Upland rice planting time and methods: spring sowing from April to May, summer sowing in mid-June

SummaryPlanting time: spring sowing is generally from mid-April to mid-May, and summer sowing is generally around June 15. Planting methods: select high-quality upland rice varieties, choose a suitable time for planting according to local conditions, apply base fertilizer and seed fertilizer, and apply topdressing at the right time during the growing period. The three waterings - the water for full seedling emergence, the water at booting, and the water at heading and grain filling - are indispensable, and common pests and diseases should be actively controlled. Upland rice yields vary greatly between the northern and southern regions, and northern yields are generally higher than southern ones.

I. Varieties

(1) For production, varieties that have passed national or provincial approval and are operated under an integrated system of breeding, propagation, and promotion should be selected. For example, nationally approved varieties include Zhonghan 297, Lvhan 1, etc., and Anhui Province-approved varieties include Handao 906, Xinliangyou 212, etc.

(2) Upland rice is divided into spring sowing and summer sowing. Spring sowing is generally carried out from mid-April to mid-May, with mid-May being preferable, while summer sowing is best done before June 15, and the earlier the better.

II. Direct seeding

(1) Upland rice is also called drought-resistant water-saving rice. Unlike “paddy rice” grown in paddy fields, upland rice does not need a water layer throughout its life. It is usually direct-seeded in dry land or dry fields and then relies on rainfall, or on this basis is supplemented with an appropriate amount of irrigation.

(2) Upland rice is not wheat or corn; during special key periods it must have irrigation conditions, otherwise yield will be greatly affected.

(3) Although upland rice has similar light and temperature requirements for growth as paddy rice, its total water requirement over its life is about 2/3 or less than 1/2 that of paddy rice.

III. Soil

(1) In Anhui Province, upland rice is most suitable for planting in low-lying, easily waterlogged dry land and water-deficient paddy fields. It is also suitable for mountainous areas with more rainfall, and for hilly land and dry land that can be irrigated.

(2) From mid-May to mid-June, sun-dry the rice seed for 1—2 days before sowing. Mechanical drilling or manual hole sowing is advisable, with 3—5 kg of rice seed per mu (use the lower seeding rate for sandy soil and the higher seeding rate for clay soil), and a sowing depth of 2—4 cm. If the weather forecast at this time shows no effective precipitation, irrigate promptly with the first thorough watering to strive for early, uniform, and full seedling emergence. At the 3—4 leaf stage of the seedlings, conduct field inspections; if there are missing seedlings or broken rows, transplant from dense areas to fill gaps.

IV. Fertilization

(1) Base fertilizer: apply sufficient base fertilizer before plowing, 20-30 kg of ternary compound fertilizer.

(2) Seed fertilizer: before sowing, apply 15 kg of ternary compound fertilizer and 10 kg of urea in holes or furrows.

(3) Topdressing: at the 3—4 leaf stage of the seedlings, apply 8 to 10 kg of urea and 5 to 10 kg of potassium fertilizer per mu; about 60 days after sowing, apply 10 kg of urea per mu; at the grain-filling stage, spray 70 to 100 mL of plant nutrient solution.

V. Watering

(1) If the weather is favorable, upland rice may need no watering throughout the entire growth period. However, if there is no effective precipitation for a long time and the farmland is dry, the “three waterings” cannot be omitted under any circumstances, namely the water for full seedling emergence after sowing, the water at booting, and the water at heading and grain filling.

(2) Water for full seedling emergence: this concerns whether seedlings can emerge fully and in time. If continuous drought occurs after sowing, it affects both rice seedling emergence and chemical weed control.

(3) Water at booting: drought at the booting stage can lead to small panicles, a reduced number of grains per panicle, and even problems such as stalled growth. In areas with good water source conditions, keep the field moist or with a shallow water layer at this time.

(4) Water at heading and grain filling: water shortage at the heading stage causes slow heading and reduced seed-setting rate; drought at the ripening stage increases empty and shriveled grains, reduces 1000-grain weight, and lowers rice quality. Therefore, a thorough watering should be applied at the initial heading stage to ensure its water requirements.

VI. Control of diseases, insect pests, and weeds

(1) For the control of diseases and insect pests in upland rice, refer to paddy rice practices. However, due to the lack of a water layer, the effectiveness of pesticide application is greatly affected by farmland soil moisture, and weed control becomes the first hurdle for the success or failure of upland rice production.

(2) Disease control: for powdery mildew, use agents such as triadimefon and fenaminstrobin for control; at the row-closing stage, use kewenmei or wenmeiqing to control sheath blight; 1-3 days before panicle emergence, use tricyclazole to control rice blast, and use kewenmei or wenmeiqing to control rice false smut.

(3) Weed control: for the first weeding of upland rice, 1—2 days after sowing, evenly spray 30 g/mu of 40% direct-seeding wettable powder mixed with 40 kg of water; for the second, combined with topdressing, etc., at the 3-leaf-1-heart to 4-leaf-1-heart stage of the rice seedlings, use a stem-and-leaf herbicide once (50% quinclorac + 10% pyrazosulfuron-ethyl 60-80 g/mu can be used; the soil is best kept moist when applying the pesticide).

(4) Insect pest control: control can be based on pest and disease information from the county plant protection station, or on the occurrence of rice thrips and rice planthoppers in the field. In the field, 7 to 8 days after the peak emergence of stem borer moths, use abamectin to control stem borers; when stem borers and rice planthoppers occur together, abamectin and pymetrozine can be used for control.

VII. Yield levels

(1) Upland rice yields differ greatly between the northern and southern regions. In the south, upland rice is mostly planted in poor mountainous areas and hilly land, relying entirely on natural rainfall, with mostly old farmer varieties, and the yield per mu is generally only about 200 kg.

(2) In the north, upland rice is mostly planted in low-altitude plain areas, which are major grain-producing regions, with a higher level of fertilization and certain irrigation conditions. New varieties have replaced old ones, so the yield per mu generally reaches 300 to 500 kg, and super-high-yield plots can reach more than 600 kg per mu.

VIII. Advantages

(1) It is more drought-tolerant and water-saving than paddy rice. Usually, in northern China it only needs supplemental irrigation 2-4 times over its life, which is less than 1/4 that of paddy rice. In the rain-rich south, it generally needs no irrigation and relies entirely on rainfall.

(2) Upland rice is suitable for direct seeding and other light cultivation needs, saving labor input and improving labor productivity.

(3) Upland rice has well-developed internal aerenchyma, while ordinary dryland crops do not have this structure. Therefore, upland rice is more tolerant of waterlogging than dryland grain crops such as corn, soybean, and wheat, is very suitable for planting in low-lying, easily waterlogged dry land, and can generally obtain higher yields than dryland grain crops.

(4) Upland rice has strong barren tolerance and is suitable for planting in many types of dry land. In some countries, it is often used as a “pioneer crop” for developing dry land.