10 Technology & Livelihood Education

Agricultural Crop Production

Learner’s Material

Technology & Livelihood Education – Grade 10Agricultural Crop ProductionLearner’s MaterialFirst Edition, 2014ISBN: ___________

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Development Team of the Teaching GuideConsultant: PEDRITO S. NITURAL , PhD

Central Luzon State University Science City of Munos, Nueva Ecija

Subject Specialist & Management:

EMMANUEL S. VALDEZ, ALBERT B. ERNIAuthors: JESUS B. NAZARENO, MDM Principal III, Bersamin Agro-Industrial High School Division of Pangasinan II, Region I RODOLFO C. SAJORDA, MSAE

Principal, Queen of Heart Academy Dasmarinas City, Cavite

Validated By: Dr. Dennis M. Lucas, Sr EPP/TLE Div. Coordinator Division Of Puerto Princessa City

Andres Z. Taguiam, PhD Technological University of the Philippines Dasmarinas City Campus Editors: Lourdes Lualhati, Rogelio LimsanReviewers: Dr. Cristina Celarta, Restituta ParagasIllustrator: James M. Gaje

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGEQuarter IMODULE 1 - ENTREPRENEURSHIP

WHAT IS THIS MODULE ALL ABOUTWHAT WILL YOU LEARN

PRE TEST

LESSON I

Personal Entrepreneurial Competencies (PECS)

WHAT IS THIS LESSON ALL ABOUTWHAT WILL YOU LEARNWHAT WILL YOU KNOWWHAT TO PROCESSWHAT TO REFLECT AND UNDERSTANDWHAT TO TRANSFERPOST TESTDEFINITION OF TERMSREFERENCES

LESSON II

Market and Environment

WHAT IS THIS LESSON ALL ABOUTWHAT WILL YOU LEARNWHAT WILL YOU KNOWWHAT TO PROCESSWHAT TO REFLECT AND UNDERSTANDWHAT TO TRANSFERPOST TESTDEFINITION OF TERMSREFERENCES

MODULE II - Agricultural Crop Work (Rice Production)

WHAT IS THIS MODULE ALL ABOUTWHAT WILL YOU LEARN

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PRETEST

Quarter II

LESSON I

Preparation of materials, tools, and equipment for rice production work

WHAT IS THIS LESSON ALL ABOUTWHAT WILL YOU LEARNWHAT WILL YOU KNOWWHAT TO PROCESSWHAT TO REFLECT AND UNDERSTANDWHAT TO TRANSFERPOST TESTDEFINITION OF TERMS

LESSON II

Site Selection and Soil analysis

WHAT IS THIS LESSON ALL ABOUTWHAT WILL YOU LEARNWHAT WILL YOU KNOWWHAT TO PROCESSWHAT TO REFLECT AND UNDERSTANDWHAT TO TRANSFERPOST TESTDEFINITION OF TERMS

LESSON III

Land preparation (Irrigated/rainfed)

WHAT IS THIS LESSON ALL ABOUTWHAT WILL YOU LEARNWHAT WILL YOU KNOWWHAT TO PROCESSWHAT TO REFLECT AND UNDERSTANDWHAT TO TRANSFER

POST TESTDEFINITION OF TERMS

LESSON IV

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Seed Selection

WHAT IS THIS LESSON ALL ABOUTWHAT WILL YOU LEARNWHAT WILL YOU KNOWWHAT TO PROCESSWHAT TO REFLECT AND UNDERSTANDWHAT TO TRANSFER.POST TESTDEFINITION OF TERMS

QUARTER III

LESSON V

Seedling production

WHAT IS THIS LESSON ALL ABOUTWHAT WILL YOU LEARNWHAT WILL YOU KNOWWHAT TO PROCESSWHAT TO REFLECT AND UNDERSTANDWHAT TO TRANSFER.POST TESTDEFINITION OF TERMS

LESSON VI

Planting/Transplanting

WHAT IS THIS LESSON ALL ABOUTWHAT WILL YOU LEARNWHAT WILL YOU KNOWWHAT TO PROCESSWHAT TO REFLECT AND UNDERSTANDWHAT TO TRANSFERPOST TESTDEFINITION OF TERMS

LESSON VII

Nutrient Management

WHAT IS THIS LESSON ALL ABOUTWHAT WILL YOU LEARN

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PRE TESTWHAT WILL YOU KNOWWHAT TO PROCESSWHAT TO REFLECT AND UNDERSTANDWHAT TO TRANSFER.POST TESTDEFINITION OF TERMS

LESSON VIII

Water Management

WHAT IS THIS LESSON ALL ABOUTWHAT WILL YOU LEARNPRE TESTWHAT WILL YOU KNOWWHAT TO PROCESS.WHAT TO REFLECT AND UNDERSTANDWHAT TO TRANSFERPOST TESTDEFINITION OF TERMS

QUARTER IV

LESSON IX

Pest Management

WHAT IS THIS LESSON ALL ABOUTWHAT WILL YOU LEARNPRE TESTWHAT WILL YOU KNOWWHAT TO PROCESS.WHAT TO REFLECT AND UNDERSTANDWHAT TO TRANSFERPOST TESTDEFINITION OF TERMS

LESSON X

Harvesting , Threshing , Drying, Storing and Milling

WHAT IS THIS LESSON ALL ABOUTWHAT WILL YOU LEARNPRE TESTWHAT WILL YOU KNOW

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WHAT TO PROCESS.WHAT TO REFLECT AND UNDERSTANDWHAT TO TRANSFERPOST TESTDEFINITION OF TERMS

LESSON XI

Marketing, and Keeping Farm Records and Accounts

WHAT IS THIS LESSON ALL ABOUTWHAT WILL YOU LEARNPRE TESTWHAT WILL YOU KNOWWHAT TO PROCESS.WHAT TO REFLECT AND UNDERSTANDWHAT TO TRANSFERPOST TESTDEFINITION OF TERMS

REFERENCES

QUARTER 1

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Learning Material No. I

PERSONAL ENTREPRENEURIAL COMPETENCIES (PEC’S)

ACROSS MARKET AND ENVIRONMENT

Personal Entrepreneurial Competencies (PECs)

Content Standards Performance Standards

The learner demonstrates understanding of one’s PECs in Agricultural-Crop Production

The learner independently creates a plan of action that strengthens/ further develops his/her PECs in Agricultural-Crop Production.

Time Allotment 4 hours

Quarter I

Module 1

Personal Entrepreneurial Competencies

Introduction In this module you will learn more about entrepreneurship and the

entrepreneurial competencies related to Agricultural-Crop Production . You will have a first-hand experience in educational activities leading to personal assessment of your entrepreneurial competencies of a successful crop producer/agri-entrepreneur within your province. There are some activities below that will help you align your competencies with the competencies of successful practitioners. Moreover, this module is designed to stimulate your mind to think about entrepreneurship, its role in the business community in particular and to the economic and social development in general.

Now, to start with this module, let us first learn what is the difference between entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship.

Entrepreneurs are people with skills and capabilities to build, organize and evaluate business opportunities. They are individuals who can strategically identify products or services needed by the community and deliver these at the right time and the right place.

Entrepreneurs are agents of economic change; they organize, manage and assume risks of a business. Some of the good qualities of an entrepreneur are opportunity seeker, risk taker, goal setter, excellent planner, confident problem solver, hardworking, persistent and committed worker.

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Pre-assessment

Entrepreneurship on the other hand is not just a simple business activity. It is a strategic process of innovation and new venture creation. Basically, entrepreneurship is both an art and a science of converting business ideas into marketable products or services to improve the quality of living.

Now that you have a little background knowledge about entrepreneur and entrepreneurship, can you now walk through in assessing your Personal Entrepreneurial Competencies (PECs)? Always remember that “Successful entrepreneurs continuously develop and improve their PECs.”

To begin with, let us first try to find out the competencies you will master after finishing this module.

OBJECTIVES

At the end of this module, you are expected to:

- identify areas for improvement, development and growth;- align your PECs according to your business/career choice; and- create a plan of action that ensures success in your business/career

choice

Now that you have an idea about the enabling knowledge and skill that you will develop/achieve and master, try to take the first challenge in this module the pre-assessment.

As part of your initial activity, you will be challenged to test your knowledge on the topic. To diagnose/assess what you already know about personal entrepreneurial competencies. Answer the tasks below.

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Task 1: Matching Type

Direction: Match the entrepreneurial competencies in column A with their meaning in column B. Write the letter of the correct answers in your test notebook /test paper.

A B____1. Creative a. makes a wise decision towards the

attainment of the set objectives____2. Profit Oriented b. strategic thinking and setting of goals____3. Discipline c. trusts in one’s ability____4. Decision Making d. adaptable to change____5. People Skill e. innovative, have edge over other competitors____6. Planner f. solid dedication____7. Self-confidence g. skillful in record keeping

____8. Hardworking h. always sticks to the plan____9. Ability to accept change i. works diligently____10. Committed j effective and efficient communication skills

and relationship with peoplek. always looks for income

Task 2: Guide Questions

Direction: The following are guide questions which encapsulate the entire module. Write your answers on your assignment notebook, then share these in class.

A. Explain why entrepreneurial activities are important to social development and progress of the economy.

B. What entrepreneurial activities do you know and are capable of doing which are related to agri-business?

C. Given the opportunity to own a business that relates with agricultural crop-production, are you confident to manage it? Explain your answer.

D. What do you think are the most important competencies you must possess in order to become successful in your chosen business?

E. Name successful entrepreneurs from your province whose business is related to agricultural-crop production. Be able to share with the class their PECs that made them successful.

After all the guide questions have been answered to the best of your knowledge and skills, share these with your classmates. You, too, may compare your insights, personal knowledge, and relevant experiences on the topic to make it more exciting and engaging.

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LEARNING GOALS AND TARGET

After reading and understanding the objectives of this module and having gone through pre-assessment and answering the guide questions, you will be asked to set your own personal goals. These goals will inspire you to further achieve the ultimate objective of this module. In the end, these goals would motivate you to learn more about PECs.

Figure 1: Strategic process to achieve the objectives of this module.

READING RESOURCES AND INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES

After setting your own personal goals and targets to achieve the objectives of this module, check first your inherent knowledge of PECs. Try to answer the following guide questions with the help of your classmates.

Task 3: Group Activity

Direction: Answer the following guide questions on a separate sheet of paper. Share your answer with the class.

1. Explain the importance of assessing one’s PECs before engaging in a particular entrepreneurial activity.__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.

2. Are there other strategies or approaches where you can assess your PECs? Explain how these would become more useful in selecting a viable business venture. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.

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Ultimate Goal

Learning Activities

Goals and Targets

3. What are the desirable personal characteristics, attributes, lifestyles, skills, and traits of a prospective entrepreneur? Why do you think these are important?__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.

4. Why is there a need to assess one’s PECs in terms of characteristics, attributes, lifestyles, skills, and traits before starting a particular business?___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. What is the significance of evaluating PECs of a successful entrepreneur? What helpful insights can you draw from this activity? _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.

How was your experience in answering the guide questions together with your classmates? Were you able to benefit from them? What insights have you realized?

This time you’re going to study the lessons that will enrich your knowledge about PECs. Read carefully all the important details about the succeeding topic.

Assessment of Personal Entrepreneurial Competencies (PECs) and skills vis-à-vis a practicing entrepreneur/employee in a province.

Here is an example of how a successful practitioner behaves. You can evaluate her attitude towards agricultural crop production and the business opportunity that lies ahead.

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Know

REBECCA C. TUBONGBANUA: WOMAN   FARMER-SCIENTIST September 26, 2010 filipino achievers

Woman-Farmer-Scientist

Rebecca Tubongbanua is a successful agri-entrepreneur from San Isidro,Buenavista, Guimaras. She entered the world of business in 2003, with a measly capital amounting seven thousand pesos.

She toiled for several years experimenting and perfecting her sulfite-free and low-sugar technology in processing indigenous fruits, primarily the Guimaras mangoes.

She put up an agri-business firm-the McNester, which caters to consumers in the national and global market as well. Her processed commodities include mango jam, mango-calamansi concentrate, dried mango, mango chutney, calamansi juice, mango with calamansi juice, mango sauce, mango ketchup-regular, pineapple ketchup-hot and spicy, Indian mango pickles, and pineapple marmalade.

Tagbanua was elected as President of the Guimaras, Producers and Processors Association. In 2007, she was chosen as Magsasakang Siyentista (Farmers Scientist), and elected as Secretary General of the National Scientists Association. In addition, she was nominated as Gawad Saka Awardee, and because of her numerous achievements, she was cited by former Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap in 2010 as one of the top 200 agri-entrepreneur of the country.

The entrepreneurial competencies refer to the important characteristics that should be possessed by an individual in order to perform entrepreneurial functions effectively. In this module, you will learn some of the most important characteristics, attributes, lifestyle, skills, and traits of a successful entrepreneur in order to be successful in a chosen career.

Below are few important characteristics/traits/attributes of a good entrepreneur:

Hardworking:  One of the important characteristics of a good entrepreneur is being a hard worker. This means habitually working diligently for hours. Hardworking people keep on improving their performance to produce good products and/or provide good services.

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Self-confident:  Entrepreneurs have confidence in their own ability and judgment. They exhibit self-confidence which enables them to cope with all the risks in operating their own business.

Discipline: Successful entrepreneurs always stick to the plan and fight the temptation to do what is unimportant.

Committed: A good entrepreneur accepts full responsibility in all aspects of his/her business. He/she gives full commitment and solid dedication to make the business succeed.

Ability to accept change: Nothing is permanent but change. Change occurs frequently. When one owns a business, he/she should cope with and thrive on changes. He capitalizes on positive changes to make his business grow.

Creative: An entrepreneur should be creative and innovative to stay in business and in order to have an edge over other competitors.

Has the Initiative: An entrepreneur takes the initiative. He assumes responsibility in the failure or success of his business.

Profit-Oriented: A person enters the world of business to generate profit or additional income. Therefore, he must see to it that the business would prosper.

Listed below are the important skills of a successful entrepreneur.

Planner: Planning is a strategic thinking and setting of goals to achieve objectives and carefully maximizing all the available resources. A good entrepreneur develops and applies step-by-step plans to realize goals. He knows that planning is effective only when combined with diligent action.

People Skills: are skills which are very important in order to be successful in any kind of business. People skills refer to an effective and efficient communication and relationship with people working in and out of the business. In day-to-day business transactions, one needs to deal with people. Well- developed people skills can spell out the difference between success and failure of the business.

Decision Making: Successful entrepreneurs have the ability to think quickly and make a wise decision towards the pre-determined set of objectives. No one can deny that the ability to make decision is an

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important skill that an entrepreneur should possess. Sound decision should spring out from given facts/information and should be directed towards the pre-determined objectives.

In order to firm up what you have learned and to have a better appreciation of the different entrepreneurial competencies, try to read the PECs checklist presented below, then answer the same.

Task 4: PECs Checklist

Directions: Using the PECs Checklist, assess yourself by indicating a check (/) mark in either strengths and/or development areas column. Interpret the results by counting the total number of check marks in each of the columns. After accomplishing the checklist, form a group and share your insights and experiences why you have come up with that personal assessment.

Table 1: PECs Checklist

Personal Entrepreneurial Competencies of an Entrepreneur

Personal Assessment in terms of:

Strength Development Areas

Hardworking- Works diligentlySelf-confident- Confidence in one’s abilityDiscipline- Sticks to the planCommitted- Solid dedicationAbility to accept change- Adaptable to changeCreative- Innovative to have an edge over

other competitorsProfit-oriented- Always looks for income

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Process

Reflect and Understand

Planner- Strategically thinks and sets goals

People Skills- Has effective and efficient

communication skills and relationship with people

Decision Making- Makes a wise decision towards the

set objectives

TOTAL

Interpretation/Insights: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.

How was your experience in discovering your strengths and the areas to be developed? Did you gain valuable experience in exchanging insights with your classmates? To learn more and deepen your understanding of PECs, do Task 5 below.

Task 5: Interview

Interview successful agri-business owners or entrepreneurs in your province whose type of business is related with agricultural-crop production. Focus your interview on PECs and other business-related attributes that help them become successful. Analyze the result of the interview and reflect on the similarities and/or differences. Write your answer on a separate sheet of paper.

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Sample Interview Guide

Name of Proprietor/Practitioner: _____________________________________Age: _______________________ Number of Years in Business: ___________Business Name: _________________________________________________Business Address: _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

1. What are your preparations before you engaged in this type of business/job?

2. What are your special skills/characteristics that are related to your business/job?

3. How did you solve business-related problems during the early years of your business operation?

4. Did you follow the tips from a successful businessman/practitioner before you engaged in your business?

5. What are your best business practices that you can share with aspiring students?

6. What are your salient characteristics, attributes, lifestyle, skills, and traits that made you successful in your business/job?

Note: Ask the needed information from the interview to supply answer/s to Row 1 in the table below. Meanwhile, fill out the second row with your PECs.

Personal Entrepreneurial Competencies Characteristics Attributes Lifestyles Skills Traits

Successful Entrepreneur in the province

My PECs

Using the information from the table above, analyze, and reflect on the similarities and differences in your answers. Put your reflection on the table below. Write your conclusion on the space provided on the next page.

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Personal Entrepreneurial Competencies

Similarities Differences

Characteristics

Attributes

Lifestyles

Skills

Traits

Conclusion:

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ .

After performing the activities on the importance of PECs, let us determine how much you have learned. Perform Task 6 to determine how well you have understood the lesson. Task 6: Preparation of a Plan of Action

Directions: Using the table below and the information generated from Task 5 (Interview), prepare an action plan that indicates how you would align your PECs to the PECs of the successful agri-business owners in your province.

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Transfer

Objective Area Activities StrategiesTime

FrameExpected Outcome

To align my PECs with the PECs of a successful entrepreneur in agri-buisness/agri-crop..

Characteristics

Skills

Attributes

Traits

Task 7: Essential Questions

Direction: Read and study the following questions below. You may use a separate sheet of paper or your notebook to write your answers.

1. Why is there a need to compare and align your PECs with the PECs of a successful entrepreneur?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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_______________________________________________________________________________________.

2. How does your action plan help sustain your strong PECs and/or address your development areas?______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.

3. What plan of action would you do to address your development areas?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.

ENVIRONMENT AND MARKET (EM)Content Standards Performance Standards

The learner demonstrates understanding of environment and market in agricultural-crop production in one’s province.

The learner independently creates a business vicinity map reflective of potential market in agri-business in a province.

Time Allotment: 4 hours

Quarter I

Module 2Environment and Market

Introduction

People who aspire to start a business need to explore the economic, cultural and social conditions prevailing in the area. Needs and wants of the people around the vicinity that are not met may be considered as business opportunities. Identifying the needs of the community, its resources, available raw materials, skills, and appropriate technology can help a new entrepreneur in seizing a business opportunity.

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Pre-assessment

To be successful in any kind of business venture, potential entrepreneurs should always look closely at the environment and market. They should always be watchful of the existing opportunities and constraints. The opportunities in the business environment are those factors that provide possibilities for a business to expand and make more profits. Constraints, on the other hand, are those factors that limit the ability to grow, hence reducing the chance of generating profit. One of the best ways to evaluate the opportunities and constraints is to conduct SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) Analysis.

SWOT analysis is a managerial tool to assess the environment. It gathers important information, which in turn is used in crafting a strategic plan. Strengths and weaknesses are internal in an organization. Basically they relate to resources owned by the organization, things that one has control over, as- well as the extent of its marketing capability.

Opportunities and Threats exist in the external environment. Opportunities relate to the market, development of new technologies, and external factors such as government policies, climate, and trends. Threats relate to what the competition is doing as well as legal and other constraints.

Now that you have read some of the important things to consider to succeed in any business, you are now ready to explore more about the environment and market.

To begin with, let’s first try to find out the competencies that you will master after finishing this module.

OBJECTIVES At the end of this module, you are expected to:

- identify what is of “Value” to the customer;- identify the customer to sell to; - explain what makes a product unique and competitive; - apply creativity and innovative techniques to develop marketable product;

and- employ a Unique Selling Proposition (USP) to the product/service.

Now that you have an idea about the things you will learn, try to take the first challenge in this module-- the pre-assessment.

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Task I: Multiple Choice

Direction: Choose the letter of the best answer. Write your answer on a separate sheet of paper.

1. This is generated by examining what goods and services are sold outside the community.

A. Business Creation C. Business ConceptB. Business Pricing D. Business Idea

2. A process of making a new product to be sold to the customers. A. Product Analysis C. Product DevelopmentB. Product Conceptualization D. Product Implementation

3. These are luxuries, advantages, and desires that every individual considers beyond necessary.

A. Wants C. RequirementsB. Desires D. Needs

4. This is the factor or consideration presented by a seller as the reason that one product or service is better and different from that of the competitors.

A. Unique Selling Plan C. Unique Pricing PolicyB. Unique Selling Proposition D. Finding Value-Added

5. In this stage, the needs of the target market are identified, reviewed, and evaluated.

A. Concept Development C. Project DevelopmentB. Economic Analysis D. Refine Specification

6. This is the introduction of a new idea to make the product and services more attractive and saleable to prospective customers.

A. New Idea C. Product DevelopmentB. Creativity D. Innovation

7. A managerial tool used to assess the environment in gathering important information used for strategic planning.

A. Environmental Scanning C. WOTS AnalysisB. SWOT Analysis D. Survey Analysis

8. A marketing practice of creating name, symbol or design that identifies and differentiate a product from others.

A. Product Naming C. Branding B. Unique Selling Proposition D. Tagline

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9. This is a meaningful and unforgettable statement that captures the essence of your brand.

A. Product Naming C. Branding B. Unique Selling Proposition D. Tagline

10. These are the things that people cannot live without.A. Wants C. RequirementsB. Desires D. Needs

Task 2: Guide Questions:

Directions: Read and study the guide questions below. You may use a separate sheet of paper to write your responses to the guide questions.

1. How does one determine the product or service to be offered/delivered to

the target customers?

2. How does one select an entrepreneurial activity?

3. When can one say that a certain product has a “value”?

4. Are innovation and creativity to your product/service important? Explain.

5. How can one effectively respond to the needs of the target customer?

6. What is the importance of scanning the environment and market in generating business idea?

7. What is your level of confidence in formulating a business idea after your self assessment? Explain.

After all the guide questions have been answered and skills have been mastered, share them with your classmates. Discuss your insights, personal knowledge of, and relevant experiences on the topic to make it more exciting and engaging.

LEARNING GOALS AND TARGETAfter reading and understanding the objectives of this module and having

gone through pre-assessment and answering the guide questions, you will be asked to set your own personal goals. These goals will inspire you to further achieve the ultimate objective of this module. In the end, these goals would motivate you to learn more about Environment and Market.

21 Ultimate Goal

Learning Activities

Goals and Targets

Figure 2: Strategic process to reach the objectives of this module

READING RESOURCES AND INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES

After setting your own personal goals and targets to achieve the objectives of this module, you will have the opportunity to read and learn more about environment and market. You, too, will also be given a chance to do practical exercises and activities to deepen your understanding of the topic.

Product Development

When we talk of product development, we are referring to a process of making a new product to be sold by a business or enterprise to its customers. Product development may involve modification of an existing product or its presentation, or formulation of an entirely new product that satisfies a newly defined customer’s needs and/or want and/or a market place.

The term development in this module refers collectively to the entire process of identifying a market opportunity, creating a product to appeal to the identified market, and finally, testing, modifying and refining the product until this will be ready for production. This product can be any item to be sold to the consumers.

There are basic, yet vital questions that you can ask yourself. When you shall find acceptable answers to these, you can say that you are ready to develop a product and/or render service.

1. For whom are the product/service aimed?2. What benefit will the customers expect from it?3. How will the product differ from the existing brand? Or from their

competitor?

Likewise, needs and wants of the people within the area should also be taken into consideration. Everyone has his or her own needs and wants. However, people have different concepts of needs and wants. Needs in business are important things that every individual do without in a society. These include:

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Know

1. Basic commodities for consumption 2. Clothing and other personal belongings3. Shelter, sanitation and health4. Education

Basic needs are essential to every individual so he/she may be able to live with dignity and pride in the community of people. These needs can obviously help you generate business ideas and subsequently to develop a marketable product.

Wants are desires, luxury, and extravagance that signify wealth and an expensive way of living. Wants or desires are considered above all the basic necessities of life. Some examples are the eagerness or the passion of every individual which are non- basic needs like fashion accessories, shoes, clothes, travelling around the world, eating in an exclusive restaurant, watching movies, concerts, plays, having luxurious cars, wearing expensive jewelry, perfume, living in impressive homes, and others.

Needs and wants of people are the basic indicators of the kind of business that you may engage into because they can serve as the measure of your success. Some other good points that you might consider in business undertakings are the people, their needs, wants, lifestyle, culture, and tradition, and social orientation.

