Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 3.27. Puddling a rice paddy in Dominican Republic.
prevent cold damage, and transplanting to the field is done when the weather is warm
enough for the crop to grow normally.
Mechanized soil preparation and direct seeding methods are used to produce rice in
developed countries. Laser-guided leveling equipment is used every 7 to 8 years to
level a field. Initial tillage is done with a tractor and plow or disk while the paddy is
dry. Plastic levees are placed around the field before flooding. Direct seeding is done
because of the high cost of labor involved with transplanting. Seeding may be done
with a conventional grain drill before flooding, or presoaked seed may be broadcast
by airplane on a flooded paddy.
3.4.7 Irrigation
Because rice yields are higher when irrigated, it is raised in paddies whenever possible.
Irrigated rice is the most demanding of labor since even pump-driven irrigation requires
someone to supervise the pump. Many irrigated rice fields are irrigated manually, using
equipment thousands of years old, as in Figure 3.28. Upland rice can yield as much as
Figure 3.28. Rice irrigation by Dhenki in India.
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