What’s the Real Score on Organic and Inorganic Fertilizers for Rice? (Part 2)
Myth No. 4. Organic fertilizers improve the soil physical properties of irrigated lowland ricefields.
Dr. Mamaril said that in irrigated lowland ricefields, soil organic matter plays a minimal role in soil structure and water holding capacity. This is because “the soil structure is destroyed through puddling during land preparation. The water holding capacity is also of no coTmquence because the soil is flooded.”
Myth No. 5. Soil organic matter could be built up in a short period of two seasons by applying few bags of organic fertilizer, say as much as 8 bags per hectare.