor.

“As the rain usually comes in the afternoon during the wet season, we suggest the use of combine harvester to hasten harvesting operations,” the rice scientist says. “If this is unavailable, farmers can use reaper and collect the straws for threshing.”

Manigbas stresses the importance of finishing harvest activities as quickly as possible to prevent yield loss.

He also recommends the drying of palay in flatbed dryers and on nylon nets or canvas for easier turnover when the rain comes.

“The general rule is to harvest and thresh the crop within a short period of time and dry the seeds to a desired moisture content, usually 14 percent,” Manigbas says.