WATER

MANAGEMENT IN
RICE CROP

Principles and practices of water management

(APA-604N)
INTRODUCTION
 Rice is a remarkable semi-aquatic plant which has been
cultivated in different agro-climatic regions of the world.
  Average Water requirement – 1100 mm Average
Water requirement (SRI) – 700 mm
 The daily consumptive use of rice varies from 6-10 mm .

 Total and daily cinsumptive use of water depends upon the

agro climatic situation, duration of variety and
characteristics of the soils.
STAGE-WISE AND OPERATION-
WISE WATER REQUIREMENT FOR
PADDY

Water Precentage of
Stages of
requirement total water
growth Water
(mm) requirement
Operation requirement
Nursery 40 3.22 (mm)
Main field
200 16.12 Nursery 40
preparation
Planting to Land
458 37.00 200
panicle initiation preparation
Panicle
initiation to 417 33.66 Field
1000
flowering irrigation
Flowering to Total 1240
125 10.00
maturity
SCHEDULING OF IRRIGATION
FOR PADDY
Short duration variety Medium duration variety Long duration variety

No. of Water No. of Water No. of Water

Days irrigatio level Days irrigatio level Days irrigatio level
n (cm) n (cm) n (cm)

1-25 5-7 2-3 1-30 5-7 2-3 1-35 6-8 2-3

Thin film Thin film Thin film

25 - 30 - 35 -
of water of water of water
39-90 or
29-50 6 2-5 34-65 6-8 2-5 12-15 2-5
95

51-70 5-6 2-5 66-95 8-10 2-5 96-125 7-9 2-5

71-105 5-6 2-5 96-125 6-8 2-5 126-150 5-6 2-5

WATER MANAGEMENT FOR
DIFFERENT ECOSYSTEM
(1)System of Rice Intensification
(SRI)
 Irrigation only to moist the soil in
the early period of 10 days .
 Restoring irrigation to a maximum
depth of 2.5cm after development of
hairline cracks in the soil until
panicle initiation (alternate wetting
and drying).
 Increasing irrigation depth to 5.0 cm
after PI one day after disappearance
of ponded water.
(2)TRANSPLANTED LOWLAND
RICE
 Puddling and leveling minimizes the
water requirement .
 Maintain 2.5 cm water over the
puddle .
 At the time of transplanting, a shallow
depth of 2 cm of water is adequate .
 Maintain 2 cm of water up to seven
days of transplanting.
 After the establishment stage, cyclic
submergence of 5 cm water
throughout the crop period.
(3)WET SEEDED PUDDLED
LOWLAND RICE
 During first one week just wet the
soil by thin film of water.
 Depth of irrigation may be increased
to 2.5cm progressively along the
crop age.
 Provide adequate drainage facilities
to drain excess water.
 S

 Strictly follow irrigation schedule of

one day after disappearance of
ponded water.
 Last irrigation may be 15 days
ahead of harvest.
(4)DRY SEEDED UN-PUDDLED
RICE
 Under aerobic condition DSR could be
successfully raised with 700-800 mm
of water.
 Total 5-6 numbers of irrigation are
applied at the critical stages are
sufficient to achieve an optimum yield.
 For drill sown rice care should be
taken to drain out excess rain water
during first 10-15 DAS .
 The water level in the field should not
be more than 2.5cm height during
tillering stage.
WATER MANAGEMENT
METHODS
Stages of crop growth Depth of submergence
(1) Continuous (cm)
Submergence At transplanting 2
 Continuous land submergence for After transplanting for 3 5
rice is, usually, practiced due to the days
increase in availability of nutrients Three days after 2
and less weed management transplanting upto
problems. maximum tillering
 Shallow submergence of water up At maximum tillering Drain water for three
to 5 cm depth throughout the crop (in fertile fields only) days
period is optimum for high yield. Maximum tillering to 2
panicle initiation
Panicle initiation to 21 5
days after flowering
Twenty one days after Withhold irrigation
flowering
 Intermittent Continuous Flowing
Submergence Irrigation
 Adopted under high humidity and
 Flowing water from field to field
low evaporative demand .
increases grain yield of rice by
 Intermittent submergence i.e. preventing accumulation of harmful
submergence during the critical salts in the soil.
stages of crop and maintenance of  Nitrogen losses will be higher with
saturation or drying up to hair
continuous flowing irrigation water.
cracking stage during the rest of the
crop stages.  Flowing irrigation water is ideal for
 Intermittent period varied from one problem soils .
to nine days depending on rainfall
pattern, depth of water table and soil
texture.
 This practice saves about 30% water.
 Tips to reduce water
Components of losses
Water Losses  Seepage and percolation reduced to
considerable extent by intensive land

from Rice Field

puddling and perfect leveling.
 Application of FYM or compost or green
manures reduce evaporation, percolation
 Evapotranspiration. and seepage .
 Lining of canals and irrigation channels
 Deep can be formed to check the seepage.
 Evaporation losses can be minimized by
percolation ,seepage . 50% when the soil is kept at saturation
under  levelled field conditions .
 Runoff of excess  Addition of clay or tank silt (to light

water over the field textured soils only) @ 150m3/ha reduce

the percolation loss by 20 -25%.
levees .  Rainwater harvesting and levees
management can substantially minimize
the surface runoff during wet season.
THANK YOU