Abstract
Field experiment was conducted in the dry season of 2014 in the Golinga Irrigation farm (Latitude 09°21'N and Longitude 0°56' W) at Golinga, in the Northern Region, Ghana. This was to evaluate the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) for enhanced grain yield, yield components and economic viability of Gbewaa rice variety production under irrigated conditions. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. The treatments comprised four SRI and two Farmers’ Practice treatments viz: FP 1, SRI 1, SRI 2, SRI 3, SRI 4 and FP 2. Under all SRI treatments, seeds were nursed and seedlings were transplanted singly and widely (25 cm × 25 cm), irrigated intermittently and soil earthing up regularly. SRI 1 and FP 2 each received only 13 t ha-1 compost, SRI 2 and FP 1 each received an amount of 37.5 kg ha-1 each of N, P2O5 and K2O as basal application and 26.25 kg ha-1 of N as top dressing while SRI 3 and SRI 4 both received 13 t ha-1 compost followed by either 18.75 kg ha-1 each of N, P2O5 and K2O as basal application or 13.13 kg ha-1 of N as top dressing respectively. SRI 1 plants established best and took the longest days to flower. Higher number of grains per panicle was obtained in SRI 3. SRI 2 produced the highest plant height, panicle length, panicle weight, tiller count and plant biomass. SRI 2 also produced the highest yield (4026 kg ha-1) which was not statistically different from the yields produced in SRI 3 (3866 kg ha-1) and SRI 4 (3737 kg ha-1) as compared with the control – FP 1 (2410 kg ha-1). The benefit – cost analysis showed that SRI 2 (1.97) was the most profiting entry followed by SRI 4 (1.35) and SRI 3 (1.31). Where mineral fertilizers are available and affordable, SRI 2 could be chosen under irrigated condition.
Highlights
Rice is the second most important cereal after maize in Ghana and is fast becoming a cash crop for many farmers[1]
Northern region recorded the regional average yield of rice of 2.3 t ha-1, which was below the national average of 2.5 t ha-1 and far below the highest regional average of 6.5 t ha-13
The majority of local rice production in Ghana is realised from the northern region with 37 % of the estimated national production
Summary
Rice is the second most important cereal after maize in Ghana and is fast becoming a cash crop for many farmers[1]. SRI is a methodology for increasing the productivity of rice by changing the management of plants, soil, water and nutrients. It was developed in 1983 by the French Jesuit Father Henri De Laulanie in Madagascar. The organic materials i.e. compost or manure improves soil fertility and enhances biological activity They considered the use of the compost with the key SRI principles as the most preferable and ideal SRI6. Changes in crop establishment as well as soil amendment have important implications for grain yield and farm operations, including primary tillage, seedbed preparation, planting, weeding, and water management. The broadcasted rice fields are usually flooded continuously and weeds are hand pulled without the use of hoe
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