Yield and

Yield Components of Rice

JUVY JANE E. AUǸGON
DA – PhilRice, Technology Management and Services Division
Grain Yield

the “bottom line” or aspect of rice

production that finally counts

the final outcome of crop management

practices
Yield Components

can help in designing a strategy in reaching a

target yield

used to analyze what went wrong if a target is

not reached

for examining yield performance or effect of a

particular treatment
Objectives
list and explain the 4 yield components of rice;

list the factors & practices favoring increase in yield

components;

discuss plot sampling;

determine yield components of a rice sample;

determine grain yield using yield components, crop

cut, and actual production data.
Yield Components

Panicle number per unit area

Grain number per panicle

Percentage filled grains

Grain weight
Each yield component can be determined at
different phases of the rice plant.

• panicle number  vegetative phase

• grain number  reproductive phase
• filled grains  before, at, & after heading
• grain weight  ripening phase
Each yield component differs in its
contribution to grain yield

• grain number per unit area  74%

(panicle and grain number)

• filled grain and grain weight  26%

Factors and practices favoring yield components
Panicle Number per Unit Area
Promote early growth of tillers by:
preventing root damage to seedlings;
using sufficient number of healthy seedlings – short, thick,
disease-free, uniform, w/ plenty of vigorous roots;
ensuring adequate nutrients during tillering;
early weed control; and
maintaining shallow water depth during tillering (not >3 cm).
Spikelet Number per Panicle
Promote photosynthetic activity or increase food supply to
the developing panicle. It is maximized under these
conditions:

high solar radiation;

relatively low air temperature;

healthy and vigorous plants; and

adequate N at panicle initiation.

Percent Filled Grains
Grow lodging-resistant varieties with high percentage of
ripened grains;

Time planting so that solar radiation is high during the

last 45 days before harvest;

Prevent plants from wilting during

ripening period; and

Keep plants healthy/leaves green at

ripening phase.
Grain Weight
Conditions favorable for weight increase:

healthy plants;

high solar radiation during the 45-day period

before harvest; and

cooler nights at ripening.

Plot Sampling
procedure for selecting a fraction of an experimental or
demonstration plot to represent that plot accurately;

considered good if the values obtained from the sample are

very close to those that would have been obtained if
measurements were made on all plants in the plot; and

used because total measurement is often too laborious and

expensive.
Components
Sampling unit - the unit upon which measurements are to
be made (single hill, 4 hills, 5sqm)

Sample size - the number of sampling units to be taken

from each plot or treatment.

Sampling time - when to take measurements or sampling

frequency.

Sampling procedure - procedure for selecting the sample

and taking the measurements.
Procedure in measuring Yield Components
Yield components – 4 hills
(determine the area by measuring the
planting distance between hills)
Procedure in measuring Yield Components
Procedure in measuring Yield Components

With missing hill Deceased or off type

Procedure in measuring Yield Components

Select 3 sampling units (2 x 2 hills)

Count the panicles

Thresh the grains

Count filled and unfilled grains

Weigh the filled grains and adjust MC to 14%

Calculating yield using Yield Components

Grain yield (kg/ha)

= panicle number x grain number x % filled grains x 1000-grain wt (g) x 10-2

m2 panicle

grain number x % filled grain x 1000-grain wt (g) x 10-2

= m2
Example:
Given the following data, compute for the grain yield using the
formula for Yield Component:

• Panicle number from 4 hills = 60

• Planting distance = 20cm x 20cm
• Filled Grains = 3988
• Unfilled Grains = 550
• Weight of 1000 grains = 24.5 grams
• Moisture Content (%) = 19.5
Example:
Grain Yield (kg/ha)
= 375 panicles x 76 grains x 88% filled x 25 grams wt. x 10-2
m2 panicle grains of 1000 grains
= 375 x 76 x 0.88 x 25 x 0.01
= 6270 kg/ha x ( 100 – 19.5% MC
86
)
= 5893.8 kg/ha
Probable causes: YC < target

No. of panicles/m2 Spikelet no. / panicle

Poor soil Low solar radiation

Lack/excess water High temperature

Weeds Low N uptake at heading

Pests and diseases Pests and diseases

Probable causes: YC < target
Percent Filled Grain
Sterile spikelets – due to
drought or high/low temp
Partially filled grains – low
solar radiation, drought,
lodging, pests and diseases
Grain weight
Hull not fully developed
• Insufficient light
• Unhealthy leaves
Starch not deposited
Procedure in measuring Crop Cuts

Crop cut – 5m²

Getting Crop Cuts
At least 3 sampling areas within a plot. At least 1 m from
levee or border.

Area = 5m² (1m x 5m or 2m x 2.5m);

separate each variety.

Thresh, clean and dry.

Weigh and obtain % moisture content.

Adjust MC to 14% and compute yield.

 Procedure in Crop-cut sampling

• From the selected

parcel/treatment,
randomly measure
three 5m² harvest
area at least 1 m
from levee or border. 5m

1m
• Select areas with good crop stand, without missing hills, not damaged
by pests and diseases and without nutrient deficiency symptoms.