To summarize, product development entirely depends on the needs and wants of the customers. Another important issue to deal with are the key concept of developing a product. The succeeding topic shall enlighten you about the

procedure in coming up with a product concept.

Concepts of Developing a Product Concept development is a very critical phase in developing of a product.

From this stage, the needs of the target market are identified and competitive products are reviewed before the product specifications are defined. The product concept is selected along with an economic analysis to come up with an outline of how a product is being developed. Below is a figure that shows the stages of concept development of a product.

Figure 3: Concept Development

23Analyze Competitive

Products

Perform Economic Analysis

Refine Specifications

Select a Product Concept

Generate Product

Concepts

Establish Target

Specifications

Plan Remaining Development

Project

Identify Customer

Needs

The process of product development follows these steps:

A. Identify Customer Needs - Using survey forms, interviews, researches, focused group discussions, and observations an entrepreneur can easily identify customers’ needs and wants. In this stage, the information that can possibly be gathered here are product specifications (performance, taste, size, color, shape, life span of the product, etc.). This stage is very important because this would determine the product to be produced or provided.

B. Establish Target Specifications - Based on customers' needs and reviews of competitive products, you may now establish target specifications of the prospective new product and/or service. Target specifications are essentially a wish-list.

C. Analyze Competitive Products - It is imperative to analyze existing competitive products to provide important information on establishing product/service specifications. Other products may exhibit successful design attributes that should be emulated or improved upon in the new product/service.

D. Generate Product Concepts - After having gone through with the previous processes, you may now develop a number of product concepts to illustrate what types of product/service are both technically feasible and would best meet the requirements of the target consumers/market.

E. Select a Product Concept - Through the process of evaluation between attributes, a final concept is selected. After the final selection, additional market research can be applied to obtain feedbacks from certain key customers.

F. Refine Product Specifications - In this stage, product/service specifications are refined on the basis of input from the foregoing activities. Final specifications are the results of extensive study. Expected service life and projected selling price are being considered in this stage.

G. Perform Economic Analysis - Throughout the process of product

development, it is very important to always review and estimate the economic implications regarding development expenses, manufacturing costs, and selling price of the product/service to be offered/provided.

H. Plan the Remaining Development Project - In this final stage of concept development, you may prepare a detailed development plan which includes a list of activities, the necessary resources and expenses, and a development schedule with milestones for tracking progress.

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Finding Value

People buy for a reason, there should be something in your product/service that would give consumers a good reason to go back and buy for more. There must be something that has to make you the best option for your target customers; otherwise they have no reason to buy what you are selling. This implies further, that you offer something to your customers which they will value or treasure.

The value that you incorporate to your product is called value proposition. Value proposition is “a believable collection of the most persuasive reasons people should notice you and take the action you are asking for.” Value is created by fulfilling deep desires and solving deep problems. This is what gets the people moving, and keep them spending for your product/service.

Innovation

Innovation is the introduction of something new in your product/service. This may be a new idea, a new method or a device. If you want to increase your sales and profit you must innovate. Some of the possible innovations in your products are change in packaging, improved taste, color, size, shape, and perhaps price. Some of the possible innovations in providing services are application of new improved methods, additional feature of product/ services, and possibly, freebies.

Let us go back to what Mrs.Tubongbanua did with the Guimaras

mangoes aside from its known qualities. She made mango jam, mango

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calamansi concentrate, mango sauce, mango ketchup-regular to make a difference from other existing products in the market.

Unique Selling Proposition (USP)

Unique Selling Proposition is the factor or consideration presented by a seller as the reason that the product or service being offered is different from and better than that of other key players or competitors. Before you can begin to sell your product or service to your target customers, you have to sell yourself into it. This is especially important when your product or service is similar to those around you.

USP would require careful analysis of other businesses' ads and marketing messages. If you analyze what they say or what they sell, apart from the qualities of their product or service, you can learn a great deal about how companies distinguished themselves from competitors.

Here's how to discover your USP and use it to increase your sales and profit:

Use empathy: Put yourself in the shoes of your customers. Always focus on the needs of the target customers and forget falling in love with your own product or service. Always remember, you are making this product or providing for the target customers to eventually increase sales and earn high profit. You are not making this product or service for yourself. Essential questions such as what could make them come back again and again and ignore your competitors? Most possible answers will be focused on the quality, availability, convenience, cleanliness, reliability, and friendliness. Agriculture products are not that hard to sell because they form part of our basic needs of everyone.

Identify what motivates your customers. It is very important for you to understand and find out what drives and motivates your customers to buy your product/service. Make some efforts to find out, analyze, and utilize the information that motivates the customers in their decisions to purchase your product/service.

Discover the actual and genuine reasons why customers buy your product instead of that of your competitor's. Information is very important in decision making. Competitive entrepreneur always endeavor to improve his/her products/services and constantly provide satisfaction and sustain patronage of customers. As your business grows, you should

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Reflect and Understand

always consider the process of asking your customers some important information and feedback that you can use to improve your product/services.

In order to firm up your understanding of the topic previously presented, you will be tasked to form a group and conduct an interview with a successful agri-entrepreneur/practitioner. You have to document this interview and present this to the whole class for reflection and appreciation.

Task 3: Interview

Directions: Select a successful entrepreneur/practitioner. Conduct an interview by utilizing the sets of questions below. Document the interview and present this to the class.

1. How did you identify your customers?

2. What were your considerations in selecting your customers?

3. Explain how your product/service become unique from other product/s.

4. Did you consult somebody before you engage in this business? Cite sample insights that you gained from the consultation.

5. What were your preparations before you started the actual business?

6. What creative and innovative techniques did you adapt to your product/service? What was the effect of the innovative techniques on the sales and profits of your business?

7. What strategies did you consider to have a unique selling proposition for your product/service?

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Process

Task 4: Video Viewing

In order to deepen your understanding of the lesson, perform the following tasks:

1. Browse the internet on topics related to: a. customers’ needs and wants particularly on agricultural crops;b. techniques in identifying customers’ needs and wants;c. creativity/innovations in products and services in the market,

agricultural crops in particular;d. unique selling proposition; ande. product development.

2. Prepare a short narrative report about the aforementioned topics. You may highlight the “aspect” that intensifies your knowledge of product development.

Task 5: Product Conceptualization

Directions: Using the figures below develop your own concept for your product/services.

287. Prepare a Developmen

t Plan--

2. Target Specifications

---

1. Identify Customers

Need----

Transfer

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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7. Prepare a Developmen

t Plan--

2. Target Specifications

---

Generating Ideas for Business

The process of developing/generating business idea is not a simple process. Some people come up with a bunch of business ideas, while some are without ideas. There are two problems that arise; first is the excessive generation of ideas that makes one remain in the dreaming stage, and second, when one fails to generate.

The most optimal way is to have a systematic approach in generating and selecting ideas that will be translated into a viable business. Here are some basic yet very important considerations that you may use to generate possible ideas for business:

1. Examine the existing goods and services. Are you satisfied with the product? What do other people who use the product say about it? How can it be improved? There are many ways of improving a product from the way it is crafted up to the time it is packed and sold. You can also improve the materials used in crafting the product. In addition, you introduce new ways of using the product, making it more useful and adaptable to the customers’ many needs. When you are improving the product or enhancing it, you are doing an innovation. You can also do an invention by introducing an entirely new product to replace the old one.

Business ideas may also be generated by examining what goods and services are sold outside the community. Very often, these products are sold in a form that can still be enhanced or improved.

2. Examine the present and future needs. Look and listen to what the customers, institution, and communities are missing in terms of goods and services. Sometimes, these needs are already obvious and felt at the moment. Other needs are not that obvious because they can only be felt in the future, in the event of certain developments in the community. For example, a province will have its electrification facility in the next six months. Only by that time will the entrepreneur could think of agricultural products which are made using electrically-powered tools or equipment.

30

Know

3. Examine how the needs are being satisfied. Needs for the products and services are referred to as market demand. To satisfy these needs is to supply the products and services that meet the demands of the market. The term market refers to whoever will use or buy the product or services, and these include people or institutions such as other businesses, establishments, organizations, or government agencies.

There is a very good business opportunity when there is absolute lack of supply of a pressing market demand.

Businesses or industries in the locality also have needs for goods and services. Their needs for raw materials, maintenance, and other services such as selling and distribution are good sources of ideas for business.

4. Examine the available resources around you. Observe what materials or skills are available in abundance in your area. A business can be started out of available raw materials by selling them in raw form and by processing and manufacturing them into finished products. For example, in a copra-producing town, there will be many coconut husks and shells available as “waste” products. These can be collected and made into coco rags/doormat and charcoal bricks; then sold profitably outside the community.

A group of people in your neighborhood may have some special skills that can be harnessed for business. For example, women in the Mountain Province possess loom weaving skills that have been passed on from one generation to the next. Some communities there set up weaving businesses to produce blankets, decorative items, and various souvenir items for sale to tourists and lowland communities.

Business ideas can come from your own skills. The work and experience you may have in agricultural arts, industrial arts, home economics, and ICT classes will provide you with business opportunities to acquire the needed skills which will earn for you extra income, should you decide to engage in income-generating activities. With your skills, you may also try on doing things during your spare time. Many products were invented this way.

5. Read magazines, news articles, and other publications on new products and techniques or advances in technology. You can pick up new business ideas from Newsweek, Reader’s Digest, Business Magazines, “Go Negosyo”, KAB materials or Small-Industry Journal. The Internet serves as a library where you may browse and surf on possible businesses. It will also guide you on how to put the right product in the right place, at the right price and at the right time.

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Listings of possible businesses to set up in an area may also be available from banks or local non-government organizations.

Key Concepts of Selecting a Business Idea

Once you have embarked on identifying the business opportunities, you

will eventually see that there are many possibilities available for you. It is very unlikely that you will have enough resources to pursue all of them at once. Which one will you choose?

You have to select the most promising one from among a hundred and one ideas. It will be good to do this in stages. In the first stage, screen your ideas to narrow them down to about five choices. In the next stage, trim down the five choices to two options. In the final stage, choose between the two and decide which business idea is worth pursuing.

In screening your ideas, examine each one in terms of the following factors:

1. How much capital is needed to put up the business?2. How big is the demand for the product? Do many people need this

product and will continue to need it for a long time?3. How is the demand met? Who are processing the products to meet

the need (competition or demand)? How much of the need is now being met (supply)?

4. Do you have the background and experience needed to run this particular business?

5. Will the business be legal, not going against any existing or foreseeable government regulation?

6. Is the business in line with your interest and expertise?

Your answers to these questions will be helpful in screening which ones from among your many ideas are worth examining further and worth pursuing.

Branding

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Branding is a marketing practice of creating name, symbol or design that identifies and differentiates product/service from that of the competitors. It is also a promise to your customers. It tells them what they can expect from your product/ service and it differentiates your offerings from other competitors. Your brand is derived from who you are, who you want to be, and who people perceive you to be.

Branding is one of the most important aspects of any business. An effective brand strategy gives you a major edge in increasingly competitive markets.

The features of a good product brand are as follows:- delivers the message clearly- confirms your credibility- connects your target prospects emotionally- motivates the buyer- concretizes user loyalty

Here are some simple tips to publicize your brand. .

Develop a tagline. Write a meaningful, unforgettable, and easy-to- remember statement that captures the essence of your brand.

Design a great logo. Create a logo suitable to your business and consistent with your tagline and advertise it.

Write down your brand messaging. Select key messages you want to communicate about your brand.

Be true to your brand. Deliver your brand promise.

Be consistent.  Be reliable and consistent every time.

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In generating a business idea, you should first identify what type of

business is suited to your business idea. You should analyze and scan the

potential environment, study the marketing practices and strategies of your

competitors, analyze the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and the

Threats in your environment to ensure that the products/goods and service you

are planning to offer will be patronized within the easy reach by your target

markets/consumers.

Bear in mind these simple rules for successful SWOT analysis.

Be realistic about the strengths and weaknesses of your business when conducting SWOT analysis.

SWOT analysis should distinguish between where your business is today, and where it could be in the future.

SWOT should always be specific. Avoid any grey areas.

Always apply SWOT in relation to your competition i.e. better than or worse than your competition.

Keep your SWOT short and simple. Avoid complexity and over analysis

SWOT is subjective.

Task 6: SWOT Analysis

Directions: In generating a business idea, environmental scanning is very

important. Utilize the SWOT analysis table below to list all your observations.

Consider the strategies below to select the best business idea.

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Process

Strategize:

SW – Utilize the strengths to overcome the weakness OS - Capitalize on the opportunities to eliminate the weakness ST – Maximize on your strengths to eliminate the external threats OT – Take advantage of the available opportunities to eliminate the

external threats.

Strategies/Activities:

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________

Analysis:

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

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Strength (S) Weaknesses (W)

-----

------

Opportunities (O) Threats (T)

----

------

Reflect and Understand

______________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________

My Best Business Idea:

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________

In order to deepen your understanding of the topics previously discussed, you will be asked to perform the following activities:

Task 7: Extra Readings and Video Viewing

Reading books and watching videos have been considered two of the most effective educational activities that help learners deepen their understanding of a certain topic. In this particular circumstance, you will be asked to conduct extra readings and video viewings on the following topics:

A. Steps in selecting a business ideaB. Criteria of a viable business ideaC. Benefits of a good brandD. Ways of developing a product

After successfully performing the assigned task, make a narrative report about this and share it with the class.

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Task 9: Making my own Logo

Direction: Generate a clear appealing product brand with logo and tagline.

Logo Taglin

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Transfer

GRADE 10 LEARNING MATERIALS K TO 12 CURRICULUM

AGRICULTURAL CROP PRODUCTION NC I (RICE)

Content Standard Performance StandardThe learner demonstrates understanding of concepts and principles underlying theories and actual application in agricultural crop production (Rice).

The learner independently demonstrates common competencies in agricultural crop production work (Rice) as prescribed in TESDA Training Regulation.

Quarter II

Due to the adverse effects of climate change, rice production here in the Philippines has been threatened tremendously. The food sufficiency target of the government for the year 2015 has been stalled. This module will equip you with the necessary knowledge and skills in rice production and make them agents of the new technologies to boost rice production. Through this module, your knowledge, skills, and attitudes will be enhanced in line with selecting good quality seeds of rice, preparing the land for planting (irrigated/rainfed) varieties,

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What is this lesson all about?

preparing seedbeds and sowing of seeds, demonstrating care and management of seedlings, pulling of seedlings, transplanting of seedlings/direct seeding, fertilizer application, irrigation and drainage practices, controlling weeds, controlling pests and diseases, harvesting, threshing, drying and storage, marketing and keeping of farm records and accounts.

Rice is the staple food of all the Filipinos hence, rice production is an important industry in the Philippines. It is the backbone of Philippine economy for it does not only give benefit to rice growers but also to other industries like rice threshing, warehousing, milling, seed production, and many others, that offer a lot of job opportunities. Being the prime commodity, rice leads the growth of the agricultural sector. It is indispensable to sustainable development. Rice accounts for the majority of the total value of production in agriculture. This is primarily because rice is the most preferred commodity of the population. Furthermore, majority of the people depend on farm labor and rice-related businesses for their livelihood.

At the end of this module, you must be able to:1. select the ideal site for planting rice;2. prepare the land for planting rice (irrigated/rainfed);3. select good quality seeds;4. prepare seedbed, sow seeds, and demonstrate care and

management of seedlings;5. pull and transplant seedlings/practice direct seeding;6. fertilize the rice plant;7. perform irrigation and drainage practices;8. identify weeds and their control methods;9. control pests and diseases;10. harvest, thresh, dry, and store rice seeds; 11. market rice seeds and prepare and keep farm records and

accounts.12. perform routine check-up of tools and equipment;13. demonstrate manual handling procedures;14. use personal protective equipment and personal health

andsafety requirements;

15. familiarize with common OHS hazards risks and its control.

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What will you learn?

Pre-assessment

WHAT DO YOU ALREADY KNOW?

Let us find out how much you already know about rice production. Read and understand the questions below. Choose the letter of the best answer and write it on your answer sheet.

1. Which of the following is a digging tool?A. BoloB. CrowbarC. ShovelD. Pruning shear

2. Which tool is used for cleaning the levees?A. BoloB. CrowbarC. MattockD. Shovel

3. What tool does NOT belong to the group?A. BoloB. CrowbarC. MattockD. Shovel

4. Farm tools are needed in rice production operations because theyA. make work easier.B. make work faster.C. save time and effort.D. make work faster, easier and economical.

5. What PPE should a student wear when he/she is exposed to dust? He/She should wear

A. eye and respiratory protection.B. hard cap.C. hearing protection.D. safety footwear.

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6. The environmental impact of improper disposal of waste and agricultural chemicals are the following EXCEPT:

A. air pollutionB. dirty and ugly surroundingsC. friendly and healthy surroundingsD. water contamination

7. What equipment in rice production is used to draw water from a source?

A. SprayerB. SprinklerC. Water pail D. Water pump

8.Why do we need to conduct pre-operative check up of tools, Implements, and equipment before starting to work?

A. To check if the tools are serviceableB. To determine the functionality of tools and implements C. To repair defective toolsD. All of the above

9. Which of the following PPE is used to protect hands from injury?A. BootsB. GogglesC. GlovesD. Mask

10.Which of the following does not affect rice yield? A. Climate B. Location C. Transportation D. Soil

11.Water supply is an important factor in rice production because it directly affects the

A. frequency of planting.B. photosynthesis activity.C. physical characteristics of the plant.D. population of common pests and diseases.

12.The following are attributes of an ideal rice field except A. good drainage B. pH range of 6.2 – 7.0.C. high clay soil D. high organic matter

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13.The best implement to level the field isA. harrow. B. harvester. C. rotary tiller. D. wood plow.

14.To prepare the land for planting upland rice, plowing and harrowing should be done

A. 1 – 2 times. B. 2 - 3 times. C. 3 - 4 times. D. 4 – 5 times.

15.Which of the following is not a characteristic of a well- prepared land for planting?

A. Dilapidated dikesB. Dikes are clean and narrowC. Well puddled and softD. Weeds and stalks are thoroughly incorporated with the soil

16.When is the best time to fix levees?A. After the first harrowing B. After the first plowingC. Before the first plowingD. Before the second harrowing

17.Which among the following is the recommended time of soaking rice seeds before sowing?

A. 24 hrs. B. 29 hrs. C. 34 hrs. D. 39 hrs.

18. The ultimate purpose of raising dapog seedlings is to A. economize . B. delay transplanting.C. produce healthy seedlings.

D. raise seedlings even in a restricted area.

19. Which of the following is one of the advantages of using the straight row planting system?

A. It is the cause of overcrowding of plants.

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B. It makes hand weeding difficult.C. It makes mechanical weeding easy.D. It provides uneven spaces for growing plants.

20. What is the average seeding rate per hectare using the dapog method?

A. 22 kg B. 33 kg C. 44 kg D. 66 kg

21. To speed up the germination of the incubated seeds we need toA. allow the seeds to dry up.

B. moisten the seeds occasionally by sprinkling.C. sprinkle the seeds with warm water.D. re-soak the seeds after 2 days.

22. Which of the following is the recommended seedling rate per hill for growing rice?

A. 2-3 B. 3-4 C. 4-5 D. 6-7

23. Replanting of missing hills should be done ______ days after planting to complete the required plant population in a given area.

A. 3-5 B. 5-7C. 7-9 D. 10-12

24. Which one is the function of nitrogen in plant?A. Encourages root growthB. Makes stalks biggerC. Helps in the production of seedsD. Stimulates growth of the leaves and stems

25. To reduce application of chemical fertilizer that contains nitrogen, green manuring could be done. Green manures are

A. organic materials that come from animals.B. leguminous plants that are plowed under.C. concentrated form of plant food.D. organic materials that are thoroughly decomposed.

26. What is panicle initiation in rice?A. The beginning of the reproductive phase

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B. Its appearance of the first tillerC. The caryopsis becoming milkyD. Its appearance of the panicle from the flag leaf sheet

27. Below are ways by which irrigation water is lost except one:A. evaporationB. percolationC. seepageD. absorption

28. Which is an example of a broadleaf weed?A. Mutha B. KangkongC. Ubod-ubodD. Bayakibok

29. When mixing liquid herbicide, remember toA. pour herbicide before the water.B. pour herbicide and water at the same time.C. pour water ahead of herbicide.D. never pour herbicide ahead of the water.

30. This is the most destructive rice pest which attacks the plant from seedling stage to maturity .A. rice stem borerB. plant hopperC. rice bugD. maggot

31. This method of insect control utilizes the natural enemies of insects to control the pest.

A. Biological B. Cultural C. Chemical D. Physical

32. Which among the following is not needed in cleaning rice grains?A. 1.5 mm fish net and stirrer B. Canvas and winnowing basketC. Blower and shifterD. Sickle and reaper

33. What is the most popular method of drying rice grains?A. Solar dryerB. Mechanical dryer

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C. Batch dryerD. Air dryer

34. Which is not a guide in storing rice seeds?A. Store grains after dryingB. Store fertilizer near pile of rice grainsC. Separate the old from the new harvest when pilingD. Observe good housekeeping before storing in the bodega.

35. When a farmer relies on good management practices to prevent the occurrence of insect pests and diseases in his farm, he is using the?

A. Genetic controlB. Chemical controlC. Biological controlD. Cultural control

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LESSON 1

Farm Tools and Equipment

I. INTRODUCTION

The different farm tools and equipment in agronomic crop work have been profoundly taken up in your lessons last year. Their proper operations and maintenance were discussed, too. But for you to be able to perform properly the different rice production activities, the important tools and equipment to be used will be discussed in this lesson with emphasis on their correct operation and maintenance as well as safety precautions in using them and the protective gears to be used.

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What is this lesson about?

The lesson is all about the farm tools and equipment used in rice production. You will learn this within 12 days.

At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:

1. identify the different tools and equipment in rice production;2. describe the specific uses of each tool and equipment;3. perform the proper care and maintenance of each tool and

equipment; 4. observe safety precautions in the use of farm tools and

equipment.

HAND TOOLS

Hand tools are usually light and are used without the help of animals or machines. They are being used in performing farm activities which involve small yet important jobs to be done. Below are some of the examples:

1. Bolo .There are different kinds of bolo used for different purposes. In crop production it is used for cutting of weeds particularly tall shrubs and grasses .

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Know

What will you learn?

2. Shovel is used in removing trash, digging loose soil, moving soil from one place to another, and for mixing soil media and fertilizers. It is also used in the repair and construction of levees and in irrigation management.

3. Rake is used for cleaning the ground and leveling the topsoil during seedbed preparation particularly in the dry method of seedling production.

FARM IMPLEMENTS

These are accessories which are being pulled by working animals or mounted to machineries (hand tractor, tractor) which are usually used in the preparation of large tract of land. These are usually made of a special kind of metal.

Examples :

1. Plows. These are farm implements used in rice production operations either pulled by a working animal or a tractor. The plow is specifically used for tilling large areas, making furrows and ditches to facilitate irrigation and drainage.

Plows pulled by working animals are made of either a combination of metal or wood or pure metal . Due to intensive farm mechanization it is becoming extinct in some regions. They are used to till areas with a shallower depth than that of the disc plows which are pulled by tractors.

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Carabao drawn plow Disc plow drawn by a tractor

2. Harrow. The native wooden harrow is made of wood with a metal tooth and pulled by a carabao while the disc harrow is a metal mounted to a tractor. Harrows are used for tilling and pulverizing the soil in upland rice production where the soil is tilled dry while waiting for the rain or water supply.

Harrow

3. Rotavator. The rotavator is an implement attached to a tractor used for land preparation. It could be used for wet and dry land preparation. One passing of rotavator is equivalent to the combined effect of one plowing and harrowing in land preparation.

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EQUIPMENT

These are machineries used in farm operations especially in rice production. They are used in land preparation and in transporting farm inputs and produce. Using these equipment requires a highly skilled operator .

1. Hand tractor. It is the most useful and convenient equipment of the farmers. It is used to pull a plow and harrow in preparing a wide area of land. It is also used to transport other materials from the house to the farm and a very important equipment in the mobility of most farmers.

2. Four wheel tractor. It is used to pull disc plow disc harrow and rotavator in preparing much wider area of land. It is also used to draw a trailer to transport bulk of materials, equipment, farm inputs, and harvest. It is very useful during harvest and other post harvest activities.

3. Water pump. This equipment is very important to draw irrigation water from a source such as deep well, rivers and lakes. In some areas where water is scarce, second cropping of rice could be done using a water pump.

4. Combine harvester .This equipment performs the harvesting and threshing at the same time. The grains are deposited in its compartment and could be easily transported to the nearest road when hauling the harvests.

Hand Tractor Small Tractor Big Four wheel Tractor

Combine Harvester Rice Thresher

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Photos Courtesy of Mr. Efrelito Jay M. Guittap, Faculty, College of Agriculture ,CLSU

LET US REMEMBER

Using the right tools and equipment for the specific farm operation makes it easier and more economical.

After knowing the farm tools and equipment, continue the lesson in doing pre-operative check-up of equipment.

