Causes and Control Methods of Rice Root Hypoxia

Rice is a type of crop. Most rice is grown by households for their own consumption, but some is grown on a large scale, harvested and sold on the market. However, growing rice requires us to prevent many problems, and rice root hypoxia is one of them. Rice root hypoxia can lead to yellow leaves, stiff seedlings and many other related problems. So what causes rice root hypoxia? How should it be controlled? Let's take a look!

1. Excessive water accumulation

Cause: Too much standing water in the soil causes rice hypoxia, because when too much water seeps into the soil, the soil is completely in a waterlogged state, forming a closed space. Especially after rainy days, the drainage capacity of many growing areas is weak, or farmers water improperly, leaving the paddy field in a waterlogged state for a long time. This causes the roots to be soaked in water for a long time, unable to carry out respiration, and the oxygen content is also insufficient, resulting in hypoxia in the rice.

Control: Strengthen the drainage capacity of the paddy field, irrigate reasonably, and prevent excessive water accumulation in the paddy field. In continuous rainy weather, ditches should be opened promptly for drainage to prevent symptoms of hypoxia.

2. Soil causes

Cause: The suitable pH for rice growth is around 7. When the pH of the soil does not reach what rice growth requires, it affects root respiration. Moreover, when the soil is acidic, it can become compacted, and the soil cannot breathe in time, causing hypoxia. This is mainly because farmers do not pay attention to the reasonable use of fertilizer when topdressing; excessive use of chemical fertilizers or some acidic fertilizers reduces the organic matter content of the soil, causing the soil to gradually become compacted. When the soil has no water, the situation is even more serious, and the rice roots cannot breathe, resulting in hypoxia.

Control: Increase the proportion of organic fertilizer applied and reduce the use of chemical fertilizers. For soil that has already become acidic, alkaline substances such as quicklime powder can be used to neutralize the soil's acidity and alkalinity. Carry out intertillage and hilling at regular intervals to enhance soil permeability, strengthen root respiration, and increase the oxygen content of the soil.

3. Unsuitable environment

Cause: Drought after continuous rainy weather, or sudden heavy rain after continuous drought, can both cause root hypoxia. Especially in spring and summer, under weather that is first rainy and then dry, the soil forms mud during the heavy rain, and then under direct sunlight, the soil becomes very dry and hard. Its density also increases, so the roots cannot exchange air in time and become hypoxic. The situation of first dry and then rainy is similar.

Control: Strengthen the management of the paddy field, carry out intertillage and loosening of the soil at regular intervals, reduce soil density, improve soil permeability, and promote root growth and development.

The above is a brief introduction to the causes of rice root hypoxia and the control methods. In fact, you may have noticed that the most fundamental control method is to improve soil permeability and increase the oxygen content of the soil. This is also the most basic work we need to manage in cultivation, so everyone must pay attention to it and prevent rice root hypoxia from causing a series of physiological phenomena unfavorable to rice growth, such as stiff seedlings, yellow leaves, and premature aging.