Growth Performance of SRI Paddies under Various Water Levels

Nur Aini Iswati Hasanah, Budi Indra Setiawan, Chusnul Arif, Slamet Widodo
Master Program on Civil and Environmental Engineering
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering,
Faculty of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Bogor Agricultural University, Bogor 16680
e-mail : nurainiiswatihasanah@gmail.com, budindra@yahoo.com

Abstract
Paddy is the main agricultural commodity in Indonesia. Conventionally, paddy is cultivated under a continuous flooding irrigation. However, this irrigation scheme
is not generally associated with producing high yield and good quality. On the other hand, it can cause inefficient water use due to water loss by percolation and
runoff. System of Rice Intensification (SRI) is an alternative cultivation for rice farming with more efficient in water use. The current research has been conducted
to evaluate growth performance of SRI paddy in experimental pots under various water levels since July 2nd, 2014. Herewith, the water level is regulated using
mariotte tube. The water levels are set at -12 cm, -7 cm, -5 cm, -3 cm, 0 cm, and +2 cm from the soil surface. The water levels of -12 and -7 cm may represent
below the rooting zone, the water levels of -5 and -3 cm may represents the middle of rooting zone, and the water levels of 0 and +2 cm represent control or
flooding irrigation. Up to 60 days after replanting, the best growth performance was indicated by the pots having the water levels that represent the middle of
rooting zone (-5 cm). At these levels, the average tiller number and height are 46 and 78 cm, respectively. Hence, the average total water supply is 11.4 mm/day
and about 22% were supplied by subsurface irrigation. About 46% of the supplied water was evapotranspirated and the rest was flowed as surface drainage and
lost due to leaks.
Keywords : SRI Paddy, Growth Performance, Water Level, Water Balance

Introduction
System of Rice Intensification (SRI) method for planting paddies (single planting of young seedlings) is adequate to improve water and land productivity (Uphoff 2008).
The application of intermittent irrigation under various water level in SRI can affects the growth performances of paddies. This response occurs by the changes of crop
response to oxygen content in the soil, root activity, and soils carrying capacity (Epule et al. 2011). So, by using that irrigation regimes, the crop growth will be better than
the continuous flooding.
The objective of this research is for evaluating the effect of various water level to growth performance of SRI paddies. Beside that, it also for knowing the best water level
and its water balance.

Methods & Materials

Pot experiment: The experimental pots was conducted in the open space in Water Resources Laboratory, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Bogor
Agricultural University, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia during one cultivation periods. The cultivation period was started from July 2nd, 2014 (planting date) to October 15th,
2014 (harvesting date). The pots with 50 cm diameter was planted with the variety of paddy (Oryza sativa L.), Ciherang, using the following SRI cultivation method. The
water levels at pots are set at -12 cm, -7 cm, -5 cm, -3 cm, 0 cm, and +2 cm from the soil surface.
Irrigation: The irrigation using subsurface irrigation system by mariotte tube that able to regulate water level. Intermittent irrigation regimes were applied, therefore
irrigation was turned off on 40-47 days after replanting to allow aeration and on 96-105 days after replanting for ripening phase.
Fertilizer application: Husk and compost used as an organic fertilizer that is applied to the soil. Comparison of soil, husk, and compost is 2: 1: 1. Another fertilizer is
indigenous microorganisms grown in rice and banana weevil were supplied to the pots at 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 55 and 60 days after replanting.
Parameters: Growth attributes, such as tiller number and paddies height were measured every 3 days. Water usage was measured every day. While, air temperature,
precipitation, and radiation was measured using sensors every 30 minutes.

Results
Plant growth under various water levels
Changes in tiller number and plant height per hill for the treatments are shown in Fig. 1. In the water level -5 cm that represents the middle of rooting zone, with the
same physiological age, the tiller number was higher than that other. It because the water was available at the middle of root zone that make it easier for plants to use as
a resource growth.
Water balance
Water management embraces the control of water for optimum rice yield and the best use of a limited supply of water (Sujono et al. 2011). Water required to produce
optimum yield i.e. irrigated water must satisfy the evapotranspiration needs of the paddy rice and losses through surface drainage and leaks.
In this study, irrigated water is the amount of water given during paddy rice cultivation started from transplanting up to ripening stage excluding water needed for land
preparation. The precipitation is the sensor measurement data. While, evapotranspiration calculated by multiplying kc and the results of the Hargrevs method.
The water balance of the best water levels is shown in Fig. 2.
Figure 1. Growth Performance of SRI Paddies at 60 Days After Replanting
Figure 2. Water Balance in Water Level -5 cm
water supply
days after replanting precipitation irrigation
total (mm)
(mm)
(mm)
no full data
29.4 no full data
0-10
63.0
32.2
95.2
11-20
122.0
18.8
140.8
21-30
48.0
8.0
56.0
31-40
210.0
12.3
222.3
41-50
0.0
53.7
53.7
51-60
total (11-60 HST)
443.0
125.0
568.0
average per day (11-60 days after replanting)
11.4
ET/total water supply

water consumption

surface
drainage
evapotranspiration
and leaks
(mm)
(mm)
no full data
no full data
59.0
36.1
71.9
68.9
49.0
6.9
60.8
161.5
19.5
34.2
260.3
307.7
5.2
6.2
45.8%

Conclusion

Refferences

The findings of the present research showed that in water level -5 cm, based on
the pots experiments, the tiller number is higher than other water levels. It
because the water was available at the middle of root zone that make it easier for
plants to use as a resource growth. Similar experiment can be conducted under
various soil structure.

Epule ET, Peng C, Mafany NM. 2011. Methane Emissions from Paddy Rice Fields:
Strategies Towards Achieving a Win-Win Sustainability Scenario Between
Rice Production and Methane Emission Reduction. Journal of Sustainable
Development. 4(6): 191
Sujono J, Matsuo N, Hiramatsu K, Mochizuki T. 2011. Improving the Water
Productivity of Paddy Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Cultivation Through Water
Saving Irrigation Treatments. Agricultural Sciences. 2(4): 514.
Uphoff N. 2008. The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) as a System of
Agricurtural Innovation. Jurnal Tanah dan Lingkungan. 10(1): 27.

Acknowledgements
The authors thank to the PDSU Schollarship for the financial support to conduct
this experiment.