Activity#1

Give at least five reasons why it is very important to do pre-operational check-up of equipment?

Nowadays due to intensive farm mechanization, many types of farm machineries are being introduced to the Filipino farmers. Before operating these machines, one needs to read and familiarize the operations manual to be able to operate them efficiently and attain their maximum usage. For safety reasons, whenever using these farm machineries, always do the following:

Always Remember to Check Equipment Before Operating

A pre-operational check of all the equipment to be used will assure the user that it is in a safe operating condition. Check the tires for proper inflation and defects, windows for visibility, seat position, seat belts, brakes for adjustment, steering response, rear view mirrors, slow-moving vehicle emblem, reflectors, and running lights for day or night time operation.

Safety Check: Walk around the tractor, hand tractor, thresher, reaper and any attached implement checking the area for obstacles that may be under or near the tractor which include stones, boards, children's toys etc. Make sure there are no bystanders; remember this is a working area. Check whether the wheels are free, or stuck in the ground. Check for any loose parts or objects on the tractor such as tools on the platforms or around brakes and other controls.

Inspect around: Walk around the tractor, hand tractor a second time to check the equipment itself. This time look at the tires for wear and inflation, the power take-off shaft for shielding and guarding (rotate the shield to make sure it moves freely), the hitch for proper hitch pin and safety clip. Pay particular attention to the ground under the tractor for any signs of liquid leaks such as oil, coolant or fuel.

Check the oil of all engines attached to machineries to be used:  Remove the dipstick, wipe it clean, and check the oil level. If oil is required, remember to wipe off the filler cap before you remove it to avoid dirt falling into the engine. Use a clean funnel and clean the top of the oil

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can to prevent rust or other foreign objects going in with the oil.

Check the radiator: Slowly remove the red cap and check the liquid level.

Check the air pre-cleaner and air cleaner. Remove and shake out any dirt.

Always check the fuel gauge. Fill if necessary, through it should have been filled at the end of the last day the tractor was used.

Have a fire extinguisher. Your tractor should have a fire extinguisher in case of fire during operation or refueling and in area of storage and milling . Make sure it is charged and easily accessible.

Remember:

Smooth operations of all machines are ensured if periodic maintenance is done. These can affect performance and your safety! 

Hazardous activities

During the maintenance of agricultural machinery, there are many activities which are potentially hazardous. Always observe the safety procedures in doing the maintenance of the equipment and tools.

Hazardous activities Things to be done to ensure safety

Lubricating If you need to remove the guard to

lubricate the machine, never

lubricate while the machine is in

motion.

Checking hydraulic systems Remember that hydraulic oil is under

high pressure. The external signs

of oil injection may be slight, but the

internal damage is not and may

lead to surgery or amputation.

If checking for leaks, use something

(eg. a piece of card run along the

hose) to show where the leak is. Do

not use your hands.

Release the pressure before working

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on the system

Sharpening When working on, for example a

forage harvester, only the actual

sharpening should take place with

the machine in motion. All activities

before and after, like. guard removal,

should be done with the machine

stationary, even if rundown takes a

long time.

Beware of flying particles when

sharpening machinery. Use

protective equipment such as

goggles.

Working under machines When working under raised

machines, jacks should be used and

correctly located, and

additional support (eg axle stands)

provided.

When working on hydraulically-raised

equipment (eg. trailers) use props.

Never rely on the hydraulics.

Hammering Beware of flying particles. Always use

the appropriate personal protective

equipment. It offers protection not

only against flying particles, but also

from against many risks.

Cleaning Be aware of the danger of falling off

or into a machinery, particularly

in wet or muddy conditions.

Make sure you know how to access

machines safely, especially large

machines such as combines.

Don’t clean with machines running

and with guards removed.

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Blockages Many accidents happen while

cleaning machine blockages –

often because operators attempt to

clear a blockage while the machine is

still powered.

Again, the key question to ask is:

“Have I been trained to do this job

properly?” If the answer is “no”, do

not attempt it.

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE)

Personal protective equipment, or PPE, is designed to protect workers from serious workplace injuries or illnesses resulting from contact with chemical, radiological, physical, electrical, mechanical, or other workplace hazards. Among them are face shields, safety googles, hard hats, and safety shoes. Protective equipment includes a variety of devices and garments such as goggles, coveralls, gloves, vests, earplugs, and respirators.

Protection from head injuries

Hard hats can protect workers from head impact, penetration injuries, and high impact injuries such as those caused by falling or flying objects, fixed objects, or contact with electrical conductors. It also prevents the long hair from getting caught in machine parts such as belts and chains. Ordinary hats shall be worn by a farmer whenever working in the farm to protect himself against ultraviolet rays of the sun.

Protection from leg and foot injury

In addition to foot guards and safety shoes, leggings (e.g., leather or other appropriate material) can help prevent injuries by protecting workers from hazards such as falling or rolling objects, sharp objects, wet and slippery surfaces, molten metals, hot surfaces, and electrical hazards while working in the farm shop. Pants should be worn to protect the legs from itchy worms and snake bites when working in the farm.

Protection from eyes and face injury

Besides spectacles and goggles, personal protective equipment such as special helmets or shields, spectacles with side shields, and face shields can protect workers from the hazards of flying fragments, large chips, hot sparks, optical radiation, splashes from molten metals, as well as objects, particles, sand, dirt, mists, dusts, and glare. Sun glasses should be worn

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during harvesting and other post-harvest jobs to protect the eyes.

Protection from hearing injury

Wearing earplugs or earmuffs can help prevent damage to hearing. Exposure to high noise levels can cause irreversible hearing loss or impairment as well as physical and psychological stress. Earplugs made from foam, waxed cotton, or fiberglass wool are self-forming and usually fit well. A professional should fit your workers individually for molded or preformed earplugs. Clean earplugs regularly, and replace those that are no longer functional.

Protection from hand injury

Workers exposed to harmful substances causing skin absorption, severe cuts or lacerations, severe abrasions, chemical burns, thermal burns, and harmful extreme temperature will benefit from hand protection. Wear leather globes while operating some machines; but when handling chemicals use rubber gloves.

Protection from body injury

In some cases, workers must shield most of their bodies against hazards in the workplace, such as exposure to heat and radiation, hot metals, scalding liquids, body fluids, hazardous materials or waste, and others. In addition to fire-retardant wool and fire retardant cotton, materials used in whole-body personal protective equipment, include leather, synthetics, rubber, and plastic.

Respiratory Protection

Workers must use appropriate respirators to protect against adverse health effects caused by breathing air contaminated with harmful dusts, fogs, fumes, mists, gases, smokes, sprays, or vapors. Respirators generally cover the nose and mouth or the entire face or head and help prevent illness and injury. A proper fit is essential, for respirators to be effective.

Activity #1

Conduct an interactive activity with the class by forming two groups, one group will enumerate what farm operations will be undertaken, and the other group will indicate what farm

55

Process

Reflect and Understand

tools/equipment to use together with the applicable PPE to wear and vice-versa. The group with the highest score will be the winner.

Activity #2

Students will be asked to draw from the box containing the names of farm tools and equipment and explain how and when it will be used in accomplishing rice production activities.

Activity #3

Get your partner, list two farm equipment and make a research in the internet on the different parts that need to be maintained, and the procedure on how to do the maintenance.

Activity#4

Report to the class your output on Activity#3.

Activity #1

Group yourselves into three, and go to a nearby farm. Observe how a new farm equipment is used. Make a step by step description of how each equipment is used, to know how to operate these properly. Share it with the class.

Activity #2

Using the rice reaper of the nearest farm in the locality, make a report about the conditions of the parts needed to be maintained. Are they in the best condition? Why or why not? Share it with class.

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Transfer

Glossary of Terms

Summative Test

Activity#1

You are the farm manager of the San Pedro Apartado Multi-Purpose Cooperative and tasked to prepare the farm equipment conditions analysis. Make a list of the equipment; evaluate each equipment and identify the parts that need maintenance.

List of equipment Condition Parts that need maintenance

Activity # 2

Divide the class into groups and with the supervision of the teacher or the farm technician or the owner of the combine harvester in the nearby farm in the locality, let each group will conduct pre-operational check-up of the combine harvester.

The students will be grouped and asked to attach a rotavator to the tractor. Each group will be rated using a rubric.

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Hand tools – tools that are usually light and are used to do minoroperation in the farm.

Farm implements – accessories pulled by animals or mounted to machines to make the farm operation easier.

Equipment – powered tool machines used in farming operations.

Repair – to restore to good condition and make it functional.

Prepare – to gather all the needed materials ready for a specific work.

Combustible- any materials that will burn not just by a spark

Flammable- is a material that can easily catch fire under normal circumstances and with the help of minimal ignition source

Ignition- cause of burning by providing heat or spark

ROPS- Roll Over Protective Structure

MSDS- Material Safety Data Sheet

ATV-All Terrain Vehicle

PTO- Power Take Off

Safety- the physical or environmental conditions of work which comply with the prescribed Occupational Health Safety (OHS) standards and which allow the workers to perform his or her job without or within acceptable exposure to hazards.

Occupational safety- the practices related to the promotion of safety in production and work process

Health- a sound state of the body and mind of a worker that enables him or her to perform normal job.

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LESSON II

SITE SELECTION AND SOIL ANALYSIS

Photo Courtesy of Dr.Pedrito S. Nitural, Faculty, College of Agriculture, CLSU

Introduction

Like any other plant, rice needs an appropriate kind of soil as well as good location to attain the highest possible yield.

The lesson is all about the factors to consider in site selection for planting rice and doing soil analysis. You will learn this within twelve days.

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What will you learn?

What is this lesson about?

At the end of the lesson, you should be able to

1. identify the factors to consider in site selection;2. select a site appropriate for rice production;

3. collect soil sample and analyze ; and 4. appreciate the value of selecting a good site for rice production

If given a chance to select a good site for rice production, here are the important factors to consider to ensure optimum growth and development. These are soil, climate, and location.

The following are the different factors to be considered in selecting a good site for rice production, as stated in the Competency-Based Learning Module (CBLM) for Rice Production:1. Soil. A rice field should possess the following attributes:

a. high clay contentb. a 2:1 ratio of top clay mineral montmorillionitec. medium amount of organic matterd. good drainagee. top soil 18 – 20 cm deepf. soil pH range of 6.2 -7.0

2. Climate. Climate change is one of the factors posing challenge to rice production nowadays. These factors include rainfall, sunlight, wind velocity, and temperature.

a. Rainfall. In rainfed areas, the start of the rainy season determines the planting time. This is because the source of water supply for non-irrigated rice field comes directly from rainfall. On the other hand too much rainfall causes floods that submerged the plants. Water directly affects the photosynthetic activity of the rice plant.

b. Sunlight. It is the foremost source of energy of all plant life. When water supply is not limited, sunshine is the most important climatic factor that influences rice yield. Therefore, site should be free of any barrier to sunlight

60

Know

c. Temperature. It is a limiting factor in rice production. However, in the Philippines, temperature is almost constant, hence, it is not a critical problem.

d. Wind velocity. Gentle wind is beneficial to rice plant because new air blown around the plant causes replenishment of carbon dioxide. Strong wind such as heavy wind during typhoon may cause lodging and shattering of rice grain, reduction of photosynthetic activities and may enhance growth of bacterial leaf diseases.

3. Location. Farm location greatly affects the profitability of rice production. The following are some factors to consider:

a. the farm should be near the road to facilitate ease of transport.

b. there should be available laborers in the different stages of rice production.

c. good irrigation and drainage.d. proximity to drying pavement and other post-harvest

facilities.

A good site should have access to farm service road

Soil Sampling and Soil Analysis

The success of rice production starts with knowing the kind of soil where you are going to plant. The rice plant is nutrient sensitive; its ability to produce good harvest depends on the nutrients present in the soil. Soil sampling and analysis are important to determine the pH level and the nutrients present in the soil. The result of the soil analysis will be the basis of fertilizer application.

Procedures to Follow in Soil Sampling

1. Make a sketch of the area showing sampling areas (SA).Divide the farm into sampling areas. Each SA should be more or less uniform in cropping history, past lime and fertilizer treatments, slope, degree of erosion and soil texture and color.

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Important things to remember

2. In each SA dig from 5 -10 pits and collect samples corresponding to the size of the sampling area. Spot sample is taken in the following manner: clear the soil surface area using a shovel or spade dig a pit to a depth of 20-30 centimeters from one vertical side of the pit take a slice of soil 2-3 cm thick

with a single downward thrust of the spade. Using a knife or trowel trim the slice of soil on both sides to a bar of 3-4 cm width.

place the thin bar of soil in a pail or any suitable clean container. if the subsoil sample is needed, take a bar of soil from the

succeeding 20 to 30 cm soil depth. The subsoil and surface soil should be placed in separate containers.

Take composite soil samples. After collecting the samples from the different sampling areas, they will be pulverized and mixed thoroughly in the container. Place the composite soil sample of about ½ kilogram, in a clean plastic bag. After which, it is now ready for chemical analysis, using a simple Soil Testing Kit (STK) for qualitative analysis of soil pH, nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium or by running a complete chemical analysis in a soil laboratory. Results of both test will serve as the basis for the farmers in making recommendation on the amount of fertilizer materials to be applied to satisfy the nutrient requirement of the crop.

Photo Courtesy of Dr. Pedrito S. Nitural, Faculty, College of Agriculture, CLSU

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Selecting the appropriate site plays a vital role in the success of rice production.

Factors to consider in selecting the sitea. accessibility of the farm to the roadb. availability of good labor supplyc. good irrigation and drainaged. proximity of threshing and drying pavement

Factors that affect growth and development of the crop 1. kinds of soil2. climate3. location

Soil pH for rice is from 6.2 to 7.0

Activity#1

Select at least four cooperating farmers in the community and conduct an on-site inspection of their farm. Based on your observation identify the ideal site. Use the table below and check the spaces if the factors are met.

Score card in selecting the site

Name of Farmer:_______________Location:______________________Directions: Of the four sites visited, write the appropriate rating based on the scale listed below, considering the adaptability of factors in selecting the site.

Factors to consider in selecting the site

SiteA B C D

1. Accessibility2. Availability of water supply3. Exposure to sunlight4. Soil condition

Rating scale: Description5 – very good4 – good3 – fair

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Process

Reflect and Understand

Post-assessment

2 – poor

Activity#1

Select four cooperating farmers in the locality, get the data on their average harvest (number of cavans) for the past three years. Compare and analyze to see if the differences were affected by the farm location.

Activity#2

Search the internet for videos/film showing pictures of different farm locations in the country. Compare the data on harvest, if available and arrive at a conclusion if there are differences or none. Share your findings with the class.

Each student will identify a farmer/partner. Proceed to his farm location and together get a soil sample, strictly following the procedure. Perform the soil analysis to determine the pH value of the soil.

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Transfer

Glossary of Terms

A. Answer the following questions in your quiz notebook. Write only the letter of the correct answer.

1. There are three important factors that affect rice yield. Which of the following is not among the factors?A. ClimateB. Kind of soil C. Location D. Topography

2. Water supply is an important factor in rice production because it directly affects theA. frequency of planting.B. photosynthetic activity of the rice plant.

C. physical characteristics of the rice plant. D. population of common pests and diseases.

3. An ideal rice field possesses all of the following attributes except:A. Good drainageB. High clay contentC. High organic matterD. pH range of 6.2 – 7.0

4. Rainfall, sunlight, and temperature are referred to asA. climate.B. season.C. weather.D. all of the above

5. What is the ideal soil pH for rice production?A. 6.2 – 7.0B. 6.5 – 8.0D. 7.0 – 8.0D. 7.5 – 8.0

B. Describe the appropriate site for planting rice crop.

Soil - is a loose and friable material of the earth surface where plants

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grow and develop.

Climate - is the weather condition of a locality,

Temperature - is the degree of hotness and coldness of the environment.

pH - is a value used to express the relative acidity or alkalinity of the soil.

66

LESSON III

PREPARE THE LAND FOR PLANTING RICE (IRRIGATED/RAINFED)

Photo Courtesy Dr. Pedrito S. Nitural, Faculty, College of Agriculture, CLSU

INTRODUCTION

Thorough land preparation is necessary either for rainfed or irrigated rice production method in order to have bountiful harvest.

What is this lesson about?

This lesson provides the learner with the appropriate land preparation techniques and strategies. It includes the tools and equipment needed and the steps in undertaking these activities. You will learn this within thirteen days.

At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:

1. use the appropriate tools and equipment in preparing the land for planting of rice

2. demonstrate the proper way of plowing and harrowing;3. prepare and level the land thoroughly; and4. observe safety precautions in using tools, implements, and

equipment.

Prepare the Land for Planting

High yield in rice production could be traced back to land preparation. Many problems in cultural management practices could be prevented with well-puddled and well-leveled rice paddies. Aside from making the soil soft for easy transplanting, a well leveled soil prevents the emergence of early weeds. It also facilitates mixing of organic matter such as rice straw, weeds and stubbles with the soil which promotes decomposition. Proper soil preparation serves to level the field for uniform distribution of irrigation water, fertilizers and pesticides. It also aids in the efficient control of some pests like the golden snail. During dry

68

Know

What will you learn?

season planting, it also prevents or minimizes water seepage from the field thereby resulting to efficient water management.

If land preparation is not uniform, growth of plant is uneven causing variations of plant development and stage maturity resulting in possible decrease in harvest. Land preparation should be started at least four weeks before transplanting.

Photo Courtesy of Bersamin Agro-Industrial High School

Plowing is the process of breaking up the soil usually 15 cm. deep to incorporate and cover inorganic matter. It can be accomplished with a power tiller or moldboard plow hitched to a carabao. To prepare the field for plowing follow these steps:

1. remove from the field anything that may cause injury to the plowmen and farm animals or damage to the implements.

2. Cut tall grasses and remove stubbles that may interfere with plowing.

3. In irrigated fields, flood the field 2 – 7 days before plowing to soften the soil. Keep the surface of the soil covered with water to prevent the soil from sticking to the plow. Keep the soil flooded with about one cm depth of water for one week to soften the clods and allow weeds and stubbles to

69

decompose before harrowing is done. In rainfed areas, the field is better plowed while it is dry.

`

Plow under the weeds and stubbles 10 to 15 cm deep, three to four weeks before transplanting or direct seeding to allow decomposition and to recycle plant nutrients. If organic materials are not fully decomposed, soil tends to become acidic and some nutrients become less available. Draining removes toxic substances, allowing organic matter to decompose and help the plant produce deeper and stronger roots. Decomposition is faster in moist soil.

Photo Courtesy of Dr. Pedrito S. Nitural, Faculty, College of Agriculture, CLSU

Harrowing . Leveling can best be accomplished by leaving just enough water in the field, about 2-5 cm to expose the high and low areas. Harrowing is done 2-3 times depending on the soil condition.

Leveling the field can be done by scraping the mud from high spots moving it to the low areas. A bamboo pole maybe attached to the base of the harrow teeth to help in leveling.

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To prevent the field from drying and hardening, use enough water. If possible, wait for 7 to 10 days between two successive harrowings to allow more weed seeds to germinate before these are turned under the soil giving more time for plowed fresh organic matter to decompose.

Harrow the field at least twice with one week interval for irrigated field and at least one day for rainfed field due to limited supply of water. The first harrowing is done a week after plowing to break the soil clods and to incorporate the stubbles. This will allow dropped rice seeds during the previous cropping and weed seeds to germinate. The second harrowing which is also the first levelling should be done across the direction of the first harrowing. This further incorporates the volunteer plants and allowing the remaining dropped seeds and weed seeds to germinate. These practices help reduce the initial pest host population and maintain the hardpan which minimizes water seepage.

Photo Courtesy of Bersamin Agro-Industrial High School.

A rotavator drawn by a tractor for easier, faster and safer land preparation both for wet or dry method.

Rotavating - This method of land preparation is employed with the use of a rotary tiller or rotavator drawn by a tractor. A rotary tiller may take the place of a plow and harrow because it changes the soil into fine tilth having sufficient depth. One or two rounds of rotavation followed by one harrowing is enough to have a preferably level field. Prepared land can be planted after 2- 3 days. Chopped rice straw and weeds may be fully decomposed but are already in the process of decomposition. Decomposition produces too much heat and carbon dioxide (CO2) which may cause the newly transplanted seedlings to exhibit slow growth.

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Final leveling of the field using a carabao drawn leveler. Photo Courtesy of Dr. Pedrito S. Nitural, Faculty, College of Agriculture, CLSU

LET US REMEMBER

After the last leveling there should be no higher or lower levels of the rice paddies.

Cleaning and Repairing Levees of Rice Paddies

Just after plowing, the levees must be repaired to prevent seepage from the paddy. Look for rat holes, cracks or breaks, and plaster with mud. Levees that are properly repaired and plastered with mud are unfavorable to rat infestation, growth of weeds and host plants or insects. During dry season rice production, a canal at the middle of the paddies should be constructed to facilitate irrigation.

Photo Courtesy of Efrelito Jay M. Guittap, Faculty, College of Agriculture, CLSU

The best time to fix the levee is after the first plowing because the upturned soil near the levees can be used for plastering in the work. The following are the steps in repairing

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levees.

1. Clean the levees. Trim the thick portions of both sides of the levees using a bolo. Patch all rat holes, breaks, and soft spots.

2. Repair the levees by using soil which has been broken up during the first plowing for patching soft spots and cracks. Break up and rebuild the portion of the levees containing rat holes.

3. Patch-up/cover/fill the levee with mud making sure that all cracks are sealed properly.

4. Dikes must be cleaned to remove pest, compact to prevent seepage, and maintain at 15 cm high x 20 cm wide to prevent rat burrowing. Ditches will ensure even water distribution and drainage.

Fields used solely for year-round rice production must be allowed to rest or fallow for at least 30 days or more before plowing for the next cropping season. This will break the life cycle of majority of the insects.

Rainfed rice fields are often prepared during April and May. Plow field after the first rain then harrow. Leave it for 7 or more days to allow weed seeds to germinate, afterwhich the field will be plowed and harrowed again to kill the emerging weeds. Plowing and harrowing may be done 2-3 times until the field is ready for transplanting.

IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER

Lowland rice requires well puddled and well prepared soil. This ensures a soil surface that is weed-free, soft and leveled to make transplanting of seedlings/planting of seeds easier. It also facilitates mixing of organic matter such as rice straw, weeds, and stubbles with the soil to hasten decomposition. Proper land preparation is undertaken to level the field, for uniform distribution of irrigation water, fertilizer, and pesticides. It also prevents or minimizes water seepage from the field.

In upland rice culture, plowing should be done across the slope.

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Reflect and Understand

Observe safety measures in using tools and equipment.

Activity #1

Each student will be asked to visit a certain farm to evaluate if thorough land preparation has been done. Use the checklist below.

ACTIVITIES

RATINGV Good Good Fair Poor

91–100

81–90 75–80 70-74

1. Cleared the area before plowing2. Followed correct procedure in plowing3 Harrowed the field well4.Repaired the levees5.Observed proper use of tools/equipment6. Used PPE

Activity #2

Students will be grouped into five and be assigned to do land

preparation in specific areas. After the job has been done, let each group evaluate the work of the other group. Take note of the lapses of each group, and present observations to the class.

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Process

Post-assessment

Activity#3

Pretend to be an outstanding farmer who will demonstrate the proper way of harrowing and leveling rice paddies before planting using either a carabao drawn harrow or hand tractor. Explain why paddies should be well-leveled.

A. Write AGREE if the statement is correct and DISAGREE if the statement is wrong. Write your answers on your quiz notebook.

1. Well-puddled and well-prepared soil for lowland rice varieties ensures a soil surface that is free from weeds, soft and leveled to make planting easy.

2. Uneven growth of plants is caused by poor land preparation.

3. Harrowing can be best accomplished by leaving just enough water in the field to expose the high and low spots.

4. Levees should be covered with mud to render them unfavorable for rats and insect pests.

5. The land should be plowed and harrowed 4-5 times alternately.

B. Answer briefly.

1. Describe the steps in preparing the land for irrigated and rain fed rice planting.

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Transfer

Glossary of Terms

RESOURCES

1. Bolo2. Moldboard plow3. Harrow4. Draft carabao5. Shovel6. Pick mattock7. Hand tractor 8. Tractor

Tools – simple devices used in the farm such as bolo, digging bar, and shovel

Equipment – machineries used in the farm such as tractorFarm implements – devices such as plow and harrowLevee – dike or bund that surrounds a paddyPPE – Personal Protective EquipmentPuddled soil – a soil surface which was plowed and

harrowed several times, leveled and ready for planting.Seepage – sideward loss of water

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LESSON IV

SEED SELECTION

Photo Courtesy of Efrelito Jay M. Guittap, Faculty, College of Agriculture, CLSU

This lesson deals with the principle of selecting good quality seeds to grow. It includes the characteristics of good seeds, sources of good seeds, seed testing, and computing the percentage of germination. You will learn these in thirteen days.

After studying the lesson, you must be able to

1. identify and select good seeds for planting;2. test the viability of seeds using ragdoll method;

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What will you learn?

What is this lesson about?

3. compute for the percentage germination; and4. appreciate the importance of testing seeds before planting;

Using high quality seeds of a recommended rice variety will result in a considerable increase in the yield. The characteristics of certified seeds are the following:

1. pure2. clean3. with the same size and shape4. 85% or higher percentage of germination5. free from seed borne diseases

Seeds of improved variety should be certified by the National Seed Quality Control Services (NSQCS). It could be proven through a blue card attached to the sack. Good quality seeds could be availed from agencies such as the PhilRice and other accredited seed producers enumerated below.

Sources of Good Seeds

1. PhilRice2. Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI)3. Agricultural Productivity Commission (APC)4. Institute of Plant Breeding (IPB)5. Seed Grower – cooperators in your locality6. Reliable dealers of farm supplies

How to avail good seeds

1. Buy seeds from accredited seed growers stated above.

2. If there are no accredited seed growers in the locality, then buy seeds from reliable sources (i.e. farmers whose fields have uniform crop growth) or produce your own high quality seeds . However, make sure to perform a seed germination test to ensure quality. There should be at least 85% germination.

3. If the variety has not yet been tested in the area, make initial selection based on recommended environment

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and cropping season. Then, conduct at least two seasons of trial in the locality.

4. During wet season, consider the prevalent pests in the area and the shattering and lodging characteristics of a variety. In the dry season, consider planting hybrid varieties because these varieties tend to perform better during dry season.

5. In rainfed areas, farmers tend to use varieties for irrigated lowland areas owing probably to lack of access to rainfed varieties. It is recommended to first choose varieties intended for rainfed environment. Consider also traditional or regionally preferred varieties for rainfed environment knowing that crops can develop adaptability in an area.

6. Farmers also often prefer new varieties, believing that they yield better. However, a variety may be released based on reasons other than yield (e.g. better grain quality and resistance to pests). Thus, it is important to know the characteristics of the varieties but, more importantly, to conduct adaptability trials.

Your choice of an appropriate variety is determined by specific conditions in the farm. The following are the desirable characteristics of high yielding rice varieties:

1. Early maturing and non-seasonal (100 – 130 days from seeding to maturity)

2. Resistant to pest, diseases, drought and lodging3. Nitrogen-responsive (this means that when you apply

nitrogen to the rice plant, the yield increases)4. High grain weight (6 – 7 mg)5. High grain milling quality (whole )6. High milling recovery (66% -70%)

The following are some rice varieties recommended for irrigated and rainfed regions of the Philippines:

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Irrigated Varieties

Variet

yAgronomic Characteristics Disease & Insect Pest Reactions

Ave. Yield(Tons)

Max Yield(Tons)

Maturity days

Height(cm)

Blast BLB Tungro BPH GLH Borer

10 Rc230H 6.7 10.6 108 103 I S S (S) I MR

NSIC 2010 Rc232H

7 10.7 110 110 I S S (S) MS I

NSIC 2010 Rc234H

6.5 9.8 115 119 I I S (S) I MS

NSIC 2010 Rc236H

6.2 10.9 114 115 I I S (S) MS I

NSIC 2011 Rc21 SR

4.5 7.3 122 90 I I S

NSIC 2011 Rc23

3 7.6 108 108 I I S I S

NSIC 2011 Rc244H

7 11.2 110 104 S S S I I

NSIC 2011 Rc246H

7.2 11.4 106 103 S S S I I

11 Rc248H 7.1 10.3 108 112 I S S I I

NSIC 2011 Rc250H

6.5 8.9 109 109 I I S I MR

NSIC 2011 Rc252H

6.8 9.8 108 105 I I S I I

NSIC 2011 Rc254H

6.1 10.2 117 118 I S S I I

NSIC 2011 Rc256H

6.3 9.9 109 104 I S S MS MS

NSIC 2011 Rc258H

6.7 9.8 106 103 I S S I I

NSIC 2011 Rc260H

6.5 10 109 107 I S S I I

NSIC 2011 Rc262H

6.4 10.4 114 113 I I S I MR

NSIC 2011 Rc264H

6.3 10.9 118 115 I S S I MS

NSIC 2011 Rc266H

6.3 10.2 110 111 I I S I MS

NSIC 2011 Rc268H

6.5 12.7 115 113 S I S I MS

Rainfed Varieties

Variet

yAgronomic Characteristics Disease & Insect Pests Reactions

Ave. Yield(Tons)

Max Yield(Tons)

Maturity days

Height Blast BLB Tungro BPH GLH Borer

RC100 4.1 4.1 118 111 I I S I S RPSB RC102

2.3 4.4 117 101 I I S I I I

PSB RC12 3.5 6 109 89 I I S I I MSPSB RC14 3.6 6.1 110 92 I I S I I SPSB RC36 3.1 5.3 127 121 I I MS S I MSPSB RC38 3.2 5 127 119 I I MS S I IPSB RC40 3.1 4.9 130 126 R I MS S I MSPSB RC98 2.6 4.5 116 98 I I I/S R I I

Source:www.philrice.gov.ph

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Legend: I - Insusceptible S-Susceptible MR- Moderately Resistant R-Resistant

MS-Moderately Susceptible

There are other factors to consider in the selection of good seeds aside from the desirable characteristics, and these are:

1. Genetic purity. The seed should not be mixed with other rice variety.

2. Physical purity of composition. Seeds should be free from inert matter, chaff, and weed seeds. They must be clean.

3. Moisture content. The ideal moisture content of rice seeds for sowing is 14%.

4. Capacity of the seed to germinate or viability. The international standards for viability require a minimum of 80% germination.

The four general classifications of agricultural seeds according to their purity and quality are as follows:

1. Breeder seeds. This is the purest seed of rice varieties obtained through selection, introduction, and hybridization. Hybridization means that a selected seed is planted and during the reproductive stage , it is crossed with another plant.

2. Foundation seeds. This type of seed is produced from breeder seeds in the government seed farm where its varietal purity is maintained.

3. Registered seeds. This seed is produced from the foundation seed.

4. Certified seeds. This type of seed is produced from the registered seed.

Testing the Viability of Seeds

Before sowing it is highly recommended that a test be conducted to determine the viability of the seeds. Many seeds fail to germinate because they have been kept too long under bad conditions. That renders them too weak when grown or too immature when harvested. Every plant grower should determine the germinating power of seeds by testing them to ensure high percentage of germination, less expenses, time and effort.

Methods Of Seed Testing

There are two methods of testing the viability of seeds, the

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rag doll and the seedbed. This should be done before sowing in seedbed or before directly seeding in paddy.

1. Rag Doll Method

Courtesy of Pedrito S. Nitural, Faculty College of Agriculture, CLSU

The following are the steps in the rag doll method:a. Prepare a clean rag measuring 20.32cm X 30.48cm

and a stick 25.4cm long.b. Prepare at least 100 seeds for testing. Do not select.c. Lay the rag on any flat surface and distribute the seeds

evenly in rows on the rag.d. Roll the rag around the stick for support. Moisten the

cloth and place it in a warm –moist place.e. Unroll the rag after 5 days. Determine the germination

rate following the formula.

% germination = No. of seeds germinated x 100No. of seeds sown

Examples:

Regina Mae wants to test the viability of her palay seeds. She sow 100 seeds and after 7 days only 86 seeds germinated. What is the percentage germination of the seeds?

Solution: % germination = 86 X 100 = 86%

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100

If the percentage of germination is 80% or above, use the seeds at the required quantity. If it is below 80% germination, adjust the seed bulk to the seeding rate. To adjust use the formula:

Adjusted Amount of Seeds = 100% x rate of seeding

% germination

You will now compute the adjusted seeding rate of the given.

Seed bulk = 60 kgGermination = 78%Seeding rate = 50 kg

6. How much adjusted amount of seeds will you sow per hectare using the given bulk, germination percentage and seeding rate. Substitute the values:

Adjusted amount of seeds = 100 X 50 kg 78

= 1.28 x 50 kg. = 64.10 kg/ha.

2. Seed Box Method

If you

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decide to use the seed box method, do the following

steps:

a. Prepare a small seed box and fill it with sterilized soil.b. Get 100-150 seeds (depending on your choice) at

random. Sow the seeds in rows in the seed box. Cover the seeds lightly with soil. Water the seeds occasionally.

c. When seeds have germinated, determine the percentage germination as in the rag doll method.

IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER

To ensure high crop yield and good quality, viable seeds should be selected. Desirable characteristics such as early maturing, resistance to lodging and nitrogen responsiveness are not the only factors to consider when buying rice seeds. Other factors such as purity, physical composition, moisture content, and capacity of the seed to germinate should be included.

Seed viability is a characteristic of rice essential to profitable rice production because good quality seeds bring about a maximum yield with minimum expenditure of time, money and effort.

Seed viability test should be done before the seed is sown in seed beds or directly seeding in paddies following the rag doll or seed box methods.

Activity #11. Prepare the following and perform the rag doll method of

testing the viability of seeds.a. 20.32cm X 30.48cm ragb. handful of rice seedsc. 25.4cm stickd. water

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Process

Reflect and Understand

Post-assessment

2. After 5 days, open your rag doll and determine the viability percentage of germination of your tested seeds. Write the result in your activity notebook.

Activity#2

Organize a simple symposium in the class and invite two farmers to share their farming experiences. Select one farmer using seeds sourced from his neighbor, sowing same seeds without testing the viability; the other using seeds acquired from a certified seed grower which is tested before sowing. Draw some conclusions from the shared experiences of the farmers. Deepen knowledge by having an intellectual discussion with the farm technician assigned in the locality.

Activity#3

Tie-up with the technician of the Department of Agriculture and a cooperating farmer. Identify a certain farm lot along the road to be used as demonstration farm for seed growing venture. Students will act as junior technicians working and learning jointly with the farmers.

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Transfer

A. Read the following questions/statements. Select the best answer then write the letter corresponding to the right answer.

1. The following are characteristics of high yielding rice varieties except one.a. Early maturing and non seasonalb. Resistant to droughtc. Nitrogen responsived. Late maturing and seasonal

2. The capacity of the seed to germinate refers to:a. viability c. vitalityb. fertility d. germ inability

3. Why is seed testing important?a. It saves time in planting c. It saves cost of inputsB. It saves labor d. All of the above

4. A seed germination test showed that of the 120 seeds used in the test, 98 germinated. The percentage germination of the seed isa. 68.71% c. 81.67%b. 76.18% d. 87.76%

5. Which of the following is not a variety of rice?a. NSIC RC10 c. TSGB. BPI RI10 d. IR 36

B. Answer the following.

1. What are the desirable characteristics of good seeds? (5pts)

2. Compute for the percentage of germination using the problem below.

Rudy tested his seeds before planting. He sowed 150 seeds using the rag doll method. After 5 days he found out that only 120 seeds germinated. What is the percentage germination?

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Glossary of Terms

In case the percentage of germination is below 80% find the adjusted amount of seeds if the seed bulk is 60 kgs and the seeding rate is 50 kg.

RESOURCES

1. Seeds2. Piece of cloth3. Container on which to soak the seeds

Seed viability - the ability of the seed to germinate normally

Lodging – the bending of plants at ground level

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QUARTER III

LESSON V

SEEDLING MANAGEMENT

This lesson is very important in ensuring healthy seedlings growth and for a good harvest. It is all about how to prepare the seed bed, how to sow seeds, and take care of seedlings. You will learn these within twelve days.

At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:

1. prepare seed bed, sow seeds and care for rice seedlings;2. sow seeds in wet and dry seed bed;3. practice proper care and management of rice seedlings; and

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What will you learn?

What is this lesson about?

4. internalize the relevance of proper seedbed preparation, sowing and care of seedlings.

5.6.

In rice farming, it is very important to know the varieties your neighbor will be planting, as well as their expected date of sowing. This will give you the best idea when to sow your seeds to have almost a uniform date of harvesting, and for a more convenient transport of farm equipment and harvest.

Once you have identified the best variety of rice suited to the climatic conditions of the locality which is high yielding and with high quality of harvest, you must decide on the method of raising seedlings you will use based on the availability of water. The following points should be considered:

1. Select a site far from the residential area and away from wandering chicken. If not, protect the area against stray animals with a nylon net or chicken wire.

2. The site must have undergone soil analysis to be able to correct soil deficiency and to ensure healthy seed growth.

3. Make sure it is far from fields infected with tungro, grassy stunt, and other diseases. It should not be lighted at night to avoid attracting adult stem borers, brown plant hoppers, and green leaf hoppers.

4. Monitor fields nearby to detect the presence of virus-infected plants particularly from ratoon of previous crop.

5. Protect against insect vectors. If there is an abnormally high incidence of virus infestation in the area, look for better site.

Methods of Raising Seedlings

1. Wetbed Method

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Know

Seedlings raised in wetbed methodPhoto Courtesy of Mr. Efrelito Jay M. Guittap, Faculty, College of Agriculture, CLSU

The wetbed method is widely used in areas where water abounds, even in rainfed areas and in the second/dry cropping season. It is usually done 25-30 days before transplanting. The steps in the wet-bed method are:

a. Plow and harrow the field a day before sowing of seeds. Then prepare seed bed plots of any convenient length, approximately 1-1.5 meter wide. Do this in 1 to 2 days. While harrowing, allow water to flow out of the bed for some time. This will allow the weed seeds to be carried out thus leaving lesser weeds to grow in the seedbed.

b. Use mud around to raise the seedbed to about 4-5 cm. higher than the original soil level. Level the bed and slightly incline to the side using a wooden plank. This will facilitate irrigation and drainage, and to ensure uniform growth of the seedlings.

c. Incorporate carbonized rice hull or organic materials on bed for easier pulling of seedlings later.

d. Use a plot of about 400-500 sq. meters to sow 44 kg. of inbred seeds and 20 kg. for hybrid seeds (adjust seed bulk based on actual % of germination) for a one-hectare field .

e. For seedbeds with poor soil, apply 60-100 grams of nitrogen fertilizer before sowing. Then sow seeds uniformly.

Incubating the Seeds

1. Put the seeds in a container filled with water for 24 hours. Stir the water in the container while pouring seeds to allow the empty ones to float thereby separating them from the good ones.

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Photo Courtesy of Mr. Efrelito Jay M. Guittap, Faculty, College of Agriculture, CLSU

2. After 24 hours of soaking, transfer the seeds in sacks. Half fill the sacks with seeds for easier germination.

3. After soaking and putting in a half- filled sack, incubate the seeds in a warm and shady place for 36-48 hours. Moisten the seeds regularly by sprinkling with water to speed up germination.

Photo Courtesy of Mr. Efrelito Jay M. Guittap, Faculty, College of Agriculture, CLSU

Sowing the pre-germinated seeds

After the seeds have germinated, they are broadcasted uniformly on the surface of the seedbed. Avoid sowing too thickly to ensure healthy seedling growth. Too dense sowing will result in thin and weak stems.

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Courtesy of Mr. Efrelito Jay M. Guittap, Faculty ,College of Agriculture, CLSU

Care and maintenance of the Seedlings

After sowing, the pre-germinated seeds should be submerged in water overnight. Drain them the following day to ensure uniform germination.

Start shallow irrigation 2-3 cm depth within 3-5 days after sowing. Then apply nitrogen fertilizer at the rate of 5 kgs per 40-50 sq m seedbed. Continue irrigation, by gradually increasing the water depth to 5 cm. As a rule of thumb, you have to visit your seedbed always to detect occurrence of insect pests and diseases. Upon detection, immediately spray with appropriate insecticide or fungicide, following the rate recommended by the manufacturer. Transplant the seedlings using the following guide: 16 - 18 days old for the early maturing varieties harvestable after 116 days, and 20 - 25 days old for varieties that are harvestable after 126 days or more.

2. Dapog Method

Photo Courtesy of Mr. Efrelito Jay M. Guittap, Faculty, College of Agriculture, CLSU

This method is used in irrigated land with a well managed and controlled irrigation system. It is characterized

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by the absence of the soil medium, restricted area (40 sqm/ha.) and early transplanting.

Preparation of Seedbed

1. Construct seedbed the same way as the wetbed method.2. Cover the bed with banana leaves Remove the midrib, plastic sheets or heavy coarse paper to prevent the roots of the seedlings from getting in contact with the seedbed underneath and to facilitate separation of seedlings.3. Surround the seedbed with bamboo slats or banana stems held in place with a stick.

Pre-germination of seeds

1. Soak and incubate the same way as in wetbed.2. Sow seeds uniformly at the rate of one cavan (44 kg) per 40 square meters. You will need 1 ½ cavan (66 kg) seeds for one hectare field. Adjust seedbulk based on the percentage of germination of the seeds.3. Keep lining the roots in contact with the banana leaves or

plastic to prevent the seedlings from drying.

4. Press the seedbed lightly using a wooden board every morning and afternoon for 3 - 4 days.

Care and maintenance of the seedlings

Water the dapog seedlings every morning and afternoon, using water sprinkler until the seedlings are ready for transplanting. Seedlings will be ready for transplanting, 10-12 days after sowing. Instead of pulling the young plants, cut into one square foot or to any convenient size, then roll each piece.

Control of insect pests and diseases will be done following the same procedure in the production of seedlings

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in seedbed method.

THINGS TO REMEMBER

The farmer’s decision on the method to use in raising seedlings depends on the availability of water. However, wetbed method is widely used in areas where water abounds.

Production of healthy seedlings require utmost care, to ensure healthy plant growth and high production.

Activity#1

Form a group to perform the following activities in an identified area.

1. Prepare a 3m x 1m seed bed.2. Germinate seeds just enough for the area.3. Demonstrate proper sowing.4. Discuss how to take care of your seedlings.

Assign an observer group to fill up the rubric for scoring on the table below to determine how good the work group manage their activity, and vice-versa.

A. Seedbed preparationActivities Rating

1 2 3 4 51. Cleared the area2. Prepared seedbed about 4-5

cm3. Leveled the seedbed surface4. Selected the proper site for

seedbed5. Sowed seeds uniformly with

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Process

Reflect and Understand

the right thickness

B. Care of seedlingsActivities Rating

1 2 3 4 51. Visited the seedbed at least

once2. Sprayed insecticides when

there was occurrence of insect pests

3. Collected golden apple snail (GAS) eggs

4. Removed weeds5. Applied irrigation water at

recommended depth

Legend:1 = 75-79% 2 = 80-85% 3 = 86-90% 4 = 91-95% 5 = 96-100%

Activity#2

Present and discuss to the class the findings of the observer’s group performed in the activity above. Prepare a plan of action on how to improve one’s performance in doing the same task.

Activity #3

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Transfer

Post-assessment

Using the experiences gained from the above activities, and enriched by extensive readings on the topic, present to the class a discussion paper on the best method of raising seedlings for rice production both in irrigated and rainfed field conditions.

Direction: Choose the correct answer and write the letter on your quiz notebook.

1. The ideal size intended for raising seedlings using seedbed method is _______________:

a.1-1.5 m wide with any convenient length.b. 1-1.5 m wide x 10 m.c. 4m x 2m only.d. 5m x 5m.

2. The recommended soaking time for rice seeds before sowing the seedbed is________________:a. 20-22 hours. c. 28-30 hours.b. 24 hours. d. 36-48 hours.

3. How many hours of soaking will it take to incubate seeds before sowing in the seedbed?a. 36 to 48 c. 46 to 50 b. 40 to 48 d. 48 to 72

4. Five days after sowing, the seedbed is irrigated for two days at a depth ofa. 1-2 centimeter. c. 3-4 centimeters.b. 2-3 centimeters. d. 4-5 centimeters.

5. Rudy wanted to produce healthy seedlings in his rice farm How many times in a week should he visit the young plants?a. Only once c. 3 times b. Twice d. 4 times

6. Which among the following methods of raising rice seedlings is more economical?

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Glossary of Terms

a. Dapog c. Seed bed b. Dry bed d. Seed box

7. How much nitrogen should be applied per square meter in a seed bed with poor soil?

a. 50 to 80 grams c. 60 to 100 gramsb. 55 to 85 grams d. 100 to 125 grams

8. What is the average seeding rate of seeds sown using the dapog seedbed method?

a. 22 kg c. 44 kgb. 33 kg d. 66 kg

9. What is the recommended age of seedlings for transplanting of late maturing rice varieties that are harvestable in 126 days after sowing?

a. 12 - 15 days c. 18 - 20 daysb. 16 - 18 days d. 20 - 25 days

10. Which of the following methods of raising seedlings work best in areas where water is sufficiently available?

a. Wetbed c. Dry bed b. Seed box d. Dapog

Resources

1. area for the seed bed2. seeds3. bolo4. plow and harrow if needed5. plunks6. draft carabao/hand tractor7. shovel8. fertilizer9. PPE

10.Insecticides

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Seedbed – a well-prepared plot where seeds are sownDapog method – a method of raising rice seedlings

characterized by the absence of soil mediumFertilizer –any substance which is added to the soil to

supply the nutrients needed to enhance plant growth.

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LESSON VI

PULLING AND TRANSPLANTING OF SEEDLINGS/DIRECT SEEDING

Photo, Courtesy of Dr. Pedrito S. Nitural, Faculty, College of Agriculture, CLSU

Just like any other crop, raising rice seedlings needs extra care during planting and transplanting. This lesson discusses the steps in pulling seedlings, the system of transplanting, and direct seeding. You will these within twelve days.

At the end of the lesson you should be able to:

1. discuss the steps in pulling and bundling seedlings;

99

What will you learn?

What is this lesson about?

2. pull and bundle seedlings appropriately;3. transplant seedlings following the recommended distance ,

depth, and rate of planting; and4. state the advantages of direct seeding.

Proper Way of Pulling Seedlings

Hand pulling of seedlings Pulling seedlings with the use of scythePhoto Courtesy of Pedrito S. Nitural, Faculty, College of Agriculture, CLSU

1. Irrigate the seedbed overnight to a depth of at least 3-5 centimeters

to soften the soil and facilitate pulling of seedlings2. Hold the seedlings close to the base and gently pull them.

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Know

3. Another method is to use a scythe to cut through the soil half inch below the stem, This method is faster, and avoids stress and damage to the stem while ensuring that adequate roots of the seedlings are retained.

4. Bundle them in any convenient size for ease of handling.

Seedlings raised through dapog method are prepared following the steps below.

1. Cut the bed into convenient size of at least one square foot and roll each piece. Do not prune the seedlings.

2. Roll the matted dapog seedlings.3. Tie the rolled seedlings.

Pulling and Transplanting of Seedlings

Pulling of seedlings will be done one day before transplanting. According to the CBLM year 3, early maturing rice varieties that can be harvested from 110 to 115 days after transplanting will be transplanted from 16 to18 days after sowing. However, late maturing varieties will be transplanted from 20 to 25 days after sowing.

Proper Transplanting of Seedlings

Right after the final harrowing, level the field using a wooden plank attached to a harrow. Then allow the mud to subside. With the aid of a wooden planting guide prepare lines by pulling on the leveled field. These lines will serve as guides in transplanting at a uniform p distance of planting. An example is 20 cm x 20 cm or any desired distance depending on the variety. This is to allow the plant to attain its maximum tillering and it also facilitates weed control later, using a rotary weeder.

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Photo Courtesy of Pedrito S. Nitural, Faculty, College of Agriculture, CLSU

1. Straight row planting. Seedlings are transplanted in straight rows where definite spacing is maintained between plants.

Straight row planting enhances the attainment of an optimum plant population and it facilitates the application of fertilizer and weeding operations using a rotary weeder.

Use guides or markers to attain straight rows. Hold the seedlings in between the thumb and the first and second finger and insert these gently into the soil. Plant seedlings in spots indicated by the guides or markers.

After planting a row, move backward to the next row and resume planting. Handle seedlings carefully before transplanting to avoid injury. In case there is a delay in transplanting, it is suggested to increase the number of seedlings per hill by one for each day that transplanting is delayed. This compensates the reduced tillering capacity once the seedlings get older due to transplanting delay.

For inbred varieties of rice, transplant 2-3 seedlings per hill and 1-2 seedlings for the hybrid varieties at a depth of 2-3 centimeters. Transplant early maturing varieties 16-20 days after sowing while medium maturing ones at 16-30 days after sowing.

If transplanting is delayed up to 30 days for early maturing and 35 days for medium maturing varieties, increase the seedling rate to 5 – 8 seedlings per hill.

For highland rice culture, cold tolerant traditional varieties are transplanted 30 – 45 days at a distance of 15 cm x 20 cm with 2 – 3 seedlings per hill

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Proper way of holding seedling to transplant

Random transplantingPhoto Courtesy of Mr. Efrelito Jay M. Guittap, Faculty, College of Agriculture, CLSU

2. Random transplanting.This method of transplanting has no specific distance in planting. However, planters tend to plant too close or too far which sometimes adversely affect the potential yield of the variety and the use of rotary weeder. This method is faster but it requires use of more seeds (66 to 68 kg/ha.). It is economical, however, because it does not entail high cost of labor.

Seedlings raised in dapog method should be transplanted 4 - 7 seedlings per hill using the straight row or random planting method.

After planting, place extra seedlings along the alleyways of the field to be used for replanting 3-5 days after transplanting.

Direct Seeding

This method could be done in irrigated and dry rainfed

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planting. Direct seeding in puddled soil is recommended in areas where irrigation facilities are costly, scarce, and just rely on rain.

For land preparation, follow the procedure in preparing irrigated field for transplanting. Follow the procedure in pre-germinating the seeds. Broadcast 80-100 kg/ha of pre-germinated rice seeds in well-prepared and leveled paddies. A new technology has been introduced with the use of a drum seeder . The drum seeder regulates the distance of planting and the number of seeds per hill. For upland or rainfed areas, pre-germinated seeds are drilled in rows or in furrows at the rate of 2-3 seeds/hill at a distance of 20-30 centimeters. Drain the field the following day to facilitate uniform germination of seeds.

Direct seeding with the use of drum seeder. Photo Courtesy of Dr. Pedrito S. Nitural, Faculty, College of Agriculture, CLSU

Direct seeding of pre-germinated seeds using the drum seeder saves seeds and facilitates mechanical weeding. Drum seeder regulates plant distance with fairly low rate of seeds at 50-100 kg per hectare.

104

A mechanical seederPhoto Courtesy of Dr. Pedrito S. Nitural, Faculty, College of Agriculture, CLSU

For rainfed rice planting, seeds are planted by means of mechanical seeder seen in the figure above. Another method is by dibbling or drilling.

Dibbling. Seeds are dibbled in straight rows at 15 cm x 15 cm to 25 cm x 25 cm. with 5 - 8 seeds per hill.

Drilling. Seeds are planted in furrows made by plow with the same distance and rate of seeding as in dibbling.

IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER

A day before transplanting, pull seedlings carefully to minimize seedling damage.

Clean and bundle seedlings for ease of transporting. Random transplanting has no definite distance and alignment

between plants while straight row planting has uniform distance and spaces.

Direct seeding can be done by broadcasting or with the use of a drum seeder or mechanical seeder. It requires less labor in planting.

105

Process

Reflect and Understand

Activity #1

1. Divide the class into two groups. The first group will pull seedlings while the second group will transplant seedlings.

2. Demonstrate direct seeding by broadcast system.

The teacher will fill up the rubrics based on student performance in the activities to find out their learned skills.

Name of students

ActivitiesHold seedlings close to ground

Pull seedling gently

Clean and bundle seedlings

Follow proper distance and rate of planting

1.2.3.

Legend:1 = 75-79%2 = 80-85%3 = 86-90%4 = 91-95%5 = 96-100%

Activity#2

Watch a video presentation of new technologies in transplanting rice seedling like the use of a transplanting machine. Brainstorm on the advantages and disadvantages of mechanical seeder over the manual transplanting method. Emphasize on the positive impact of farm mechanization in boosting production.

106 Transfer

Post-assessment

Activity#3

Organize a small farmer learning cell and act as an agent of change in the community. Demonstrate the use of transplanter and seeder technologies in the locality. Each student should have at least five farmer- learners/cooperators.

A. Answer the following test items. Write the letter of your choice in your quiz notebook.

1. The random system of transplantinga. provides enough space for growing plant.b. makes weeding using rotary weeder difficult.c. makes hand pulling of weeds difficult.d. causes overcrowding of plants.

2. What is the average number of transplanted seedlings per hill?

a. 2-3 seedlingsb. 3-4 seedlingsc. 4-5 seedlingsd. 6-7 seedlings

3. What should be considered in straight row system of transplanting rice?

a. Its variety, season, and fertility of the soilb. The provision of enough space for photosynthesisc. Its spacing of the plant for easy weedingd. The harvesting of rice plants during the maturity period

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Glossary of Terms

4. What is the average rate of transplanting for hybrid seedlings per hill?

a. 1 – 2 c. 4 - 7 b. 3 – 6 d. 7 - 10

5. When is the right time to replant missing hills after transplanting?

a. 3 – 5 days after plantingb. 5 - 7 days after plantingc. 7 – 9 days after plantingd. 10 – 12 days after planting

B. Answer the following:

1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of direct seeding?

2. How and when do you pull seedlings for transplanting?

RESOURCES

1. references2. seedlings raised in seed bed3. pre-germinated seeds4. string (planting guide)5. dibbler

Random planting - a system of planting with no definite distance or alignment usually done by contract

Straight row planting - a system of planting with specific distance and spacing

Transplanting - means to plant the seedlings from the seed bed to the paddies

Dibbler - a small pointer tool used for making holes in the soil for planting seeds.

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Dibbling - the process of preparing the holes in the field for planting of seeds or seedlings using a dibbler..

Mechanical seeder- a machine used in direct seeding of pre-germinated seeds in either lowland or upland field condition.

Drum seeder- an equipment used for direct seeding of pre-germinated seeds, either lowland or upland field condition.

109

LESSON VII

NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT

Photo Courtesy of Dr. Pedrito S. Nitural, Faculty, College of Agriculture, CLSU

This lesson will equip you with the knowledge on the macro and micro elements of the soil and their functions, the kinds of fertilizer materials, and amount of fertilizer to apply, methods of applying fertilizer, and the time to apply it. You will learn these within thirteen days.

At the end of the lesson you should be able to:

1. identify the macro and micro elements needed by the plants;2. state the functions of each macro element;

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What will you learn?

What is this lesson about?

3. enumerate the kinds of fertilizer materials;4. apply fertilizer appropriately;5. compute the recommended rate of fertilizer per given area;6. appreciate the value of proper fertilization.

Proper application of fertilizer will give you more returns from your rice crop at less cost. For maximum returns, fertilizer should be applied at the right amount, place, and at the time the crop needs it. Indiscriminate application of fertilizer will result in plant over growth which will make the plant susceptible to pests and diseases causing it to be less productive.

The result of the soil analysis explained and discussed in Lesson 2 should be the basis in determining the right amount of fertilizer to be applied.

The assigned Municipal Agricultural Officer in your locality could be tapped to provide assistance in case the soil intended for rice production has not been analyzed.

In the absence of soil analysis, refer to any available Fertilizer Recommendation Maps in your locality. Follow the average general recommendation and time of application.

The Macro and Micro Elements of the Soil and their Functions

According to the CBLM Year 3 there are 10 essential plant foods needed for the development of any crop. However, only three are usually taken from the soil, air and water in sufficient amount. These are the macro elements: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P2O5) and potassium (K2O) or NPK. The micro elements are sulfur, zinc, molybdenum, copper, boron, manganese, and magnesium. The functions of the macro elements, signs and symptoms of deficiency, and sources are identified below:

Nitrogen (N)Functions:

Stimulates growth of the leaves and stems

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Know

It gives dark green color to plantDeficiency symptoms:

Pale yellow in color Lower leaves will die early Short and stunted plant

Excess of nitrogen causes the plant to lodge before booting which will cause decrease in the yield of rice. If you observe the plants to be dark green it is already prone to lodging. Do not apply nitrogenous fertilizer anymore.

Sources of Nitrogen1. Ammonium sulfate (21 – 0 – 0)2. Ammonium phosphate (16 – 20 – 0)3. Urea (46 – 0 – 0)4. Organic fertilizer5. Liquid fertilizer

Phosphorous (P)Functions:

1. Encourages root growth2. Hastens maturity of the plant3. Helps in the production of seeds

Deficiency symptoms: Not enough tillers per hill

Sources:1. Superphosphate (0-20-0)2. Ammonium phosphate(16-20-0)3. Triphosphate(0-45-0) 4. Complete fertilizer (14-14-14)5. Liquid fertilizer6. Organic fertilizer

Potassium (K)Functions:

1. Increases the vigor of the plant.2. Plant becomes more resistant to disease.3. Stalks become stronger.4. Grains become bigger and plump.

Deficiency symptoms: Plant growth, root development, and seed development

are usually reduced.Sources:

1.Muriate of potash (0-0-60) 2.Complete fertilizer (14 – 14 – 14)

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Proper Storing of Fertilizers

Although fertilizers are not highly poisonous chemicals, always keep them out of reach of children and away from the supply of foods. Store fertilizers in a dry and cool place. They should be protected from moist and rain. Do not allow the fertilizer bags to touch the cement floors to prevent caking due to accumulation of moisture.

Kinds of Fertilizer

There are two kinds of fertilizers: organic and inorganic.

1. Organic fertilizer refers to the fertilizer that comes from decayed plant and animal residues such as:

a. Animal manure. Animal manures are especially valuable in crop production. In addition as plant food, they supply large amounts of organic matter to the soil. The composition depends chiefly on the kind of manure and the condition of their storage. Well-decomposed manure is better than fresh. These are main components in composting and vermi-composting.Average Chemical Composition of Manures

Manure Type Moisture

%

Composition %

N P K Ca Mg

Cattle Fresh

Decompose

d

79.9

71.4

2.0

6

2.4

1

0.6

6

0.7

5

0.7

7

0.8

8

0.7

0

0.8

8

0.1

6

0.1

2

Carabao Fresh

Decompose

d

71.0

67.8

1.2

2

1.0

9

0.8

5

0.8

2

0.7

9

0.7

0

0.1

5

0.1

9

0.0

9

-

Swine Fresh

Decompose

d

73.8

70.5

2.7

6

2.1

2.6

4

2.4

1.4

7

0.9

1.2

6

0.3

0.0

9

0.0

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1 1 7 5 4

Poultry Fresh

Decompose

d

82.2

44.6

3.1

7

3.1

7

3.2

5

3.2

9

2.3

5

2.4

1

0.5

2

0.6

5

0.2

5

0.3

7 Source:THE III, SEDP Series

Preparing soil mixture using organic fertilizer as one of the component

Courtesy of Pedrito S. Nitural, Faculty ,College of Agriculture, CLSU

b. Green manures are green growing plants that are plowed under. Leguminous plants are mainly used for this purpose due to their capacity to produce nutrients in their root nodules. Upon decomposition, nutrients become available to new crops grown in the area. Green manure supplies the crop its needed nutrients like nitrogen and others.

c. Compost is an organic material consisting of very fine, thoroughly decomposed mixture of manure, plant parts, and other organic matter. It contains mineral elements needed for plant growth. It is prepared by piling up animal manure, soil, crop residues, lime or wood ashes. It could also be produced through vermi-composting using African night crawlers (ANC) worms which produce cast which is a very good source of organic material.

2. Inorganic Fertilizer. These are the commercial fertilizers. They are concentrated form of plant food which maybe complete or incomplete. A complete fertilizer contains all the three macro elements (NPK). An incomplete fertilizer contains only one or two of these elements – N, P or K.

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Inorganic fertilizers are classified according to the number of fertilizer elements present.

a. Single element fertilizers. These contain only one element. Examples:Ammonium sulphate(21-0-0)Urea (46-0-0)Ordinary superphosphate (20-0-0)Muriate of potash (0-0-60)

b. Incomplete fertilizers. These fertilizers contain only two fertilizer elements. Examples:Mono-ammonium phosphate (21-53-0)(18-46-0) and (16-20-0) (11-18-0)

c. Complete Fertilizers. These contain all three major elements, N,P,K in percentages indicated respectively by the three numerals .Examples:12-12-12, 14-14-14, 12-24-12, 10-25-25, 5-10-16

All the commercial fertilizers are manufactured to meet the demands of different crops and different soil types. They provide the plants with ready concentrated amount of nutrients for plant growth, the same elements found in an organic fertilizer but greater in percentage. But its excessive use results in depleted organic matter and losses in soil friability and its ability to resist drought. Commercial fertilizers should be supplements but never as replacements for compost and manures. It will be best to use a combination of organic and inorganic fertilizers to be able to preserve and improve the quality of the soil.

According to the Palay Check Program of PhilRice, here is the recommended rate of application of fertilizers based on the identified deficiencies. It will be better if you will still follow your computed rate of fertilizer application based on the result of the soil analysis.

Deficiencies Irrigated Rain fed

P and K are not deficient First application:3-3.5 bags 14-14-14-12S

First application:4-4.5 bags 14-14-14-12S

P and K are deficient For fine-textured soil:First application:3-3.5 bags 14-14-14-12S +0.5 bag 16-20-0 + 0.5 bag 0-0-60

For medium-textured soil:

For fine-textured soil:First application:4-4.5 bags 14-14-14-12S +1 bag 16-20-0 + 1 bag 0-0-60

For medium-textured soil:

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First application:3.5 bags 14-14-14-12S + 0.5 bag 16-20-0

At EPI:0.5 bag 0-0-60

First application:4.5 bags 14-14-14-12S +1 bag 16-20-0

At EPI:1 bag 0-0-60

Only P is deficientFirst application:3-3.5 bags 14-14-14-12S +0.5 16-20-0

First application:4-4.5 bags 14-14-14-12S +1 bag 16-20-0

Only K is deficient

For fine-textured soil:First application:3-3.5 bags 14-14-14-12S +0.5 bag 0-0-60

For medium-textured soil:First application:3.5 bags 14-14-14-12S +0.5 bag 0-0-60At EPI:0.5 bag 0-0-60

For fine-textured soil:First application:4-4.5 bags 14-14-14-12S +1 bag 0-0-60

For medium-textured soil:First application:4.5 bags 14-14-14-12S + 0.5 bag 0-0-60At EPI:1 bag 0-0-60

WHEN TO APPLY FERTILIZER

1. Basal Application. Right before the last harrowing, one or two days before transplanting, drain all water from the field and apply 1/2 of the recommended nitrogen (N), all the phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) depending on the variety used and the age of seedlings when transplanted. It will be best to use a combination of organic and inorganic fertilizers in the basal application using 10 bags of organic fertilizer per hectare together with the ½ recommended rate of inorganic fertilizer

2. Top dress. Timely application of top dress fertilizer is very important to supply the needed nutrients for healthy and long panicle. Apply or broadcast the remaining nitrogen 5 – 7 days before panicle initiation or 70 – 72 days before maturity.

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Photo Courtesy of Mr. Roger C. Nazareno, Farmer, San Pedro Apartado Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Pangasinan

3. Foliar Application. Different brands of foliar fertilizer have different composition but the method and timing of application are the same. Start application 45 days after transplanting at 10 – 14 days interval. Refer to the table below for the direction.

Crop Fertilizer Time of application Interval day

RateTbs/16 l

RICECrop Giant (Orange level) 15 – 15 – 30 +

ME

Early in the morning or late in the afternoon.Start application 45

days after transplanting

10 – 14 4- 6

Foliar Plus15 – 15 – 30 + ME

Apply 15 days after transplanting

4 x / 15 days

interval

6 - 8

Proper Timing of Top Dressing In Rice

Sufficient nutrients from tillering to early panicle initiation and flowering stages will result to good crop growth, good panicle development, and attainment of the yield potential of a given variety.

MATURITYTRANSPLANTED

18 – 21 daysPanicle initiation (DAYS)

TRANSPLANTED25 – 28 days

IrrigatedVEM (100 – 105)

IR -56, IR-58IR – 36, IR – 60,

BPI R; 10UPL R, -4

MM (115 – 130)IR – 42, IR – 64

BPI R; 4,IR – 46, IR – 52

RAINFEDMM (120 – 130)

C – 22Wagwag

48 – 56

58 – 66

58 -66

48 -56

48 – 5675 - 80

Legend: VEM = Very early maturityMM = Moderate Maturity

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Correct Amount of Fertilizer to be Applied

In computing the right amount of fertilizers to be applied in a given area, make use of the result of soil analysis and the recommended rate of application of fertilizers. It requires the ability to compute for the fertilizer need in a given crop per unit area. One way of expressing fertilizer rate is by kilogram nitrogen (N) phosphoric acid (P2O5) and kilogram soluble potassium (K2O) per hectare. Another way is by bags of the fertilizer material per hectare. For farmers it is advisable to use the latter but for extension men, the former is used to facilitate communication.

The amount of fertilizer to be applied per hectare to supply a certain amount of plant nutrient depends on the recommended rate and composition of the fertilizer material to be used.

Fertilizer Computation Formula:

Formula # 1

Weight of fertilizer material= Recommended rate x 100

% nutrient of the fertilizer material

Formula # 2

Number of fertilizer bags = Weight of nutrient Weight of nutrient per bag

Sample Problems and Computations

The recommended rate is given in the form of NPK. Calculate the number of kilograms of ammonium sulfate (21% N or 21–0–0) or Urea (45-0-0), super phosphate (20% P2O5 or 0–20–0) and muriate of potash (60% K2O or 0–0–60) to meet the 100–70–40 fertilizer recommendation.

Example # 1The recommended rate for Nitrogen is 100–0–0/ha. Convert

the weight of fertilizer using the formula:

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Weight of fertilizer material= Recommended rate x 100 % nutrient of the fertilizer material

Step1. Determine the kind of fertilizer to use to meet the N recommended rate. The recommendations could be supplied with ammonium sulfate (21 – 0 - ) or urea (46 – 0 – 0). If you use urea:

= 100 kg x 100 46= 100 kg .46= 217.39 kg

Step 2. Convert the computed weight of fertilizer material into number of bags by dividing it with 50 kg which is the commercial weight per bag of the fertilizer material.

= 217.39 kg 50 kg/bag= 4.35 or 4.4 bags

Therefore, approximately 4.4 bags of urea per hectare are needed to supply the fertilizer recommended rate of 100-0-0.

Example # 2Step 1. Determine the amount of fertilizer to use to meet the recommended rate for phosphorous 0-70-0. The recommendations could be supplied with super phosphate (0 –20 -0 ):

= 70 kg x 100 20= 70 kg or 3.5 x 100 .20= 350 kg

Step 2. Convert the computed weight of fertilizer material into number of bags by dividing it with 50 kg which is the commercial weight per bag of the fertilizer material.

= 350 kg

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50 kg/bag= 7 bags

Therefore, a total of 7 bags per hectare are needed to supply the fertilizer recommended rate of 0-70-0.

Example # 3Step 1. Determine the amount of fertilizer to use to meet the recommended rate for potassium 0-0-40. The recommendations could be supplied with muriate of potash (0- 0-60 ):

= 40 kg x 100 60= 40 kg or 0.6666 x 100 .60= 66.67 kg

Step 2. Convert the computed weight of fertilizer material into number of bags by dividing it with 50 kg which is the commercial weight per bag of the fertilizer material.

= 66.67 kg 50 kg/bag= 1.33bags

Therefore, approximately 1.33 bags per hectare are needed to supply the fertilizer recommended rate of 0-0-60.

Example # 4

The fertilizer recommendation for a given area is 80–50-0 per hectare. Compute the kind and amount of fertilizer needed to meet the requirement.

Step 1. Determine the fertilizer to be used. The recommendation could be supplied by:

ammonium phosphate (16–20-0) and urea (46–0–0) or ammonium sulfate (21-0–0) or urea (46–0–0) and ordinary phosphate (0–16–0) or superphosphate (0–20–0).

Step 2. If you use two single element fertilizers follow the

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same sequence as example 1. If ammonium phosphate is to be used (16–20-0) or superphosphate (0-20-0)

Step 3. Determine the weight of the fertilizer with the formula:

Weight of fertilizer material= Recommended rate x 100

% nutrient of the fertilizer material

= 50 kg x 100 20

= 30 kg .20

= 250 kg

Step 4. Change into number of bags by dividing with 50 kg/bag.

= 250 kg 50 kg/ha= 5 bags

Step 5. Find the nutrient weight of nitrogen. Since 16–20–0 has 16% nitrogen and 20% phosphorus 250 kilograms 16–20–0 contains 25 kg N and 30 kg phosphorus.

Therefore, 250 kg of 16–20–0 will supply 40–50–0 nutrient weight.

Step 6. Subtract the nutrient weight in step 5 from the recommendation rate.

80 – 50 – 0 - 40 – 50 – 0

40 – 0 – 0

Step 7. Suppose urea is available, compute for the remaining nutrient.

= 40 kg x 100 46= 36 kg .46

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= 86.96 kg

Step 8. Change the number of kilograms into bags per hectare.

= 86.96 kg 50 kg/bag= 1.74 bags

Finally, 5 bags of ammonium phosphate and 1.74 bags of urea are needed to satisfy the recommendation.

Example # 5.Suppose the fertilizer recommendation is 100–60–60 per

hectare. In this case, you may use complete fertilizer 14–14–14 and urea (46–0–0) to come up with the recommendation.

Step 1. Compute for the smaller content first which is 60 to determine the amount of complete fertilizer needed to supply the requirement .

Weight of fertilizer material= Recommended rate x 100 % nutrient of the fertilizer material

= 60 kg x 100 14= 60 kg 0.14= 428.6 kg

Step 2. Convert the weight of fertilizer material into number of bags by dividing the weight of fertilizer material per hectare by 50 kg.

= 428.6 kg 50 kg/ha= 8.6 bags

Step 3. Since 14–14–14 contains 14% NPK equivalent to 60 kg determine the remaining or lacking amount of nitrogen by subtracting the computed weight from the recommended rate.

100 - 60 - 60 - 60 - 60 - 60

40 - 00 – 00

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Step 4. Compute for the lacking amount of nitrogen using urea (46-0-0)

= 40 kg x 100 46= 86.96 kg

Step 5. Convert the number of kilograms into bags/ha.

= 86.96.2 kg 50 kg/bag= 1.74 bags

So you need 8.6 bags of 14–14–14 and 1.7 bags of urea to supply the fertilizer recommendation per hectare.

LET US REMEMBER

Oversupply of nutrients result to increased susceptibility of the crop to pests, lodging, etc.

Undersupply and untimely application slow down the growth of seedlings, lower number of tillers, and lower grain weight.

The macro elements are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK).

The two kinds of fertilizers are the organic and inorganic. The methods of applying fertilizers are basal, top dress, and

foliar . Fertilizer computation formulas:

Formula # 1

Weight of fertilizer material= Recommended rate x 100 % nutrient of the fertilizer material

Formula # 2

Number of fertilizer bags = Weight of nutrient

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Reflect and Understand

Weight of nutrient per bag

Activity#1

Solve these problems.1. The fertilizer recommendation for rice crop planted in clay

loam soil type is (45 – 0 – 0). Determine the amount of fertilizer needed to supply the recommended rate if you use ammonium sulfate (21-0-0) and urea (46-0-0) to supply the nitrogen.

2. The fertilizer recommendation for clay soil is 40 – 20 – 0. Determine the kind and amount of fertilizer needed to supply the recommended rate using ammonium sulfate (21-0-0) as the source of (N)and ordinary superphosphate (0-20-0) as the source of P2O5.

Activity#2

Research from the internet how to formulate soil nutrient booster, using materials that can be sourced out from the locality. Present your output to the class for deliberations. Once polished, each group should come up with their own sample output.

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Process

Transfer

Post-assessment

Glossary of Terms

Activity#3

Conduct some field research on the possible combinations of different kinds and amount of fertilizers to come up with the best yield result. Course the recommendations to the farmer cooperators/learners for field trials to validate research results.

Compute what is being asked. Write your answers on your quiz notebook.

Mang Seve Dalaw, a traditional farmer was encouraged by the success stories of farmers adopting the new technologies of farming. He had his farm analyzed for the first time and came up with the recommended rate of fertilizer application of 95-65-50.Find the number of bags needed using the following fertilizers:

Complete fertilizer 14-14-14Ammonium phosphate 16-20-0Urea 45-0-0

RESOURCES

ReferenceFertilizer samples

a. Organicb. Inorganic

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Fertilizer – any substance added to the soil to supply the needed nutrient elements for plant growth

Macro elements - substances or nutrients needed by plants in large quantities

Micro elements - substances or nutrients needed by plants in small quantities

Organic fertilizer - a fertilizer that comes from decomposed plant and animal residues

Inorganic fertilizer - a commercially prepared and in concentrated form of plant food which may be complete or incomplete. It is complete when the three macro elements are present (NPK); incomplete when one or two elements are lacking

Fertilizer ratio - the relative percentage of N, P2O5 and K2O in a fertilizer grade. Example: 14–14-14 has a ratio of 1.1.1 NPK

Fertilizer recommendation - the recommended rate of fertilizer application expressed in kilograms N,P and K per hectare

Example: 90–50–30 fertilizer recommendation indicates that in a certain kind of soil you need to apply 90 kg N, 50 kg P2O5 and 30 kg K2O per hectare.

Fertilizer formula - the quantity and analysis of fertilizer materials which make up a mixed fertilizer

Example: ammonium sulfate, urea, super phosphate and muriate of potash

Fertilizer grade - the minimum guarantee of the nutrient content in terms of percent N, P and K.

Example: If urea is 46 percent N that means 46 kg of every 100 kg of the fertilizer material (46%) is available N.

