Guide to growing lowland rice

 (Recommended by USAID/ ICS-Nigeria) Choice of land Choose fertile land with a moderately high water holding-capacity. Heavy  soils characteristic of river valleys and Fadamas are preferred. Lands with  clayey soils are considered most desirable. Recommended varieties Short duration Faro 44 (sipi 6920233) Medium duration Faro 29 Faro 52 Late Duration Faro 15  Time of planting […]

 (Recommended by USAID/ ICS-Nigeria)

Choice of land

Choose fertile land with a moderately high water holding-capacity. Heavy  soils characteristic of river valleys and Fadamas are preferred. Lands with  clayey soils are considered most desirable.

Recommended varieties

Short duration

Faro 44 (sipi 6920233)

Medium duration

Faro 29 Faro 52

Late Duration

Faro 15 

Time of planting

Plant in May/June when the rains are firmly established. Planting should  be early (by the end of June) in flood-prone, waterlogged, and gall midge-attached areas. 

Seed rate and plant population

Direct sowing needs 55–65 kg/ha grain; raising seedlings to transplanting needs 45 kg/ha grain.

Planting

Direct seeding

This is possible in hydromorphic areas by broadcasting or dibbling. Divide  the field into plots of 50 m2 or 100 m2, and construct small bunds. Weeds are the major problem. Apply herbicides to control them. in dibbling, the spacing should be 20–25 cm between rows and 15–20 cm between plants. 

Direct seeding can be done with pregerminated seeds in wet soils.

 Nursery raising 

Soak the seeds in water for 24 hours. Spread them on the floor and incubate them by covering them with polyethylene bags for 48 hours for the seeds to sprout. To provide seedlings for 1 ha of land, raise the nursery in 500 m2(1/20acre).

 Transplanting

Transplant seedlings from nursery after 21 days. This is done by uprooting the seedlings. Transplant 2–3 seedlings per hill. Spacing should be 20 cm between rows and 15–20cm between plants. 

Transplant early maturing varieties 15 cm apart and transplant medium and late maturing varieties 20 cm apart.

Gap filling

Gap fill the areas where seeds have not germinated 7–10 days after transplanting. Use remaining seedlings.

Fertilizer rate and time of application tall lodging indica varieties

First application apply broadcast, 200 kg (4 bags) of npk 14 days after transplanting.

Second application apply broadcast 100 kg/ha (12 bags) of urea at ear initiation.

improved non-lodging varieties

First application

Apply 200 kg/ha (4 bags) of NPK 15:15:15 thoroughly puddle in the soil before transplanting, followed by another 100kg (2 bags) of Urea per hectare broadcast at 30 days after transplanting.

Second application

 Broadcast 100 kg/ha (2 bags) of Urea per hectare at ear initiation.

Weed control

hand weeding:

Hand-weed twice at 21 and 40 days after transplanting. Collect all weeds from bunds, and decompose or bury them in one corner of the field to prevent insect attack.

 Chemical control

Spray herbicides