Water-saving rice cultivation can save 20% of water; the Ministry of Economic Affairs estimates 30,000 hectares will be fallow in the first crop of next year
Taiwan, China, is facing its worst drought in ten years. The Irrigation Technology Extension Center of the Chia-Nan Irrigation Association has developed a water-saving rice cultivation method: simply delaying transplanting of the first rice crop by one month reduces the amount of water needed for temperature retention, saving 20% of water while even increasing yield by 8%. However, the Council of Agriculture believes this study is only a field experiment that requires further evaluation. According to the Water Resources Agency's report the day before yesterday, if it does not rain again, fallowing of the first rice crop next year is "likely unavoidable," and a decision is expected around the 1st or 2nd transplanting period.
Delaying transplanting by one month saves 20% of water and boosts yield by 8%
The Irrigation Technology Extension Center of the Chia-Nan Irrigation Association, located in Jiali District, Tainan City, was completed and unveiled in March last year, mainly to research water-saving cultivation of crops. This year, in an experimental field in Xuejia, Tainan, seedlings were transplanted on January 16 and February 16 respectively, and it was found that under the same management practices, rice planted one month later could save 20% of water while yield even increased by 8%.
In addition, rice needs a large amount of water during the heading stage, and farmers usually flood the fields, but the extension center's research found that if transplanting is done on February 16, irrigating once every 7 days after heading can save as much as 31% of water, with the harvest declining only slightly by 3%.
However, if transplanting is later than February 16, the effect is greatly reduced; with the same 7-day rotational irrigation after heading, only 12% of water can be saved, but 11% of yield is lost.
Qiu Yiting, head of the experimental section of the extension center, explained that Tainan farmers are used to transplanting before the Lunar New Year, around January 16, but at this time the weather is cold and a large amount of water is needed for temperature retention so the seedlings can survive. If it is moved back one month and transplanting takes place after the Lunar New Year, when temperatures rise, so much water is naturally not needed.
Although rice grows in paddy fields, it does not need water at all times. Qiu Yiting said that rice needs water most around the heading stage, so many farmers simply flood the fields, invisibly causing waste. In fact, if rotational irrigation is carried out once every 7 days after heading, growth will not be greatly affected. In recent years, climate change has become increasingly severe, and rainfall in Taiwan, China, is unevenly distributed, so the Chia-Nan area might consider this approach.
Transplanters and harvesters may clash in schedule
The extension center has good intentions, but industry operators believe there are many things still to be overcome.
Zhuang Daozong, owner of Ping'an Rice Seedling Nursery in Tainan, said that of course he can cooperate with the planting method and delay the seedling-raising time, but rice planting in Taiwan, China, advances from south to north, with machinery dispatched among regions. If Tainan delays until after the Lunar New Year, the planting times of Yunlin, Chiayi and Tainan will collide, and by then transplanters and harvesters may be insufficient. If the harvest period also meets the plum rain season and everyone rushes to harvest together, harvesters will certainly be in fierce contention, and dryers may also be in short supply.
He suggested that perhaps after transplanting, water could be released once every 10 days to maintain the minimum water requirement for rice cultivation, which should save a considerable amount of water.
Yang Conggui grows organic rice in Guantian, Tainan. In order to preserve habitat for winter waterbirds, he deliberately delays the timing and transplants only around mid-to-late January. He said that once herbicide and pesticide are applied to rice fields, waterbirds will not come near. In fact, if transplanting is done early, the seedlings cannot grow well when it is too cold, which is indeed a bit wasteful of water, but the older generation feels that "the field cannot just be left to dry there," so sowing is usually finished before the Lunar New Year.
If it is delayed until after the Lunar New Year, Yang Conggui thinks it would not affect him much, because what he currently cultivates is No. 13 fragrant rice, which has a short growing period, about 120 days in winter and only 105 days in summer. The first rice crop can be harvested around May, also avoiding concerns about clashing with other areas.
However, Yang Conggui reminded that his contract farming area is more than 10 jia, and the nursery is willing to cooperate. For farmers with small cultivation areas, it may be hard to find a nursery willing to cooperate.
Ministry of Economic Affairs: Fallowing of the first rice crop next year may be unavoidable