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LESSON VIII

WATER MANAGEMENT

Water management is very essential in rice production. This lesson

presents the types of irrigation system, schedule of irrigation, water use and disposal and the six stages of rice growth when the field is to be drained . You will learn these in thirteen days.

At the end of the lesson you should be able to:

1. determine the right depth of water at a certain stage of plant growth;

2. irrigate and drain the field appropriately;3. choose the appropriate method of irrigating the field; and4. consider the importance of water in the management of

lowland rice production.

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Know

What will you learn?

What is this lesson about?

Due to climate change, the supply of water is becoming scarce nowadays. The extreme changes of weather conditions in the different regions of the country caused a dramatic impact in rice production. Places with extreme rainfall experience flooding while those with scarce rainfall face long drought. Both situations cause soil degradation, resulting in loss of agricultural production.

Dams that hold water for irrigation purposes become destructive during rainy season due to excessive supply of water, yet becomes inutile to supply water during summer when it is needed most in the rice fields. Farmers turn to use of water pumps to source out water from deep wells but the water level below is getting deeper each year making it very expensive for farmers to sustain a profitable rice production.

Water is life. It is one of the most important factors in increasing production of our staple food. It determines the availability of nutrients in the soil and control weeds. Hence, efficient utilization and conservation of irrigation water are necessary.

Water insufficiency in any stage most especially during the vegetative and reproductive growth stages is evident. It reduces plant height, tiller number, and yield. Water is most critical from panicle initiation to grain development. Lack of water during these stages leads to production of unfilled grains.

Water Management

For efficient water management in irrigated rice production, take note of the following desirable recommended water depth at different stages of growth:

a. After transplanting, irrigate the puddied field with a depth of 2 - 3 centimeters.

b. Maintain this water depth from 3–5 D A T(Days After Transplanting), then gradually increase the level up to 5 cm as the crop grows. Avoid deep flooding to minimize percolation and seepage. Keep farm ditches well-shaped and free of weeds to allow quick flow of irrigation water with minimum loss.

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c. At tillering stage, keep water depth at 2 - 3 centimeters.

d. Maintain the water depth at 3–5 cm during panicle initiation stage.

e. At ripening stage, maintain deep inflow of water 20 days after flowering then drain the field 2 – 3 weeks before harvesting.

For rainfed areas construct bigger and higher dikes to impound more water. It should be about 25 – 30 cm high to free it from rats, holes and breaks. Start impounding water during the early stage of growthgradually increasing from 5 cm. to a maximum of 15 cm as the crop becomes taller.

When there is abundant water supply, the field must be kept submerged for 3-5 days after transplanting. A depth of 2-3 cm is enough to get higher yield. But a depth of 5-10 cm helps control weeds. However, there are periods when the rice field has to be drained for a specific purpose and water efficiency. These are:

1. during transplanting, for ease and more accurate distance and spacing of planting

2. during early stage of growth, to attain maximum tillering and to prevent late tillers to come out for a uniform plant growth and development

3. during weeding, for easier control of weeds using a mechanical weeder

4. fertilizer application, for the plants to be able to absorb the maximum nutrients from the applied fertilizers

5. maximum tillering stage, to attain uniform growth, and

6. two weeks before harvesting, to facilitate grain development and maturity and for ease of harvesting and transport

Draining the field during the maximum tillering stage prevents the emergence of late tillers and the accumulation of toxic nitrogen which the plant needs. It is necessary to let the water flow out of the rice field while the paddy is being drained. Water must be channeled to other paddies that need it.

Types of Irrigation System

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a. Reservoir type. A large dam or a small water impounding dam is constructed across a stream of river where water is impounded for irrigation and for domestic use. The flow of irrigation water is dependent on the selection of the methods of water distribution to meet the water needs of the service area. The rotation method is usually employed to ensure even distribution of available water supply and to ensure that a wider area will be supplied with irrigation water.

b. The run-off-the-river type. In this method a controllable gate is constructed along the river or stream . When water outlet is closed, water level rise which could be diverted to the canals and laterals. The quantity of water entering the main canal is regulated at the intake gate. The available water supply is dependent on the elevation at the source. As a general rule, the supply is proportionate to the height of the source and volume flowing from the source. During periods of high flow when available supply becomes abundant, the continuous method is usually practiced. When the supply is scarce, the rotational method is employed.

c. Pumping type. This method makes use of a pump powered by an engine installed to draw water from underground or open sources like rivers and lakes. The available water supply is dependent upon the capacity of the pumps and the water level. Energy is used to run the system, hence, higher operation expenses are incurred. When using this type, never allow the rice paddies to dry and have cracks, which will cause water seepage making irrigation more expensive.

Whatever type of irrigation is used, cooperation among farmers is to be practiced at all times in order to implement the schedule of irrigation calendar for an efficient and effective rotation method.

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Irrigating the field using water pump , at the panicle initiation stage of rice where water supply is very important.

Efficient Water Use and Disposal

To determine the right amount of water to use, consider the following:

1. Rice variety. You may need more water for the late maturing varieties than early maturing varieties.

2. Season. Wet season crops need less water than dry season crops.

3. Types of soil. Clay or clay loam soil needs less water than light soil such as sand.

4. Presence of weeds. Flooding the field always prevent the growth of weeds.

Water may be lost through the following processes:

1. Evaporation. It is the direct loss of water from the water surface or moist soil surface. The amount of water that evaporates is influenced by high intensity of sunlight, strong and dry wind, and high temperature. Second crop rice production which is on time with the summer season needs more water to sustain growth and yield.

2. Transpiration. It is the loss of water from the leaves. Transpiration is affected by the weather condition. More water will be lost during dry season which explains the need of constant irrigation.

3. Seepage. Water moves sideways within the soil. It may pass through the dike or below the ground. This can be minimized if the dikes and levees are well-maintained.

4. Percolation. It is the downward flow of water. Its occurrence is high if the soil is sandy, deep, and has a deep water table.

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Well-puddled rice paddies minimize percolation and tend to hold water efficiently.

IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER

The three systems of irrigation are:1. reservoir type2. run – off – the river or free flowing3. pumping type

The methods of water distribution are:1. rotational2. continuous method

The factors to consider in determining the right amount of irrigation water to use are:

1. rice variety2. season3. type of soil4. presence of weeds

The six stages of rice growth when the rice field has to be drained:

1. during transplanting2. early stage of growth3. weeding4. fertilizer application5. maximum tillering stage6. two weeks before harvesting

Adequate water supply is needed to:

o facilitate land preparation especially leveling;

o ensure good crop establishment with faster root development;

o promote seedling vigor and normal crop growth and development with minimal lodging; and

o facilitate better nutrient uptake with the right amount and timing of water.

Efficient water management means

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Reflect and Understand

o Achieve 3-5 cm water depth every irrigation time from early tillering until 1-2 weeks before crop maturity or harvest.

A water depth of about 3-5 cm will be maintained from 10 DAT or 10-15 DAS to near crop maturity will ensure water status for optimum crop growth and yield. However, under field conditions, irrigation water supply may be insufficient to maintain a flooded soil condition or a certain surface water depth. While a certain flood water depth can control weeds, saturated soil condition at an early crop growth stage can reduce snail mobility and damage.

Stop irrigation one week before harvesting for medium textured soil and 2 weeks before harvesting for fine textured soil.

This ensures sufficient moisture to complete grain filling and facilitates harvest operations. This also helps ensure better grain appearance, i.e., grains will not be

splashed with mud and water.

Activity#1

Make a powerpoint presentation on effective and efficient water management on rice production. Encourage fellow students’ interactions to broaden your knowledge.

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Process

Post-assessment

Activity#2

Access the website of the different agencies and companies engaged in rice research. Study and compare their water management technologies. Select one which you believe is best suited to the community and present it in class.

Activity#3

As an offshoot of your research papers that you had presented in the class, demonstrate the technology selected in the assigned area in the school farm. Encourage your farmer-cooperators/learners to explore the fun of cooperative work and learn with you.

Answer the following questions. Write your answer on your quiz notebook.

1. Enumerate the procedure in installing the water pump to irrigate rice paddies.

2. Describe in, at least, 10 sentences how to minimize water loses in the rice paddies.

3. Identify the six stages of rice growth when the field is to be drained and give the importance of doing it.

Resources1. References 2. Foot rule to measure the depth of water3. Irrigation pump, if necessary

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Transfer

Glossary of Terms

DAT – days after transplantingTillering stage – starts with the development and

appearance of the first shoot/tiller and ends when the plant stops producing tillers

Panicle initiation – beginning of the reproductive phase characterized by the formation of the panicle within the stalks

Milk stage – stage of rice growth when the content of the grain becomes milky

Irrigation – the application of water needed by the plant by means of any method

Drainage –a shallow canal to remove excess water from the field when not needed

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QUARTER IV

LESSON IX

PEST MANAGEMENT

This lesson covers the pest management in rice production to include weeds, insect pests, and diseases . It covers the kinds of weeds, methods of weeding, kinds of herbicides, and methods of applying them. The signs and symptoms of major insect pests and diseases of rice and their control will be discussed too. You will learn these within fifteen days.

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What will you learn?

What is this lesson about?

After the lesson you should be able to:1. classify the types of weeds, insects, and pests found in rice

fields;2. discuss the importance of pest management;3. undertake pest management using appropriate methods;4. explain the methods of applying chemicals to control pests;5. explain the integrated pest management (IPM)6. observe safety measures in handling chemicals; and7. cite the potential loss in production due to pests.

The rice field is a complete battleground for existence, where our human interest clashes with many organisms. While we are doing our best to produce the highest possible yield to ensure food sufficiency, pests such as rodents, birds, insects eat their way for their survival too. The bacteria and fungi invade plant tissues and the weeds compete with the plants for food. Mother nature is sometimes cruel that plants wither during drought and submerge them when flood comes. It takes a lot of challenges to produce enough food for the ballooning population. With enough knowledge and skills in pest management, we could limit their effects and continue to increase production to help contribute to sustainable development through sustained rice production.

In the past, farmers immediately apply toxic chemicals upon detection of some pests in the rice field. It is their most convenient way of controlling them. But, due to increased awareness and understanding of the ill effects of these chemicals in our environment,friendly technologies have been developed to reduce significantly the destructive pests through integrated pest management. It is a combination of effective cultural, biological, chemical, genetic, and physical cropping practices.

Both approaches, the chemical and IPM should be both used with responsible discretion of the farmers to boost production and at the same time protect our mother earth for a sustainable livable

137

Know

environment.

For us to implement these approaches wisely, we need to know more about these pests:

Weeds are plants that grow in places where they are not wanted. Weeds reduce rice yields by competing with rice plants for sunlight, moisture, space, and soil nutrients. They also serve as alternate hosts of insect pests and diseases. They are more serious in upland and direct seeded wet land than in transplanted irrigated rice paddies.

The types of weeds commonly found in rice fields are:

1. Grasses. These are monocotyledonous plants which have long narrow leaves, usually flat leaves with parallel veins and round hollow stem. Among these are:

a. Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pens Common name: bakbaka or galut-galut (Iloc.), kawadkawad (Tag.), Bermuda grass or runners (Eng.)

b. Echinochloa glabrescens MuriroEchinochloa crusgalli sbsp. HispidulaCommon name: marapagay (Iloc.), bayakibok (Tag.), Barnyard grass (Eng.) and lagton (Bicol)

c. Echinochloa colona (L.) LinkCommon names: dukayang or bulang (Iloc.), pulang puwit (Tag.), jungle rice (Eng.)

d. Paspalum spCommon name: karunsi (Iloc.), plastic grass (Eng.)

e. Rottboellia chochichinensis (L)Common name: marapagay, sagisi (Iloc.), aguingay (Tag.)

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Echinoclora colona (Dakayang, left), Echinocloa crusgalli (L.) Beauv (center), Rottboella chochichinensis

(Marapagay, right). Sources: CBLM Year 3

2. Sedges. These are weeds with triangular stem, long narrow leaves and modified rhizomes for storage and propagation. Examples are:

a. Fimbrystilis littoralis GaudCommon name: siraw-siraw (Iloc.), ubud-ubod, taulat (Tag.), gumi (Pangasinan), sirisibuyas (Bicol)

b. Cyrperus iria (L)Common name: payong-payong (Iloc.), umbrella sedge (Eng.)

c. Scirpus maritimus( L)Common name: bawang-bawang, marilango, marabawang or buslig (Iloc.), apulid (Tag.), bulrush (Eng.)

d. Cyperus difformis (L.)Common names: marabutones, ballayang (Iloc.), payong-payong, tagataga (Tag.)

e. Cyperus rotundus (L.)Common name: barsanga (Iloc.), mutha (Eng.)

f. Schenoplectus grossus (L.) PallaCommon names: bilid-bilid (Iloc.), giant bulrush (Eng.), Tikiw (Tag.)

Fimbristylis littoralis Guad. (left), Cyperus iria (right)Source: CBLM Year 3

3. Broadleaves. These are dicotyledonous plants with netted veined leaves. Among the most common in rice fields are:

a. Monochoria vaginalis PreslCommon name: gabing uwak, biga-bigaan (Tag.), bil-lagut (Iloc.), Upi-upi (Bicol)

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b. Ipomoea aguatica (Forssk)Common name: balangeg (Iloc.), kangkong (Tag.), swamp cabbage (Eng.)

c. Sphenoclea zeylanica (Gaertn.)Common names: sili-silian (Tag.), marasili (Iloc.)

d. Ipomoea triloba (L. Common names: marakamote (Iloc.) kamokamoteha Tag.)

Monochoria vaginalis Sphenochlea zeylanica Gaertn

Source :CBLM Year 3

Methods of Weed Control

In all cases, all kinds of weeds must be controlled before they could compete with the plants. It is therefore more economical to make use of the cultural and biological methods before resorting to chemicals.

A. Physical/mechanical method. Weeds can be controlled by means of:

1. hand pulling or hand weeding2. use of mechanical weeders or rotary weeder possible

when transplanted, using the straight row planting and mechanical seeder in direct row planting

3. efficient use of irrigation water which prevents the emergence of all kinds of weeds

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B. Cultural method. This involves good land preparation and flooding during land preparation to remove weed seeds, closer crop spacing, and use of varieties that are taller and will produce more tillers early in the season.

C. Chemical Control. Herbicides may be used to kill weeds or suppress their growth.

Chemical control is cheaper than hand weeding and can be used in all rice environments. However, the continued use of the same herbicides leads to build-up of perennial weeds which are difficult to control with herbicide. This can be prevented by hand or mechanical weeding periodically. Herbicides are applied either pre-emergence (before weeds germinate) or post-emergence (after weeds have germinated) in granular or sprayable form.

Pre-emergence application of granular or sprayable herbicides controls most annual weeds. This is applied 3-5 DAT in a water depth of 3-5 centimeters.

Post-emergence herbicides control annual broadleaf weeds and sedges. This is applied 20-25 DAT. Drain water from the paddy before spraying. Reflood the paddy the following day to a depth of 5-7 cm. to suppress late germinating weeds. In spraying herbicides always follow the recommended rate of application so as not to incur damage to the growing plant.

D. Preventive Method. Before sowing the seeds make use of big container in soaking to allow the weed seeds to float and discard. During the land preparation for the seed bed just after leveling the bed, flood and allow the water to flow out to discard the floating seeds. Use certified seeds, wire mesh in canal, and remove weeds before seeds mature.

Pointers for Effective Herbicide Application

1. Apply herbicides at the right time.a. Pre-planting – apply herbicide after land preparation

before the crop is planted.b. Pre-emergence – apply herbicide before the emergence

of the crop or weeds.

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c. Post-emergence – herbicide is applied after emergence of the crop or weeds.

2. Use the right dosage of chemicals. Weak or strong dosage of chemicals may not be useful to the plant; therefore, follow the recommended dosage.

3. Spray during fair weather. Do not spray when the wind is strong nor during rainy weather. Spray early in the morning or late in the afternoon.

4. Distribute spray solution accurately.

Knapsack sprayer

Preparing Herbicide Sprays

All granular herbicides can be used directly but herbicides in the form of wettable powder (WP), as well as emulsifiable concentrates (EC) should be mixed with water or other diluting liquids such as oil before using. If you mix them properly, your herbicide will work effectively. If any common container is used in the preparation, label it properly and keep it away from children.

1. Prepare the required amount of herbicide. Remember that too much herbicide may injure the crop and too little herbicide may not control weeds effectively.

2. Pour ¼ of the required water into the container. Your container should contain more than what the sprayer tank can contain. Never apply the herbicide ahead of the water because the wettable powder tends to float and many emulsifiable concentrates are acidic.

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3. Add the herbicide to the water. If you are using wettable powder, thoroughly mix it with small amount of water before pouring into the water container. This makes the dispersion of the powder in a large amount of water easier.

4. Mix the herbicide in the water container using a bamboo stirrer, not your hand.

5. Add the remaining water to complete the dilution.

WAYS OF CONTROLLING INSECT PESTS:

In controlling insect pests, use of chemicals should always be the last recourse. Visit the farm regularly to detect presence of insect pests. If negligible apply natural ways of controlling either biological or organic method. A combination of the methods below should be considered:

1. Biological control – done by promoting the existence of natural enemies of rice insect pests. These natural enemies can be grouped into:

1. spiders which eat any insect pests they can catch2. insect predators which eat many kinds of pests3. insect parasites which eat only one or a few kinds of

pests, pathogens/organisms which infect different kinds of pests

2. Using pest resistant varieties – by incorporating insect resistance genes in the high yielding varieties of rice like the new varieties offered by the DA and other government agencies.

3. Cultural and chemical controls for insect pests of rice with their nature of attack and damage are shown and discussed below.

There are about 100 species of insects that infest the rice plant. However, only 15 of these are of major significance and are regularly occurring. Some of the most destructive insects are: rice whorl maggot, rice caseworm, common army worm, cutworms, rice stemborer, rice leaf folder, green leafhopper, brown planthopper and the newly discovered black bugs in some parts of the country.

Major Insect Pests

1. Rice whorl maggot (Hydrellia philippinia) Local name: ngilaw ti pagay, ngilaw ti taltalon (Iloc.), langaw-bukid (Tag.)

The adult fly is dull-grayish. It is attracted to newly transplanted rice with standing water. Eggs are laid singly on

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either surface of the leaf. Incubation ranges from 2 - 4 days. The newly hatched maggots migrate to the unopened central leaves where the larvae feed on the inner margins of developing leaves. As the leaves expand, the damaged areas become very visible. Pupation takes place outside the feeding stalk and lasts for 7-10 days. Egg to adult stages normally extends 26-28 days. Infestation generally occurs from seedling to maximum tillering stage.

2. Rice caseworm (Nymphula depuntalis) Local name: kutalo (Iloc.).

The adult moth is white with wings that are marked with a few light brown to black specks and 2 - 3 dull brownish yellow bands located below the margin (Figure 27). Eggs are laid in 1 or 2 adjacent rows in the lower surface of the leaves or on the leaf sheath near the water surface. After 2-4 days, eggs hatch into pale cream minute larvae.

The caseworm derives its name from the larva’s habit of wrapping itself in a section of a leaf and attaching itself to the rice plant. It feeds on the upper portion of the leaf. The larva undergoes five instars. It changes its leafcase after each morning.

3. Common armyworm (Mythimna separate Walker). Local name: arabas (Iloc.)

Armyworm infestation occurs sporadically. Outbreaks are characterized by the sudden appearance of larvae in immense numbers causing severe damage before they are detected.

The adult is nocturnal and appears to be pale brick red to brown. It has a hairy body covered with dark specks and patches. The eggs are laid in clusters between the leaf sheath and the stem. They hatch from 7 to 9 days.

4. Cutworm (Spodoptera litura). Local names: tariptip (Qui.) arabas (Cag.)

It is a polyphagus insect that feeds on many plant species. It is also a very common pest of various agricultural crops.

The forewings of the adult insects are purple-brown with numerous spots and light colored lines with hindwings. Larvae are brown-black and thoracic segments have 1 to 2 dark specks near the base of the legs. The eggs are round with ridge surface, pearly white, and laid in clusters of 300 covered with short brownish hair on either surface of the leaf.

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Adults come out during night time. This insect usually attacks rice plants at the seedling stage.

5. Rice stemborers. Local name: rusok (Cag.)Considered the most serious pest of rice, stemborers

are of regular occurrence and of wide distribution. They reduce tillers even on resistant varieties and are difficult to control with insecticides. This pest occurs in all rice environments and are generally abundant toward the end of the rainy season. They infest rice plants from seedling stage to maturity. Their damage to the rice plants results in deadhearts when the central leaf whorl is affected and white head when base of the panicles are severed (Figure below).

The adult of most stemborer species are positively strong fliers. They mate in the evening.

Dead Heart caused by Stem Borer Photo Courtesy of Mr. Efrelito M. Guittap, Faculty, College of Agriculture, CLSU

6. Rice leaffolder (Cnaphalacrocis medinalis) Local name: balbalkot, igges nga aglukot ti bulong (Iloc.).

Leaffolders have increased in importance in areas where rice is heavily fertilized and planted during the dry and wet seasons.

The adults have shiny light brown wings and dark broad margins and 2-3 vertical dark stripes. The larvae are long, yellowish green with brown head. The eggs are oval, yellowish-white and laid of rows of 10-12 each, arranged linearly along the midrib of either surface of the leaves. They attack rice plants from seedling to flowering stages (Figure 9).

Photo Courtesy of Mr. Efrelito M. Guittap, Faculty, College of Agriculture, CLSU

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7. Green leafhoppers (Nephotettix spp) Local name: berde a sepsep (Iloc.), berdeng ngusong kabayo (Tag.).

The green leafhoppers (Figure below) generally feed on the leaves and upper parts of the plants. They are vectors of virus organisms causing tungro and yellow dwarf diseases. Oviposition occurs 2 - 3 days after emergence. Egg masses are laid on the upper surface of the leaf blade or leaf sheath. Incubation takes 7 - 8 days. The nymphs undergo 5 instars in 14-19 days before they become adults. They attack rice plants from seedling to booting stages.

Photo Courtesy of Mr. Efrelito M. Guittap, Faculty, College of Agriculture, CLSU

8. Brown planthoppers (Nilaparvata lugens) Local name: kolor kape a sepsep (Iloc.).

The brown planthopper (Figure 11) infests the lower parts of the plants. Brown planthoppers are of two kinds: the winged and wingless types. Both winged and wingless hoppers transmit grassy stunt but the wingless type causes direct damage known as “hopper burn.” This is characterized by gradual yellowing followed by sudden drying of the plants forming circular patches in the fields.

Photo Courtesy of Mr. Efrelito M. Guittap, Faculty, College of Agriculture, CLSU

9. Rice bugs (Leptocorisa oratorious) Local name: dangaw (Iloc.)

This pest is a major problem where rice is grown continuously and rice in all its stages of growth. Both nymphs and adults are distinguished by their peculiar bug odor. They are phototropic and remain active during early morning and when sunlight is weak.

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Extent of Damage of Insect Pests.

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Insect of rice, nature of attack, damage and control measures*.

Insect pests Nature of attack and damage

Preventive and control measures

a. Rice whorl maggot (Hydrella philippinia F)

a. The larva feeds on unopened whorl, scraping the epidermal layer & ribbing the inner most margin of the leaf

b. Stuntingc. Reduction of tillers

1. Eliminate all possible alternate host plants.

2. Drain the field at 3-4 days interval during the first 30 DAT.

3. Apply insecticides not later than 7 DAT when ETL is reached .

b. Rice caseworm (Nymphaula depuntalis)

a. It consumes the tissue of the leaves; a papery membrane on the upper epidermis of the leaves develops

b. Stunting & reduced tillers

c. Damaged plants appear in patches in the field

1. Transplant older seedlings (25-30 days).

2. Drain paddies for 7 days to kill larvae in their cases.

3. Spray foliar insecticides 7 DAT to maximum tiller when ETL is reached.

4. In the highlands, apply fresh leaves of madre de cacao.

c. Armyworm (Pseudoletia unipuncta)

a. The larva feeds on leafblades leaving only the midribs

b. It cuts off the panicles

1. Establish seedbeds away from weedy areas.

2. Keep the rice field & surrounding areas clean.

3. Spray appropriate insecticide when ETL is reached.

d. Cutworm (Spodoptera litura)

a. The larva feeds at base of the plant and devour the entire plant

1. Spray appropriate insecticides when ETL is reached.

e. Rice stemborers

a. Yellow stemborer (Tryporyza inertulas)

b. Striped stemborer (Chilo suppressalis)

a. Presence of hold on the stems

b. Borer cuts off the growing parts from the youngest leaves to dry up deadhearts

1. Do not transplant severely infested seedlings.

2. Observe clean culture to eliminate all possible alternate host plants.

3. Use recommended resistant varieties.

4. Use systematic insecticides when ETL is reached.

5. Harvest at ground level and row immediately after harvest to remove larvae.

f. Rice leaf folder (Cnaphalocrosis medinalis Masamia

a. Leaf is folded into tabular structures

b. Longitudinal white transparent streaks on the leaf blades

1. Avoid planting in shaded areas

2. Remove weeds from rice fields and surrounding borders to prevent build up of

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patmalis) c. Heavily damaged leaves become dry

alternate hosts.3. Apply only the recommended

amount of nitrogen fertilizer. Split nitrogen application.

