Basically, rice is not an aquatic plant even though it is commonly grown in paddy fields. However, rice is a wetland plant, so it requires paddy field soil type to grow well. Nevertheless, there are rice varieties that can thrive in ordinary land. There is also a way to sow rice in dry fields by following certain rules and criteria.
Sowing Rice in Dry Fields
In the process of sowing rice, it can be done in dry fields or media. Local farmers often use wet seeding methods, so you may not be familiar with it. Sowing rice in dry fields has been widely publicized with the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) system. Here are the steps for sowing rice in dry fields:
Field Preparation Stage Before soaking the seeds, it is advisable to prepare the seedbed first. The seedling medium uses a mixture of organic fertilizer and soil in a ratio of 2:1. Make sure to choose matured organic fertilizer as it will affect seed growth.
There is a simple way to check the maturity of organic fertilizer. Put the organic fertilizer in a bucket or similar container and wait for it to settle. If the water becomes clear, then the organic fertilizer is mature and ready to use.
For the planting medium, you should use plastic as the base. The type of plastic used can be a tarpaulin, plastic bag, or black plastic. The most important thing is that the plastic is intact so that it does not cause water leakage.
Seed Preparation Stage Preparing the seeds is an important step for all sowing methods, including this dryland sowing method. Before sowing, the seeds are soaked for one day and one night. Seeds that float should be discarded as they indicate poor quality.
After soaking, the seeds are soaked again for 2 x 24 hours before sowing. The seeds are ready for planting if small roots appear on the rice grains. To ensure that the rice grains are ready for planting, a germination test can be conducted before transferring them to the seedbed.
Seed Spreading Stage After soaking, the seeds are spread evenly on the planting medium with a density of 0.6 to 0.7 kg/m2. After spreading the seeds evenly, the seedbed is covered with a thin layer of cogon grass. This cogon grass can be replaced with straw or similar materials.
Next, watering is done, followed by adding a thicker layer of cogon grass. Don’t forget to water again to ensure that the seedbed has enough moisture for seed growth. Avoid excessive watering as it can cause rotting.
Maintenance and Seedling Taking Stage Next, equally important is the maintenance until the seeds are ready to be transferred to the planting field. Watering can be done twice a day once the seeds have grown about 2 cm. Meanwhile, the cover can be removed after 4 days from the seeding period. The seedlings are ready to be planted within 9 to 16 days from the seeding period.
When the seedlings are ready for planting, they can be directly transferred to the fields. The rice seedlings can be divided according to the desired number to be planted in each location. For proper planting, it is advisable for the roots not to face upwards. Because, of course, the roots will need time to return to their normal root position.
In conclusion, this is how to sow rice in dry fields that you can practice to obtain good seed quality. In terms of the final result, this sowing method is the same as the wetland seeding method that is commonly used. The advantage of this method is that it can be done more practically and efficiently.