By Seed Co Malawi Agronomy Desk

Benefits Of Nerica_04

• Drought tolerant
• Early maturing
• High yields
• Disease resistance
• Can be cultivated anywhere

Attributes.

• Maturity period 100 days
• Potential yield 32 bags of 50kg per acre
• Seed rate of 12kg per acre

Soil requirements

• Clay loam/ any soil that can hold moisture for some days not sandy soil
• Make a flat ground not on ridges, make it flat as in the paddy land

SOWING METHODS

Direct Seeding By:

• Dibbling: opening a spot in the soil and sowing 5 to 8 seeds at a depth of 2–3 cm.
• Drilling: making a small groove, 2–3 cm deep in the soil and sowing the seeds sparsely in the groove and covering with soil.
• Broadcasting: spreading the seeds on the soil surface without any specific pattern

Spacing and Seeding Rate

• Dibbling at 30 × 30 cm or 20 × 20 cm: seed rate: 50–60 kg/ha.
  • Drilling at 25–30 cm row spacing and 5 cm within row; seed rate: 75–80 kg/ha.
  • Broadcasting: seed rate: 80–100 kg/ha

Planting procedures

• Do not make a nursery when planting upland, but when planting in paddy you can make a Nursery.
• When growing in paddy make sure transplanting is done within 15 days. This helps the seedling to pick up quickly and reduces root damages.
• When plaing in upland, make direct planting at a space of 20cm by 23cm and plant one seed per station.
• After germination withing 10 days, apply NPK and and mix with soil using a hoe

Fertilizers

• Fertilizers supply nutrients essential for growth, nutrition and health of the rice plant.

• Fertilizers can be applied in organic or inorganic (mineral) forms or both.
  • Organic fertilizer can be in the form of manure, compost or crop residues.
  • Mineral fertilizers are manufactured. It is important to apply the right quantity and at the right time to obtain optimum yields and for environmental protection.

Types of fertilizer

• Straight (single) fertilizers: These supply only one primary nutrient (e.g. N, P or K) to the crop. Some examples:
  • Nitrogen: urea, ammonium sulphate, ammonium nitrate, calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN), and others.
  • Phosphorus: single super-phosphate (SSP), triple super- phosphate (TSP) etc.
  • Potassium: Muriate of potash (MOP; KCl).