4. Apply only foliar insecticides when ETL is reached.

g. Green leafhopper (Nephotetix spp)

a. The pest sucks leaf sap causing the leaves to turn light yellow to orange

1. Use resistant varieties2. Create crop-free period of at

least 6 weeks between crops.3. Rogue or pull and bury

infected plants during the first 6 weeks of crop growth slightly infected areas.

4. Remove volunteer rice plants and weeds that look like alternate hosts.

5. Construct seedbeds away from artificial light so as not to attract hoppers.

6. Avoid excessive use of nitrogen fertilizers.

7. Apply systemic insecticides.h. Brown plant-

hopper (Nilaparvata lugens)

a. Directly damages the crop by sucking plant sap causing gradual yellowing followed by sudden drying of plant forming circular patches in the field (hopper burn)

1. Grow only two rice crops per year.

2. Use resistant varieties.3. Plant early maturing varieties

to create a rice-free period during the year.

4. Plow under ratoons after harvest

5. Drain the field for 3-4 days during infestation.

6. Split nitrogen application into three..

7. Practice clean culture8. Spray insecticides when ETL

is reached.

i. Rice bug (Leptocorisa oratorius)

b. Nymphs and adults feed on grains during the milking stage

c. Infested panicles contain shriveled and unfilled grains

1. Eliminate alternate hosts of the pests.

2. Avoid staggered planting.3. Spray insecticides before

milking stage.

* Source: CBLM Year3

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List of Friendly and Harmful Insects Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

This method of pest management could minimize the use of insecticide for a sustainable environment. It is used to justify economically and ecologically that the application of chemicals is only recommended when pests reached the economic injury level.

Through IPM, unnecessary application of insecticide is minimized, which can mean savings for the farmer. Because of the minimal use of insecticide there is less pollution and, therefore, survival of natural enemies is encouraged.

Constant monitoring by visual counting, use of sweep nets, and damage assessment is necessary to determine if use of insecticide is already recommended.

When to apply insecticidesGrowth stage

Insect pests Spray insecticide when

Seedling Caseworm Army worm Cutworm

50% of the leaves damaged

Vegetative Whorl maggot 15% whorl maggot-damaged leaves + 5% leaves damaged chewing insects at 5 DAT

Green leafhopper Brown leafhopper

None in the areas with RTV 20 hoppers/hill or 1 hopper/tiller

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Stemborer Leaffolder

More than 20% dead heart or 1% white head

30% of leaves damaged or cut Caseworm 30% of leaves damaged or cut

After panicle initiation

Brown planthopper 20 hopper/hill or 1 hopper/tiller Green leafhopper None in the areas with RTV

Other Pests

Golden Apple Snail (GAS) or Epikuhl. Local names: bisukol (Iloc.), kuhol (Tag.).

Golden snail is one of the delicacies enjoyed by farmers before. Now it is a recognized rice pest. It produces numerous pinkish egg masses visibly seen on levees which usually hatch from 9 to 12 days. This pest is destructive during the early growth stage of rice plants 14 days from sowing to 20 days after transplanting.

The pest feeds on the vegetative parts of young rice plants and could wipe out plants in a given area overnight.

Population of golden apple snail can be prevented by the following:a. Handpick the golden snails and use these as animal feed.b. Observe cleanliness and sanitation.c. If cultural management is not feasible use molluscicide to

control them. Drain water before spraying and always wear protective gear when using chemicals.

Photo Courtesy of Mr. Efrelito M. Guittap, Faculty, College of Agriculture, CLSU

Rat Control

Rats have been a persistent problem of rice growers, especially in areas near forests and uncultivated lands. They cause estimated yields losses ranging from 5-60%. Rats attack at all

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stages of rice growth but reach their peak during the maturity stage. Damage is greater during wet season. To control rats effectively, keep the rice fields clean and employ sustained baiting only when necessary. Make use of available rodenticides in the agricultural supply and always follow the manufacturer’s instruction in its label.

Diseases and their Control

The most practical way to prevent the occurrence of diseases is to plant resistant varieties, practice good cultural management starting from the land preparation, and always remember to have at least 30 days planting breaks.

Various agents acting singly or in combination under favorable conditions cause disease in rice plants. These diseases are readily recognized by their symptoms. Among the major diseases prevailing are tungro, yellow dwarf, grassy stunt, bacterial leaf blight, bacterial leaf streak, rice blast, sheath blight, brown spot, cercosporal leaf spot and stem rot. The table shows rice diseases, symptoms, and their preventive and control measures.

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Rice diseases, symptoms, preventive and control measures.Disease Symptoms Preventive and control

measures1. Tungro

(Virus)a. Slight stunting of plant

growth and reduced tillering occurs.

b. Yellowing from the tips of leaves.

c. Mottling of the infected leaves with pale green to whitish interveinal spots.

d. Panicles are half-exerted or choked neck.

e. Grains are usually covered with dark brown blotches.

1. Practice clean culture to eliminate alternate host.

2. Rogue diseased plant to reduce inoculums.

3. Use only resistant, tolerant varieties if available.

4. Minimize the population of green leafhoppers by spraying appropriate insecticides.

5. Grow only two rice crops per year and practice synchronous planting.

6. Plow under seriously infected fields.

2. Yellow dwarf (Virus)

a. Color varies from yellow to whitish yellow.

b. Stunted plant growth.c. Profuse tillering.d. Droopy leaves.e. Panicles are poorly

developed or absent.

1. Control measure similar to that of the tungro disease.

2. Use early maturing varieties simultaneously planted with late maturing varieties.

3. Grassy stunt (Virus)

a. Infected plants are severely stunted.

b. Profuse tillering.c. Stiff & erect dark green

leaves.d. Conspicuous shortening and

narrowing of leaf blades which are usually erect and with small rusty brown dots.

e. Infected plants produce only few panicles which are small and dark brown. Sometimes, no panicle is produced.

1. Practice clean culture to eliminate alternate host.

2. Rogues disease plant to reduce source of inoculums.

3. Plant only resistant varieties.

4. Control brown planthopper populations by using recommended insecticides.

5. Plant early maturing varieties.

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4. Bacterial leaf blight (Xanthomonas campestris)

a. Lesions begin at the tip or margins of the leaf and develop rapidly parallel to healthy regions. Entire leaf blade becomes yellowish to dirty white and eventually dies.

b. Bacterium may enter the growing point of the young tiller, causing infection known as “kresek”.

1. Minimize seedling injury during pulling and transplanting.

2. Plant only recommended varieties.

3. Do not prune seedlings; apply only the recommended amount of nitrogenous fertilizers.

4. Remove or destroy diseased stubbles and straws.

5. Bacterial leaf streak (Xanthomonas campestris pv. Oryzicola)

a. The bacterium attacks the parenchymatous tissues in between the veins of the leaves through the stomata.

b. Appearance of fine interveinal, long and short lines that are water-soaked and grayish.

c. As lesions coalesce leaves turn yellow orange throughout the field.

1. Plant only the recommended varieties.

2. Apply recommended amount of nitrogen fertilizer.

6. Rice blast (Pyricularia oryzae)

a. Spindle-shaped lesions that are wide at the centers and pointed towards either ends appear on the leaf nodes, panicles and grain leaves die when lesions coalesce.

b. Rings of brown to black spots develop near the joints of the rachille and rachis of maturing panicles. Center of spots is usually gray or white.

c. Infected nodes turn blackish and break easily.

1. Use only resistant varieties.

2. Spray recommended fungicides like Brestan and Benlate.

3. Practice good water management.

4. Apply only recommended amount of nitrogen fertilizer.

7. Cercospora leafspot or narrow brown spot (Sphaerulina oryzina Hara)

a. Narrow, short brown spots appear on leaves. Leaf spots are reddish brown with the color fading at the edges.

1. Follow strictly the recommended amount of nitrogen.

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8. Brown spot or Helmin thosporium (Helmin thosporium oryzae)

a. The fungus attacks germinating seeds, leaves and developing grains.

b. The typical leaf spot is small, dark, oval or circular with whitish centers; evenly scattered on the leaves. Lesions coalesce causing entire leaf to dry up.

1. Seed treatment with fungicides like Brestan, Benlate or Fungitox or hot water treatment (52-54⁰C) for 15 minutes.

2. Apply recommended kind and amount of fertilizer.

3. Practice crop rotation4. Practice field sanitation.5. Practice good water

management.9. Stem rot

(Helmin thosporium sigmoideum)

a. Lesions are small black and irregular on the outer leaf sheath near the water line.

b. Infection of the culm causes lodging that results to immature grains.

1. Do not allow irrigation water to flow from infected field.

2. Plant short, stiff-strawed varieties resistant to lodging.

3. Apply only recommended amount of nitrogen fertilizer.

10.Sheath blight (Rhizoctonia solani)

a. Spots on the leaf sheath are ellipsoid or ovoid and greenish gray.

b. Center of spots becomes grayish white with brown margin.

c. Spots are first observed near the water line in the fields.

1. Spray fungicides like Brestan or Vitigram Blue on the leaf sheath when infection occurs at the maximum tillering stage and at the booting stage.

11. Sheat rot (Sarocladium oryzae Sawada)

a. Rot occurs on the upper most leaf sheath enclosing the young panicles.

b. Lesions start as oblong or somewhat irregular spots with brown margins and gray centers or grayish-brown throughout.

c. Whitish powder growth are found inside affected sheath causing the panicles to rot.

d. Young panicles remain in the sheath or emerge only partly

e. Browning of grains.

1. Observe clean culture to eliminate all possible alternate host plants.

2. Use recommended resistant varieties.

3. Use recommended insecticides to control the occurrence of stem borer.

4. Harvest at ground level and plow immediately after harvest to remove larvae of stem borers.

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Viral Diseases

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1. Tungro. The most destructive among virus diseases, this usually occurs in a lowland ricefield. It is caused by virus which is transmitted from a diseased plant to a healthy one through the feeding activity by three leafhopper species: Nephotettix virescens, N. nigropictus and Resilia dosalis. Nephotettix virescens is the most destructive vector. Tungro occurs from seedling to booting stages (Figure 12). It is prevalent in the whole country except inBatanes during the wet season from July to November. Figure 13 presents the transmission cycle of rice tungro.

Source: http:/1.bpblogspot.com FOR ILLUSTRATION

2. Yellow dwarf. The disease usually occurs sporadically in fields. Infection often takes place during the late stages of plant growth. The virus is transmitted by three species of leafhoppers: Nephotettix cincticeps, N. nigropictus and N. malayanus. Most leafhoppers acquire the virus by feeding on diseased plants for 1-3 hours. About half the infective individuals of the species can infect healthy plants within 1 hour feeding. Yellow dwarf is prevalent from seeding to booting stages.

3. Grassy stunt. This is prevalent in farms employing an overlapping rice cropping system. The virus may survive in the harvested rice stubbles. Generally, the disease is less severe when older plants are infected. The virus is transmitted from infected plants to healthy ones by the brown planthopper. The disease usually infects the rice plant during the seedling to booting stages.

Bacterial Diseases

1. Bacterial leaf blight. (Xanthomonas campestris). It is widespread in the country especially in areas with high rainfall and humidity. Infection starts at the tip of leaf margins and may cover the entire leaf blade. The bacterium enters the leaf through cuts or wounds and on the natural

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openings of the leaf. The systematic form of the disease called “kresek” usually occurs at seedling stage up to the dough stage. The form of the disease is known as “blight.” This is prevalent especially after typhoons.

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2. Bacterial leaf streak. (Xanthomonas campestris pv. Oryziccola). This disease does not reduce yield if low rates of nitrogen are applied although it may lower yields of susceptible varieties. The disease may spread throughout the entire rice field by the action of rain and wind. It attacks the rice plant from tillering to dough stages. The disease is prevalent after typhoons.

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Fungal Diseases

1. Rice blast. (Pyricularia oryzae). This is the most common disease of rice infecting plants at any stage of growth. Symptoms are most conspicuous on the leaves (leaf blast), nodes (nodal blast) and parts of the panicles (neck rot), and grain. The neck of the panicles becomes most vulnerable to attack during early emergence of the panicle. Lesions form at the neck causing the panicles to fall over.

The disease development and severity is aggravated by high amount of quick acting fertilizers such as ammonium sulfate, cloudy skies with frequent rains and drizzle, and a

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relative humidity of 90% and above usually common during the months of November to February.

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2. Cercospora leafspot (Sphaerulina oryzina Hara). The long axis of this spot is parallel with the veins of the leaf. This disease is also known as narrow brown spot. It seldom infects seedlings or grains. In susceptible varieties, the spot may be slightly wider in light, narrow centers. It causes harm by reducing the effective leaf area of the plant. The disease is favored by low nitrogen level in the soil.

3. Brown spot or Helminthosporium leaf spot (Helminthosporium oryzae). This disease is probably present in all rice producing areas. It infects all stages of a rice plant. It is common in nutrient deficient soil and soils containing a large proportion of sand or peat.

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4. Stem rot (Helminthosporium sigmoidium). Infection of the disease occurs near the water line usually at the maximum tillering stage up to the milk stage. Severely infected plants produce poor quality grains that are light and chalky.

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5. Sheath blight (Rhizoctonia solani). The disease occurs during the heading stage to the milk stage. Sheath blight is destructive under highly humid and warm temperature and in areas where close planting and heavy fertilization are practiced.

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6. Sheath rot (Sanocladium oryzae Sawada). The fungus is seedborne and infection takes place through the stomata and wounds. It attacks the leaf sheath enclosing young panicles when there is an injury which retards the emergence of the panicles. An abundant whitish powder growth may be found inside the infected sheath and the young panicle rot. The disease incidence is common with stemborer, planthopper and mite damage, and application of high nitrogen.

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IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER

Methods of controlling pest and diseaseso Cultural method

Proper land preparation Plant at the same time with your neighboring

farmers Clean culture

o Chemical method. Always read labels before useo Biological method

Introduction of friendly insects to suppress pests and diseases

With the help of predators such as birds, snakeso Use of resistant varieties

Always be familiar with Insect pests/diseases, nature of attack and control measures

The safety measures in handling chemical are the following:o Store pesticides locked and out of reach of childreno Wear gloves when mixing pesticideso Wear mask to prevent inhalation of pesticides. Always

wash hands with soap after sprayingo Do not smoke or eat when using pesticides

Consider the IPM to avoid wastage brought by unnecessary spraying of pesticides

Use varieties resistant to pests prevalent in the locality. The use of resistant varieties is the first line of defense in pest management and is compatible with biological control.

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Change or rotate varieties every 2 - 4 cropping to disrupt insect pest and disease adaptation, thereby preventing build up of virulent pathogens and insect pests.

Adopt a synchronous planting scheme after a fallow period in the locality.

Conserve beneficial organisms. There are rich communities of beneficial organisms in the rice ecosystem in the absence of natural-enemy killing pesticides. The indiscriminate use of pesticides reduces biodiversity and disrupts the natural balance of insect pests and beneficial organisms. Conservation of these beneficial organisms is safe, economical, and permanent. For example, long-horned grasshopper feeds on the egg mass of stem borers while spiders feed on the nymphs and adults of leafhoppers and plant hoppers.

Weeds are destructive, they reduce rice yield by competing for sunlight, moisture, and soil nutrients.

Three types of weeds are grasses, sedges, . and broadleaves. The methods of controlling weeds are:

a. Preventive methodb. Physical/mechanical methodc. Cultural methodd. Chemical method

Pointers for effective use of herbicide:a. Apply at the right timeb. Use the right dosagec. Spray during fair weatherd. Distribute spray solution accurately

Activity #1

Proceed to the field to remove weeds in a specific area in the farm using the appropriate method. Collect samples of weeds to be described in class how they affect the plants and how to control them.

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Process

Reflect and Understand

Activity #2

1. Prepare a gallon of water, mixed with the recommended dosage based on the manufacturer’s recommendations and demonstrate proper spraying. Students’ performance will be evaluated using the rating scale below.

Activities Rating5 4 3 2 1

1. prepare a gallon of clear water2. measure the recommended dosage3. mix herbicide/insecticide based on

procedure4. demonstrate proper spraying5. use personal protective equipment

Legend:1 = 75-79% 2 = 80-85% 3 = 86-90% 4 = 91-95% 5 = 96-100%

1.Collect specimen of insects in the field and name them based on the description mentioned in this module.

Activity #3

Prepare your own version of a leaflet on integrated pest management in rice production. Include in your leaflet how to formulate local remedies to control some insects using some available low cost substances and plant extracts.

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Transfer

Post-assessment-1

Activity #4

Using your formulated local insect control mixture, validate its efficiency through a field research demonstration farm in the school . Involve your farmer-cooperator in the learning activity.

A. Multiple Choice: Choose the correct answer. Write only the letter of the correct answer on your quiz notebook

1. Weed growth in the rice field cannot be controlled bya. herbicides.b. insecticides.c. flooding.d. hand-weeding.

2. Weeds, if not controlled, can reduce the rice production to as high as:

a. 10 - 30 percent.b. 20 - 38 percent.c. 24 - 48 percent.d. 30 - 50 percent.

3. Echinochloa crusgali or bayakibok is a weed belonging to the type called

a. grasses.b. sedges.

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Post-assessment-11

c. broadleaved weeds.d. narrow leaved weeds.

4. In irrigated fields, weeds can be controlled with less cost through:

a. flooding.b. herbicides.c. hand pulling.d. mechanical weeder.

5. When preparing liquid herbicides, remember to.a. pour herbicides before the water.b. pour herbicides and water at the same time.c. never pour herbicide ahead of water.d. pour water ahead of herbicide.

B. Briefly answer the following questions in your notebook.1. Why do you measure the required amount of herbicide

with great care before mixing with water?2. Why do you pour at least ¼ water in the container

before pouring in the herbicide?3. How does water control the weeds in an irrigated field?

Answer the following questions to find out how much you have learned. Write the answers on your notebook.

1. Which of the following methods is not appropriate to control golden apple snail?

a. Culturalb. Chemicalc. Biologicald. Use of resistant varieties.

2. Which of the following insect pests is considered as the most serious rice pest because it attacks the plant from seedling stage to maturity?

a. Rice stemborerb. Rice bugs

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Glossary of Terms

c. Planthoppersd. Maggots

3. When handling and using insecticides always remember toa. follow recommended dosage.b. never wear face mask.c. store pesticides and keep out of reach of children.d. smoke while spraying insecticides.

4. What is the recommended dosage of most insecticides to be mixed up into 16 liters of water?

a. 7-10 tbsp/16 liters waterb. 10-11 tbsp/16 liters waterc. 8-12 tbsp/16 liters waterd. 10-13 tbsp/16 liters water

5. Which of the following methods is done by promoting the existence of natural enemies to control rice pest and diseases?

a. Biological b. Cultural c. Chemical d. Physical

B. Provide the following information1. What are the methods of controlling golden apple snail,

rodents, and insect pests?2. What are the safety measures in handling insecticides?

RESOURCESHerbicide/Insecticides, sprayer, face mask, gloves.

Eradicate – to wipe outWeeds - plants that grow in places where they are not

wanted

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Grasses - weeds which have long narrow, two-ranked usually flat

leaves with parallel veins and round stemSedges - similar to grasses but of three-ranked leaves, and

with triangular solid stemsBroad-leaved weeds - dicotyledonous plants with broad

leavesHerbicides - chemical used to control and kill weedsInsect pests - insects that are harmful to plantsRodents – ratsDiseases – impairments on the normal health of the plantInsecticides - chemicals used to control insectsFungicides - chemicals used to control fungusMolluscicide - chemical used to control golden snails Lesion - a well-marked but limited diseased area on the

plantsNocturnal insect - insect that feeds on plants during night

timeDead heart - dried youngest leaf of the plant during tillering

stageWhite head – dried, unfilled white panicle during heading

stageSymptoms - observable characteristics of a diseased plantPPE - personal protective equipment

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LESSON X

HARVESTING, THRESHING, DRYING, STORING, AND MILLING OF RICE SEEDS

This lesson is about the maturity indices of rice, methods and systems of harvesting rice, threshing, cleaning, drying, storing and milling including health and safety precautions during harvesting. You will learn these within twenty days.

At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:

1. identify the maturity indices of rice;2. discuss the systems and methods of harvesting, threshing,

cleaning, and drying rice;

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What will you learn?

What is this lesson about?

3. identify the materials needed in harvesting, threshing, cleaning,and drying;

4. harvest, thresh, clean, and dry rice grain efficiently;5. observe health and safety precautions during harvesting; and6. consider the value of proper harvesting, threshing, drying,

storing, and milling rice.

Harvesting

Harvesting is the process of collecting the mature rice crop from the field. It starts from cutting, stacking, handling, threshing, cleaning and hauling. According to some experts great losses in rice production happen during harvesting and other post harvest activities. Our definite goal then is to maximize our yield and minimize grain losses.

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Know

Like other cultural management of rice, correct timing of harvesting is crucial in order to have a good quality of harvest and to prevent crop losses. Grain losses may occur from the damage caused by rats, birds, and crop lodging and shattering during windy days. Proper timing of harvesting ensures good grain quality and high market value. Too early harvesting will result in higher percentage of unfilled or immature grains which will result in higher grain breakage and lower milling recovery. Too late harvesting will lead to excessive grain shattering losses and increased breakage of rice. Timing of harvesting also affects drying, storing, and even the germination potential of rice seeds.

We can determine the best time to harvest based on the maturity date of a given variety or by examining the panicle if all the grains are ripened. Rice should be harvested when 80-85 percent of the grains turned yellow. The grain moisture content ideally is between 20-25% MC. If the crop is too dry, when these are rewetted, they break when milled resulting in low quality and low milling recovery. The table below shows the different rice varieties and their maturity date after planting.

Table of different rice varieties and their maturity period

Variety Maturity date

Variety Maturity date

IR 36 110 IR 66 108IR 42 135 BPIRi10 108IR 64 113 PSBRc10 106PSBRc 123 PSBRc 34 124PSBRc 18 123 -130 PSBRc 28 111-118PSBRc 82 110-117 NSICRc 112 111-118NSICRc 122 121-128 PSBRc 84 111PSBRc 78 111 PSBRc 80 112PSBRc 88 116 Mestizo 107

In dry season harvest, an optimum time of harvest 28 - 35 days after heading gives best grain germination and head rice. In wet season harvest, optimum time is 32 - 38 days after heading.

Methods of Harvesting Rice

1. Manual is the method of harvesting rice with the use of sickle and scythe.

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2. Mechanical is the method of harvesting rice with the use of a reaper or combine harvesters.

Whatever method is used in harvesting always take note of the following:

Harvest at the right time and moisture content (20-25% MC). Too early harvesting results in difficulty in separating grains from the panicle and immature grains from the head will be ground during milling.

Avoid delays in threshing after harvesting, within an overnight that the harvested rice is stacked specially if it is wet, the grain quality is affected.

Use the proper machine in threshing. There are some machines that allow lots of grain to go with the hay during threshing.

Clean the grain properly after threshing.

Harvesting could be done through the following:

1. Manual harvesting and stacking, followed by threshing and cleaning by hand. This includes the use of traditional tools for threshing such as racks, simple treadle threshers and animals for trampling. This method has been a thing of the past due to intensive farm mechanization.

2. Manual harvesting followed by threshing and cleaning with a threshing machine. All threshing machine now includes a simultaneous cleaning of the grains.

3. Mechanical harvesting using a rice reaper and threshing by a threshing machine and by using a combine harvester. The combine harvester will combine all operations: cutting, handling, threshing ,and cleaning.

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Manual harvesting of ricePhoto Courtesy of Mr. Efrelito Jay M.Guittap, Faculty, College of Agriculture, CLSU

List of advantages and disadvantages of common harvesting system

Method Description Advantages Disadvantages1. Manual harvesting and threshing

Cutting, stacking, bundling, handling and piling by hand

Threshing by beating

cleaning by winnowing

Efficient Most

effective in lodged crop

Less weather dependent

High labor cost, skill dependent

Susceptible to grain damage

Winnowing/cleaning necessary

2. Manual harvesting and threshing/cleaning by machine

Cutting and stacking by hand

Threshing by machine

More effective in wet season harvest, wet crop conditions

Higher capacity than manual

Lower labor requirements

Higher capital cost Dependency on

availability of contractor

Less dependent on field size

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3. Standard combine harvest

Harvests, threshes, and cleans crop mechanically

Transport harvested grains in convenient area.

High output, timelines attained

Produces clean grain

Spread straw back in the field, which will ensure a good source of organic material to the farm.

Higher cost Less effective in

partially lodged crop

Note: Avoid burning of rice material wastes such as the hays, hulls, and other materials. Farm wastes burning is regarded as one of the big contributors to global warming.

Threshing

Given the high labor requirements of manual threshing, in many countries, threshing of rice is now mechanized by use of small stationary machine threshers. Stationary threshing is generally done in the field or near or at the field side.

In many regions, machine threshers are owned by individuals who offer custom operations to farmers. This requires that farmers schedule harvesting dates depending on the availability of the thresher. Many threshers are mounted on tractors to quickly move from field to field. Some are still drawn by a carabao especially on muddy areas.

Guidelines for Threshing

Photo Courtesy of Mr. Efrelito Jay M.Guittap, Faculty, College of Agriculture, CLSU

Timing of threshing is very essential. Ideally, threshing should begin immediately after cutting . Immediate threshing reduces the

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exposure of crops to insects, birds and rodents, disease, and molds. Crops that are piled over a period of time generates heat that will serve as an ideal medium for growth of molds, disease, and pests. Piling for several days will lead to grain discoloration, germinated grains, and spoilage.

1. After harvesting, thresh the rice immediately. Threshing is the process of detaching and separating rice grains from the panicle.

2. Threshing can be performed manually or mechanically. The manual methods of threshing are treading by feet, flail treading and beating stalks against tubs, threshing board, or racks.

3. In treading by feet, rice grains spread on the threshing floor is trampled upon by human feet. The continuous treading action of one person separate about 14 kg of grain from the straw in one hour.

4. In animal treading the harvested rice is laid around a stake or pole with the panicles toward the stake. A team of animals (carabao, cow) is driven slowly around the stake to trample the grain off the straw. The palay is raked occasionally until the grain is completely threshed, and all the straw have been removed. Many of the grains may be damaged due to the hard hooves and heavy weight of the carabao.

5. In flail treading, grain separation is done by beating the paddy with a stick or hinged device called flail.

6. Another method is through the impact of rice heads beaten against a solid object (hampasan method). A simple way to do this is to beat the rice panicles with a stick. The method can thresh 20-60 kg of palay per person per hour.

7. One low-cost mechanical thresher you can use is the pedal-powered model. It has a low initial cost and one worker can thresh about 1-2 cavans per hour with this model.

8. Another low-cost model is the throw-in axial flow thresher. This is portable, weighs about 100 kg and requires a 5-7 horsepower engine. It has a higher output of up to 600 kg/hour.

9. The most commonly used mechanical thresher are lightweight which could be drawn by a carabao or a tractor in a muddy field powered by a diesel engine and could finish threshing harvest of 2 ½ hectare in one day, if it is dry, and 1 ½ hectare if wet. Be sure to lay plastic sheet in the area to minimize grain losses.

10.Using the combine harvester, it could finish harvesting and at the same time threshing with a minimum of 3 hectares per day.

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Factors to consider in choosing the appropriate system of threshing:

a. availability of laborb. capital outlay of the farmc. timeliness of harvestingd. field layout and field accessibility (combine harvester

requires a certain field layout and access)e. rice variety (some varieties are more prone to lodging)f. demand for quality riceg. demand for straw (some threshers damage the straw making

it less available).

Grain Cleaning is the removal of unwanted materials from the grain such as straws, chaffs, unfilled grains, weed seeds, soil, rubbish, and other impurities.

1. Clean the grains immediately after threshing. Cleaning is an essential post-harvest operation since it affects storability and milling quality of grains. Uncleaned grains are prone to deterioration during storage.

2. In some mechanical threshers cleaning is carried out simultaneously with threshing. However, in manual or animal treading, further cleaning is necessary because the grain is mixed with straw, chaff, dirt, stones, and other impurities.

3. The most common method of cleaning rice grains in the Philippines is the use of winnowing basket (or Bilao). Winnowing sieves called bithay, made either of wire mesh or bamboo slats are also used for cleaning.

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4. Another method is the use of hand operated winnower or hunkoy. This gadget consists of a paddle-type fan mounted on a wooden frame to direct air blasts against the grain or foreign matter that falls from the hopper.

Importance of Cleaning Rice grain

1. Clean grain has higher market value.2. Clean grain is easier to dry.3. Clean grain has better storability.4. It produces better quality of milled rice.5. It reduces dockage at time of milling.6. Seed cleaning will reduce susceptibility to diseases and will

improve germination .

Methods of Cleaning

1. Winnowing. Lighter materials such as unfilled grains, chaffs, weed seeds, and straw can be removed from the grain by using a blower, air fan, or by wind. Recover only the heavier grains.

2. Screening/sifting. Using sifter or a net smaller materials such as weed seeds, soils particles and stones can be

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removed by sieving the grain through a smaller sized screen (1.4 mm or less sieve opening).

3. Blowing.Using the thresher or mechanical blower to clean the rice grains and using its blower to remove all unfilled grains , weed seeds, and chaff.

Photo Courtesy of Mr. Efrelito Jay M.Guittap, Faculty, College of Agriculture, CLSU

Drying

In tropical country like ours grain drying is not so much a problem. But in the advent of climate change, extreme weather conditions often prevail. Stormy weather prevails even during harvest season. This situation threatens the vulnerability of rice production. A lot of harvest immediately could turn into a lower quality. After harvest when the grain is re-wet high temperature occurs and excessive grain moisture content causes deterioration of rice grain . To ensure quality grains and to prevent spoilage, clean and properly dry the harvested and threshed grains immediately. The approximate moisture content of the crop at harvest time is 20-25%. The right moisture content (MC) for storage is 14 percent.

Importance of Drying Rice Grains

1. Improves the storability of grains2. Obtains higher market value3. Prevents pest infestation and damage caused by

microorganisms4. Proper drying minimizes breakage or improve milling output

and quality

Methods of drying

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1. Solar or sun-drying. Traditionally, this method has been used by the farmer using nylon net and plastic sheets to sundry the grains. It is the basis of majority of farmers then to schedule their harvest due to scarcity of drying materials. With the fast construction of concrete solar driers and concreting of farm to market roads, sun drying is now a minimal problem. In solar drying, spread the cleaned grains in a layer 2-4 cm thin on various surfaces such as fish nets, canvases, threshing floors or on pavement. Stir the grains regularly (30 min. interval) to allow uniform drying. Dry grains under the sun for 1-2 days frequently turning over the grains for uniform drying. Traditionally, farmers determine the right moisture content by biting the grain if it is brittle. This method usually results in a lot of losses because grains were pulverized and thrown away when vehicles pass.

2.

Sundrying of grains along the concrete farm to market road and using net. Photo Courtesy of Mr. Efrelito Jay M.Guittap, Faculty, College of Agriculture, CLSU

3. Mechanical dryer. If harvest occurs during the rainy season, when sun drying is not feasible, use a heated air dryer. Use batch dryers, since these are relatively cheaper and easier to operate. When using mechanical dryers, observe the recommended drying air temperature by the manufacturer. If using a mechanical dryer farmers should group themselves and make a schedule to be able to meet

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the maximum capacity of the dryer for more efficient and economical operation.

Dry rice grains 8-11 hours with the use of mechanical dryer to obtain 14% moisture content for safe storage. Do not over dry rice grain, if the grain is meant to be milled. Moreover, if the grain is not allowed to cool after drying they are brittle and will break easily if milled immediately. To obtain high milling recovery, allow to temper overnight before milling.

Storing

Though majority of the farmers don’t store their whole produce, it is a must to store a certain percentage for their own consumption. Businessmen engaged in rice grain trading buy the farmers produce and store the grains in large warehouses. Storing grains is to keep it for future use. It is better to store it unmilled to maintain its quality and palatability. Stored rice is affected by moisture, temperature, insect pests and type of storage facilities. Moisture content greatly affects the keeping quality of rice. High moisture during storage generates heat which makes rice grains susceptible to insect pests and molds as well as yellowing and discoloration. Mold growth in rice causes loss of luster, bad odor, loss of viability, and the production of mycotoxins, which poison animals and pose health hazard to people. Reducing moisture content, however, is not sufficient to guarantee long and safe storage, because rice absorbs or gives off moisture depending upon the temperature and relative humidity in the storage area. Thus, suitable containers and structures should be used. In order to prevent heavy losses during storing, here are the guidelines to follow:

1. After drying the rice grains, store them properly if you are not going to sell immediately. Safe storage involves the preservation of the quality and quantity of grain for future use. Thus, protect your harvest from bad weather, pests, microorganisms, chemicals, moisture, and other types of contamination.

2. Clean sacks before use to remove insect pests.3. Do not stack the sacks of rice on a concrete floor, it will

accumulate moisture. Use a stacking tray made of wood.4. Separate old and new grain stocks.5. Separate and mark different varieties by storing them in

different sacks. Handle sacks with care to avoid damage and spillage.

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6. Cover the stacked bags of rice with plastic sheet or other covering materials.

7. Clean bodega/warehouse prior to new grain storage and maintain cleanliness of the surroundings to discourage rodents’ infestation.

8. Visit the storage area regularly to observe any grain damage, changes in grain temperature, increase in moisture content, and any indication of grain deterioration.

9. Avoid storing fertilizer and insecticides near the rice stock to ensure safety and maintain market quality.

10. Make use of a bait for rodents if necessary.

Milling

It is one of the thriving rice related business. Rice milling is the removal of hulls and bran from rice grains to produce polished or white rice ready for human consumption. The rice bran is a very important ingredient in feed formulation for animal production. The farmers utilize it as a direct feed to their farm animals. The rice hull is being used as a good substitute for firewood in cooking.

Depending upon the equipment used, milling operation involves cleaning, hulling, grain separation, whitening or polishing, and to some extent grading.

There are three types of milling in the country under the introduced technology: the kiskisan, the cono and the combination of rubber-roll-huller and horizontal whitener. Additional improvement with the machinery is the attachment of stoner to remove small pebbles being mixed to the grains during drying. Before, you need to transport your rice grains to the nearest rice mill to avail its services. Now with the proliferation of the travelling rice mill, they provide the services to the doorsteps of their customers.

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To obtain high milling recovery, observe the following:

1. Clean and dry grains immediately after harvest. Allow to temper overnight or longer before milling to minimize grain breakage.

2. Do not mix different varieties. Mixed varieties adversely affect the performance of the mill.

Health and Safety Precautions During Harvesting and other Post Harvest Activities

Practicing safety precautions will save lives and suffering.

Manual Harvesting

When cutting crop with a sickle, always hold the stems with thumb pointing upward, away from the sickle/scythe. Be extra careful in pulling the scythe to prevent injury. Always have a piece of long sleeved clean cloth, hat, and sunglass, as protections from excessive heat of the sun

Machine Threshing

1. Become familiar with the machine before the first operation. Read the manual that came with the machine.

2. Do the pre-operational check-up of the machine before starting the engine.

3. Do not wear loose clothing that may be picked up by moving parts.

4. While operating, keep all shields and guards in place5. Never leave the thresher unattended while the engine is

running. Keep children away from the machine. Keep hands and feet away from the machine and its moving parts.

6. Do not fill the tank while the engine is moving.7. Keep all flammable materials (including dry straw) away

from the engine.8. Do not oil, grease, or adjust the machine during operation.

Wait until all moving parts have stopped before servicing.9. Do not operate machine with loose peg teeth, bolts and

nuts. Loose peg teeth may be ejected at high speeds, causing injury to operators and damage to the thresher.

10. Never remove accumulated straw inside the machine during operation.

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11. Never extend hands or feet into the feed opening of the thresher.

12. Never operate your machine in a closed shed or garage. Exhaust fumes are dangerous to your health.

13. Keep a first-aid kit at hand.14. Tie up long hair to prevent entangling.15. Do not wear necklace or other garments that may be

wrapped into moving parts of the machine.

Combine Harvesting

1. Review the manuals that came with the harvester. Understand the controls before operating.

2. Do the operational check-up before operating.3. When operating around machinery, wear work clothes that fit

and have no loose ends.4. Do not allow anyone to climb onto the machine while it is in

motion.5. Keep children at a safe distance from the machine.6. Do not operate when very tired. Change operators during the

day.7. Always have a fire extinguisher at hand on engine-operated

equipment.8. Ensure that the fuel system has no leaks.9. While refueling, stop the engine and do not smoke.

IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER

Harvesting is the process of collecting mature rice crop from the field.

Threshing is the process of separating rice grain from the panicle.

The maturity indices of rice are: a) 80-85% of the grains are straw colored b) grains have 20-25% moisture content of the grain c) based on maturity date

Methods of harvesting are manual or mechanical. The choice of selecting the method in threshing depends

upon the availability of labor, capital outlay of the farm, time of harvesting, field layout, demand for quality, and demand for straw.

Observe the safety measures in harvesting, threshing, and milling.

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Reflect and Understand

Clean rice is easier to dry. Clean rice when properly dried to improve the storability. Clean and properly dried rice grains have higher market

value. Clean and properly dried rice grains obtain good milling

quality. Store rice grain for future use. Observe safety precautions when using chemicals, especially

in the control of pests in the storage barn. The moisture content of rice grains for storage is 14 percent. Sundrying can be done 1-2 days (fair weather) or 8-11 hours

if mechanical dryer is used.

Activity #1

Prepare your materials, proceed to the farm, and identify which area is ready for harvest. In your assigned area demonstrate how to properly harvest using scythe and a reaper. Stack the harvested rice and demonstrate threshing and drying.

Activity #2

Based on your field experience, your understanding on the module and enhanced by your extensive research on Harvesting and other post-harvest activities, realign your understanding by preparing a power point presentation on minimizing postharvest losses in rice production this will be reported and discussed in the class for possible suggestions for refinement.

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Process

Transfer

Post-assessment

Activity #3

Assume the personality and character of an expert agriculture technician who has a strong advocacy on minimizing postharvest losses in rice production to improve farmer’s income. Organize a farmer’s educational forum in your locality and present in a convincing manner your refined/improved presentation on minimizing postharvest loses.

Answer the following questions. Write the letter of your answer on your answer sheet.

1. Which of the following does not belong to the maturity indices of rice?

a. Based on maturity period.b. Grains have 20-25% moisture content.c. Grains are firm and brittle.d. 80-85% of the grains are straw colored.

2. Which are the four basic operations in harvesting?a. Cutting, handling, threshing, and cleaningb. Cutting, stacking, drying, storingc. Cutting, threshing, cleaning, storingd. Stacking, threshing, cleaning, storing

3. What is the appropriate material needed for harvesting a ½ ha. rice field for proper timing?

a. Combine harvesterb. Header pick upc. Stickd. Scythe

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4. What is the most effective method of harvesting and threshing lodged rice crop?

a. Combined harvester b. Manual harvesting and threshingc. Manual harvesting and threshing by machined. Reaper and thresher

5. Choosing an appropriate system for threshing require the following factors except

a. availability of labor.b. demand for hay and straw.c. field layout.d. variety of rice.

6. Which of the following materials is not needed in cleaning and drying rice grains?

a. Blower b. Canvas and winnowing basketc. Sickle and reaperd. 1.5 mm fish net and stirrer

7. Which is the most widely used system of drying rice grain in the Philippines?

a. Air drierb. Mechanical dryerc. Solar dryerd. None of the above

8. What is the standard moisture content of rice to be stored?a. 14% c. 18-22%b. 18% d. 20-25%

9. Below are guides in storing except one. Which is it?a. Observe good housekeeping before storing in bodegab. Separate the old from new harvest when pilingc. Store fertilizer near pile of rice graind. Store rice grain after drying

10. Which is a more economical and practical way of drying rice grains?

a. Air dryingb. Mechanical dryingc. Solar dryingd. None of the above

B. Provide the information being asked.

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Glossary of Terms

1. What are the materials needed in harvesting and threshing rice?

2. What should you remember when cutting crop with a scythe?3. Why is drying important before storing?4. How can you determine the proper moisture (14%) content of

rice grain for storing?

RESOURCES1. PPE2. Sickle/Scythe3. Rack and stick4. Canvas5. Winnower6. Sacks7. Stirrer8. Tying material9. Solar dryer (if available)10. Thresher

Harvesting - the process of cutting and collecting the mature rice crop

Threshing - the process of separating rice grains from the panicle

Drying - the reduction of moisture content from newly harvested

Rice grain to a desired moisture content.Storing - the process of keeping the grains for future use.Milling - the removal of hulls and bran from rice grain to

produce polished or white riceMC – moisture content, the condition of dryness of a grain

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Pre-assessment

LESSON XI

RECORD KEEPING

Production records are important in farm crop production since farmers base many of their everyday decisions on costs of expenses of labor, materials, and others. The lesson will allow you to learn the rudiments of record keeping in farm management. It will teach you how to prepare cost analysis especially in rice farming. You will learn this within ten days

1. Discuss the importance of record keeping in crop production 2. Enumerate the steps in record keeping3. Prepare a record book in rice production4. Explain Cost analysis in field crop production5. Prepare cost analysis in producing crops

Let us try to assess your readiness of the subject matter you are about to read by taking the test below.

A. Direction: Choose the best answer and write the letter in your activity notebook.

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What will you learn?

What is this lesson about?

_____1. What record is kept by the farmer that shows the budget of the project?

a. Cashb. Productionc. Salesd. Stock

_____2. What record tells the farmer how much she/he gained in the venture?

a. Cash b. Cost and profit c. Salesd. Stock

_____3. What can be found in the production record report?a. Expenses paidb. Profit earnedc. Miscellaneous expensesd. Manpower needed

_____4. Which record shows the supplies and materials needed for all activities in the farm?

a. Cashb. Productionc. Salesd. Stock

_____5. Which form shows the profit or return of investment in farm projects?

a. Cashb. Post and profitc. Productiond. Stock

B. What is the importance of farm record keeping?

C. What are the different forms prepared in the farm?

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Record Keeping and Cost Analysis

Importance of Record Keeping

Record keeping is very important in any venture especially in agricultural enterprise. It provides substantial information important in decision-making. Data gathered from farm records also help in planning and budget preparation. It is a source of data in obtaining credit, insurance, and in preparing tax returns and reports required by the government. It is also useful in marketing farm produce and in other farming activities. Farm records determine the value of the project. Agricultural managers use them as collaterals in obtaining loans from banks and other financing entities. Or if the owner wants to sell the farm, this could be used as document in presenting the performance of the farm to would be buyers.

To facilitate effective record management, the following records can be kept.1. Cash records. This is a record of the cash accounts in a project. It can be seen in one record or this may be a special cash record wherein the cash received journal and cash payments journal are separately recorded transactions.

Sample Combined Cash Record

Date

Cash Received Cash PaidAmount Receip

t No.Remarks Amount Receip

t No.Remark

s

March 2,

2014

March 10, 2014

P8,000.00

P12,000.00

0913412

0877611

Sale of 10 cavans of palay @

P800/cavan

Sale of 12 cavans of milled rice

P4,400.00

P3,400.00

0112311

0887123

Payment for 8

sacks of 14-14-14 fertilizers

@ P550/bag

(50k)

Payment for 4

liters of pesticide

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Know

@ P1,000.00 at 50kg/

sack

s

Total

P20,000.00

P7,800.00

2. Farm sales record. This is used to record all sales in rice production. There are two kinds of farm sales record: general and the classified.

The general form has only one amount column where the value of farm produce sold is recorded. The other columns are for the other pertinent information such as date, unit, description, and unit value.Date Descriptio

nQuantity Unit Unit

ValueP

Total Value

PMarch 2March 3

rice glutinous

50 5

cavans cavans

P 800.001,000.00

P40,000.00 5,000.00

The classified farm sales record contains special columns for the main product of the farm stock record.

3. Stock record. This record shows the stock of supplies and materials needed by the farm for all farming activities, especially in large-scale production.

Aside from the date item columns, the stock record has three main columns the received column, the issued column, and the balance column. The received column has three sub columns: quantity, unit price, and the total amount of the materials received. The issue column shows the quantity used while the balance column shows the materials or supplies which are unused. The stock record is useful in determining how much supplies and materials are needed per cropping .

Here is an example of stock record.Date Item Quantit

yUnit

ValueTotal Value

Issued/Used

Quantity

Balance Unused Quantity

Mar. 3

Mar. 8

FertilizerHerbicide

8 bags2 bottles

P800/bagP1,200/b

P6,400.00P2,400.00

41

41

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5. Production record. This record determines the annual profitability of a farm enterprise. It lists the different crops grown in the farm during the whole year, the amount spent for the production, the total sales, the remaining stock, and the net income. This record summarizes the performance of the farm in each year. It can be used by the farmer in determining which crop is performing well or which is not. It could be the basis of the farmer in deciding what crop has to be maintained or which one is supposed to be changed.

Cropping season

Description of the commodity

Cost of Production

Total Sales Remaining stock

Net Income

January to April

Pepper P3,500.00 P10,500.00 500 grams P7,000.00

May to October

Rice P5,000.00 P22,000.00 250 grams P17,000.00

November to December

Beans P2,000.00 P8,000.00 90 grams P6,000.00

Total P10,500.00 P40,500.00 P30,000.00

From the sample above, it may be noted that the total annual income of the farm for that year gained P30,000.00. However, the amount does not include its remaining stocks.

3. Cost and Profit Analysis. This record tells the farmer how much profit he/she will gain for the project undertaken. It contains a list of all the farming activities that were done in a season and the expenses incurred per farming activity. It also indicates the cost of supplies and materials used for the cropping season. The cost and return analysis helps the farmer get the total cost of production and estimate the net return he/she will gain depending on the crop yield or the mode of production.

The following table shows a sample cost and return analysis in rice production for one-hectare lowland and irrigated rice.

Method of planting: Transplanting (Wet Season)Variety: HYVSeeds : 2 bags certified seeds at P1,200.00/sackSoil condition : High/Medium NPK (Soil Test Results)( RR= 68-28-45)

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Item Labor Cost of Man/Day

(8 hrs) P

Labor Cost of Man &

Animal /Day (8hrs)

No. of Days Req. at 8 hrs./day

Amount

1.Land Preparation

Seed and seedbed preparation Wetbed Plowing Harrowing and Leveling Repair and Dike CleaningSub total

P200

P200

P300 P300

P300

2

.5 10

8

4 persons

P 400.00

P 150.00 P3,000.00

P2,400.00

800.00P6,750.00

2. Crop Management Sowing and Care of seedlings Pulling and bundling seedlings Transplanting Weeding (Manual) Irrigation Application of herbicides Application of insecticidesApplication of Fertilizers (Basal and Side dressing

P200

P200

P200 P200

P200

P200

P200

2 persons

4 persons

15 persons 5 persons

1 person 4 persons

4 persons

P 400.00

P 800.00

P3,000.00P1,000.00

200.00 800.00

800.00

Sub total P7,000.00

3. Other Major OperationsHarvesting, threshing, winnowing, and hauling (contractual basis)Drying and hauling

contract7 cavan/ha

@5/cavan

@5/cavan

4,500/ha @ P14.00/kg

@ 110 cavans/ha

P4,500.00 4,900.00.

550.00

550.00Sub total P10,500.00

Agricultural Inputs

Herbicides Machete

Insecticides Karate

Cymbush

Fertilizers

1 liter @ P680.001 liter @ P1,020/liter0.5 liter @ P850/liter4 bags T14 @

P 680.00

P1,020.00

425.00

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Reflect and Understand

P1,100.00/b   87 kgs. 46-0-0 @ P1,000/bag (1 bag= 50kg.)28 kgs. 0-0-60 @ P750/bag

4,400.00

1,740.50

420.00

Sub total P8,685.50

Assumption: Average yield per hectare = 5.5 metric tons or 110 cavans. Price of palay is estimated at P14.00 per kilogram

Total expenses = P35,335.00Total Income = P77,000.00Net Income = P41,665.00ROI (return of investment) = 117.91%(Net income/total cost of production x 100)

Answer the following1. What is the importance of keeping farm records?2. What are the different parts of the farm records?3. How do you compute the ROI or return of investment of your entrepreneurial activity?

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Process

Post-assessment

Do the following activitiesActivity 1

Visit a nearby farm where rice is the main crop. Interview the farmer how/he/she prepares farm records to know the cost and profit in farm crop production.

Report the outcome of the interview in class.Activity 2

Keep and maintain farm records of your school farm project. Follow the sample given in this material as your guide.

A. Interview a rice farmer in your locality. Prepare a cost and return analysis of the project. Ask her/him all the necessary details on the part of the record. Present the output in your class.B. Visit a nearby farm and interview the farmer. Prepare a production record of the cropping season. Follow the format below and report your findings to the class

Cropping

season

Description of the

commodity

Cost of Productio

n

Total Sales

Remaining stock

Net Income

A Why is record keeping important in farm crop production?

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Transfer

B. Enumerate the different farm records needed in farm project.C. Visit a nearby farm project and prepare a cost and return analysis of the project.

Farm record is important to the farmer since it provides valuable information regarding the financial status of the farm enterprise. It will tell everyone the picture of the project whether it is gaining or losing.

REFERENCES

CBLM Year 3

Technology and Home Economics III

PHILRICE, Palay Check

Crop Establishment_PhilRice-IRRI RSSP.ppsx

www.pinoyrkb.com

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