2.5m

2m
Procedure in Crop-cut sampling
• Harvest/reap all plants from each sample area. Separate
each variety.

• Thresh, clean, and dry.

• Weigh and obtain grain % moisture content using a Grain

Moisture Meter.

• Drying samples may be done in the oven at 70°C for 49

hours, or sun-drying for 2-3 days (Optional)

• Adjust MC to 14% and compute yield.

Compute grain yield at 14% MC of each of the
samples using the formula:

Grain yield (kg/ha)

= grain weight (kg) x 10,000 m2 x 100 - % Moisture Content

crop cut area (m2) ha 86

The average yield from the 3 crop cuts is the yield of the PalayCheck
field or treatment.
Given the following crop cut data compute
the yield/ha
Sample 1 = 4.5 kg
Sample 2 = 4.6 kg
Sample 3 = 4.4 kg

Area per sample = 1m x 5m

Moisture Content = 20%

Yield /ha = 4.5 kg x 10,000m² x 100 – 20% MC

5m² ha 86
= 8370 kg/ha
Steps in measuring the Actual Yield

Actual Area = Length (m) x Width (m)

Steps in Grain Yield Using Actual Production
1) Measure the area (length and width) of the parcels to be
harvested in the PalayCheck field.

2) Harvest, thresh, clean then count and record the number of

sacks of rough rice (palay) from each parcel.

3) From each parcel, randomly select 5 sacks and take the

average weight of the sack and average grain Moisture
Content.
 Compute the grain yield at 14% MC from each of the
parcels using the formula:

Grain yield (kg/ha)

= number of sacks x Average weight (kg) x 10, 000m 2

x 100 - % MC
Area (m2) sack ha 86

The average yield from all the parcels harvested is the yield of the
PalayCheck field.
The varietal trials established at the Farmers Field School of Brgy
Maligaya are already 85% matured. The RSTC Trainees who
manages the plots collected and processed three crop cut
samples from each variety. The data recorded were as follows:
Crop cut Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 4
Samples
Weight MC (%) Weight MC (%) Weight MC (%) Weight MC (%)
(5m²)
1 3.65kg 20.70 4.1kg 21.00 3.9kg 19.50 3.1kg 21.50
2 3.87kg 22.00 4.3kg 20.90 3.7kg 22.00 3.3kg 22.10
3 3.9kg 21.50 4.0kg 23.00 3.50g 20.00 2.9kg 20.20

Calculate the grain yield (tons/ha) of each variety from the weight of
crop cut samples adjusted to 14%MC
In the same varietal trial, the RSTC trainees also collected three
samples of 4-hills per variety adjacent to the crop cut plot for the yield
components. The planting distance followed the dry season
recommendation of Key Check 4 for the manual transplanting.
The recorded data is on the next slide:

Calculate the grain yield (tons/ha) of each variety using the data of
yield components. Computation should be adjusted to 14%MC.
The varietal trials established at the Farmers Field School of Brgy
Maligaya are already 85% matured. The Trainees who manages
the plots collected and processed three crop cut samples from
each variety.

Variety 1 Variety 2 Variety 3 Variety 4

 Weight of 1000 Moisture Content
Group 1 Panicle # / 4 hills Filled Spikelets Unfilled Spikelets
grains (%)

1 48 3439 198 26.13g 19.5

2 56 3733 167 24.06g 19.5
3 52 3963 175 25.45g 20.81

Group 2 Panicle # / 4 hills Filled Spikelets Unfilled Spikelets Weight of 1000 grains Moisture Content (%)

1 51 4006 528 27.00g 18.9

2 58 3803 802 26.50g 20.6
3 56 4121 863 25.50g 21.1

Weight of 1000 Moisture Content

Group 3 Panicle # / 4 hills Filled Spikelets Unfilled Spikelets
grains (%)
1 58 3857 1050 24.50g 19.5
2 79 4010 601 23.60g 19.8
3 54 3762 551 25.40g 20.0

Weight of 1000 Moisture Content

Group 4 Panicle # / 4 hills Filled Spikelets Unfilled Spikelets
grains (%)
1 55 3425 118 23.50g 21.0
2 46 2976 156 24.00g 19.5
3 49 3399 107 23.70g 20.7
Compute for the grain yield / ha of the four farms using the
formula for actual harvest.

Average weight Moisture Content

FARM LOT Area (ha) No. of bags
per bag (kg) (%)
Group 1 0.35 46 49 19
Group 2 1.95 183 61 21
Group 3 1.10 120 55 20
Group 4 0.75 92 50 22
Summary
Weather conditions, cultural management, and nutrient supply greatly
influence the yield and yield components of a rice variety.

Each yield component differs in the time when it is determined and its
contribution to grain yield.

Understanding their relationships is a key to yield improvement.

Grain yield can be determined using yield components, crop cuts, or

actual production.

Proper plot sampling should be done to obtain accurate results.

Adapted from the presentation of:

ANITA V. ANTONIO
Supervising Science Research Specialist - Retired
Technology Management & Services Division
Philippine Rice Research Institute
Central Experiment Station
Maligaya, Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija