Effects of three watertable treatments on the growth of the <i>Axucena</i> rice variety

Abstract

As the worlds fresh water dwindles, there are attempts to find more effective methods of irrigation. This issue is most important for lowland rice as water requirement for lowland rice production is about two times that required for production for other cereal crops. Growth of rice variety Azucena under three water treatments was studied: water table at 15cm and 30 cm below the sand surface and a flooded treatment with a flood depth of 2 cm above ground. The root rhizosphere environment wasalso studied. The plants were grown for a period of six weeks and parameters determined included: tiller numbers, length of nodal roots, soil temperatures and total oxides of Nitrogen. The plants underthe flooded treatment had a significantly greater number of tillers than the others. Availability of nitrogen (TON) was generally as follows: 15 cm water treatment > flooded treatment > 30 cm water table treatment. Soil temperatures were significantly different under all the treatments. Lower water tables may not be suitable for the growth of the Azucena rice variety