Rice Cultivation under the Different Irrigation Systems in Nong Wai Pioneer Agriculture Project Area of Khon Kaen, Thailand

Abstract

Field surveys of rice cultivation and hearing investigation of the farm managements were conducted in 1985 at the three villages of Khon Kaen in North-Eastern Thailand, for clarifying the effectiveness of the irrigation projects conducted and also for comparing the superiority of two different irrigation systems adopted at the areas from agronomical and economical viewpoints. The irrigation systems, both intensive (accompanied by land consolidation) and extensive (with only irrigation canal), have made rice cultivation possible throughout the year and have brought stability in the lives of the farmers as well as the farm managements based on rice cultivation. The intensive irrigation system has made the new method of rice cultivation of direct sowing by pregerminated seeds of non-glutinous varieties possible and enhanced rice yield to more than 6.0 tons/ha in brown rice (estimated) due to a high density of seeding (500 hills/m2) and proper water control. One of the most serious problems in the area was the uneven distribution of water in the fields due to the shortage of water flow from the diversion dam. Rice cultivation in the extensive irrigation area has been successfully conducted by using proper devices of gravity irrigation system. The only problem in this area may be the irregular shapes and small size of the fields, which will be a handicap for mechanization of rice cultivation in the future. Rice cultivation in the rainfed area has almost not been conducted due to severe drought, with the exception of some restricted places, where it was possible to reserve water from the rainfall.