Agriculture Business Week

More and more farmers are getting interested in the PalayCheck System as they learn that the yields of the innovators have increased by following the eight key checks, which revolve on seed quality, land preparation, crop establishment, pest management, and harvest management.

Rice specialists trained by PhilRice on the PalayCheck system are now on the double training an increasing number of farmers. Research results of PhilRice specialists show that the more key checks farmers attain, the higher their yields become.

For the benefit of those who are not participating in a PalayCheck Field School (PFS), learning about the eight key checks could be of help. They are as follows:

Key Check 1. Use certified seeds of a recommended variety. The seed of a recommended variety is certified by the National Seed Quality Control Service as shown by a blue tag attached to the sack. Foundation and registered seeds from accredited seed growers are also acceptable.

Key Check 2. No high and low soil spots after final leveling. The field should have no visible mound of soil above the water surface (2 cm- 3 cm deep) after the final leveling.

Key Check 3. Practice synchronous planting after a fallow period. At least 75 percent of the fields serviced by a lateral canal of the irrigation service has been plowed before sowing the seeds. After a fallow period of 30 days, the field should have been planted within 7 days before and 7 days after majority of the irrigation service area has been planted.

Key Check 4. Sufficient number of healthy seedlings. For transplanted rice, the seed rate is 20 kg/ha40 kg/ha for inbred and 15 kg/ha-20 kg/ha for hybrid. Replant missing hills within 7 days after transplanting (DAT) and assess the health status of seedlings at 10 DAT. There should be at least 25 hills per sq m. In every parcel, randomly select 10 hills each and find out if each hill has at least one healthy seedling.

For direct wet-seeded rice, the plant density at 15 days after seeding (DAS) for a rate of 40 kg of seeds/ ha should be at least 150 plants per sq m. For a seed rate of 80 kg/ha, the plant density should be at least 300 plants per sq m.

Key Check 5. Sufficient nutrients at early panicle initiation (EPI) to flowering. If the leaf color chart reading at EPI is below 4 for transplanted rice or below 3 for direct wet seeded rice, apply 1.5 bags urea/ha in the dry season or 1 bag urea/ha in the wet season. At flowering, transplanted rice should have at least 300 plants/sq m, while direct wet-seeded rice should have at least 350 plants/sq m.

Key Check 6. Avoid excessive water or drought stress that could affect the growth and yield of the crop. There should be no symptoms of stress due to excessive water at vegetative stage like reduced tillering and leaf area. Excessive water means water depth greater than 5 cm for 7 days or more. At vegetative stage, there should also be no symptoms of drought like leaf rolling, leaf tip drying, and reduced leaf area, height and tiller number. From panicle initiation to grain filling, there should be no symptoms of stress due to drought like leaf rolling, leaf tip drying, reduced panicle exertion, and many unfilled grains.

Key Check 7. No significant yield loss due to pests. There should be no significant yield loss due to insect pests, diseases, weeds, rats, snails, and birds. Significant pest damage occurs when one or more pests cause damage on the crop. It will do well for farmers to familiarize themselves in identifying the insect pests and diseases of rice as well as how damage should be assessed.

Key Check 8. Cut and thresh the crop at the right time. Harvest the crop when one-fifth or 20 percent of the grains at the base of the panicle are in hard dough stage. Press a grain from the base of the panicle between the thumb and forefinger to assess hard dough stage. Most of the grains in the panicle will be golden yellow. Thresh the palay 1-2 days after harvest.