Preparation of the land for rice farming:
Preceding the plantation of the rice seeds, farmers must first work their land in order for the soil to be in its best physical condition for crop growth.
Cultivation requirements may differ between plot to plot due to the different surrounding environment for each. The preparation of the land will involve, ploughing to till, mix, and then overturn the soil, before finally levelling it off.
‘Tillage’ is completed to a certain depth in order to allow the seedlings (once they have sprouted) to develop the correct root system. This will support the plant itself physically, and also permit the extraction of moisture needed from the land around the plants roots.
This process is beneficial for weed control as well. While the land allows for farmers to till it themselves using hoes, farmers often choose to be assisted with draft animals such as buffalo. Tractors and other forms of machinery are also used.
The levelling of the land after the soil has been overturned is done predominantly to help reduce the amount of water wasted. The unevenness of the land can result in inadequate water coverage, hence a greater mass of water is required to ensure that all sections of the paddy are wet, in preparation for the establishment of the rice seedlings. This then goes on to mean that the flatter the land, the less effort needed to manage the crops effectively.
Preceding the plantation of the rice seeds, farmers must first work their land in order for the soil to be in its best physical condition for crop growth.
Cultivation requirements may differ between plot to plot due to the different surrounding environment for each. The preparation of the land will involve, ploughing to till, mix, and then overturn the soil, before finally levelling it off.
‘Tillage’ is completed to a certain depth in order to allow the seedlings (once they have sprouted) to develop the correct root system. This will support the plant itself physically, and also permit the extraction of moisture needed from the land around the plants roots.
This process is beneficial for weed control as well. While the land allows for farmers to till it themselves using hoes, farmers often choose to be assisted with draft animals such as buffalo. Tractors and other forms of machinery are also used.
The levelling of the land after the soil has been overturned is done predominantly to help reduce the amount of water wasted. The unevenness of the land can result in inadequate water coverage, hence a greater mass of water is required to ensure that all sections of the paddy are wet, in preparation for the establishment of the rice seedlings. This then goes on to mean that the flatter the land, the less effort needed to manage the crops effectively.