Compendium of Research Projects Completed
Between January 1996 and June 1997

Project Summaries: Rice

The Australian rice industry is primarily based in the Murrumbidgee and Murray Valleys of southern NSW, where some 2,500 family farms produce between 1 and 1.4 million tonnes of paddy per year.

It is one of the most productive and efficient rice industries in the world, with yields averaging 8.5 t/ha. The industry has a farmgate GVP of around $300 million and earns more than $500 million in exports (mostly of value-added rice in small branded packs) to more than fifty destinations.

Research Highlights for 1996-97
· Release of a significant new medium grain rice variety and progress on several other varieties that focus on the Japanese market requirements and also the domestic fragrant rice market.
· Further development of Near Infra-red (NIR) techniques for better determining fertiliser requirements of crops. Surveys have shown that growers who use this technology achieve, on average, 0.6t/ha more paddy grain than the average.
· Completion of an independent assessment of rice harvesting equipment which revealed that significant savings can be made through more informed machinery selection and use.
· Release of SWAGMAN Option - a hierarchical multi-criteria framework that identifies profitable landuses which minimise watertable rise and salination. improving water use.
· Development of 'Business Checks', a business and financial educational program for rice farmers to help improve profitability.

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SWAGMAN OPTIONS - HELPING MAXIMISE PROFITABILITY OF RICE BASED CROPPING SYSTEMS WHILE ENSURING ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

Objective

· To identify landuses which will maximise net return to the farmer and allow sustainable agricultural production.

Background

In Australia the rice industry generates approximately $500 million per annum in gross revenue, most of it in export earnings. In order to maintain such a successful industry, rice production must be conducted in an environmentally sustainable manner.

Rice is grown as a paddy system, where water is ponded for periods of four to six months. Therefore, it is inevitable that recharge to groundwater will occur under rice and watertables will rise. The damage potential of rising watertables has been recognised since the 1940's and the state agencies and the rice industry have negotiated and implemented a series of environmental restrictions to minimise watertable rise.

Such environmental policies were designed to protect the ecosystem without assessing their impact on farm profitability The problem has been compounded by addressing those issues separately. Therefore, it is essential that irrigated farm profitability and environmental sustainability are considered simultaneously, when agronomic and environmental policies are formulated.

Research

A hierarchical multi-criteria framework, SWAGMAN Options was developed. The framework is multi-disciplinary in its approach, incorporating information on agronomy, soils, hydrogeology and economics. The model was used to evaluate optimal landuse practices in the Camarooka Project Area, a representative sub-region of the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area.

SWAGMAN Options is made up of six optimisation routines and a groundwater routine. Output from a routine is passed on to the subsequent routine as input. The first routine selects paddocks suitable for rice, the second determines the depth to the watertable after rice, and the third determines sub-surface drainage required in non-rice paddocks. The fourth routine finds the irrigation requirements for landuses while maintaining soil salinity below a critical level; the fifth and sixth determine which landuse will maximise financial returns and drainage receptively. The final routine chooses optimal non-rice landuses based on the relative importance or weight given to environmental and economic objectives.

A number of sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess the impact of the pertinent variables on the model. The percentage of rice area allowed, the rice water use limit, rainfall, optimal depth, critical salinity, initial depth to the waterable and the importance or weight placed on economic and environmental factors were all examined.

Outcomes

The current level of rice production (30% of a farm area) as a monoculture will increase the area with shallow watertables in an average rainfall year. Introduction of non-rice landuses will lower the watertable and increase the net returns substantially. Maize and canola will results in higher returns than other one-rice landuses.

The rice paddock water use limit has a significant impact on the area with a shallow watertable. In an average rainfall year, restricting paddock water use to 14 ML/ha/pa will restricts the waterable rise from rice cropping. The introduction of maize and canola will increase the net farm returns and reduce the sub-surface drainage requirement.

Implications

The current level of rice production restrictions is not sufficient to halt the increase in the area with shallow watertables in an average rainfall year when rice is grown as a monoculture. This result highlights the need to introduce non-rice landuses into rice farming systems if the area sown to rice is to be maintained in the long term.

Present rice water use limits, which are in the order of 16 ML/ha/pa will not lower the waterhole. In an average rainfall year, restriction of the rice paddock water use to 14 ML/ha/pa will restrict the watertable rise from rice cropping to the minimum.

RIRDC Project No: CSI-4A

RESEARCHERS: S A Prathapar, W S Meyer, E Alocilija and J Madden ORGANISATION: CSIRO, Division of Water Resources GRIFFITH NSW 2680 PHONE: 069 601 500 FAX: 069 601 600

PUBLICATIONS:

Prathapar, S A, Meyer, W S Alocilja, E Madden J. (1995). SWAGMAN Option. Final Report to the RIRDC. CSIRO Consultancy Paper 95/42.

Prathaper, S A , Meyer, W S, Alocilja, E. and Madden, J (1996). SWAGMAN Option: A hierarchical multi-critera framework to identify profitable landuses which minimise watertable rise and salinisation. Invited paper. Journal of Applied Mathematics and Computation.

Prathapar, S A, Meyer, W S, Alocilja, E and Madden, J (1995). A Multi-Critera framework to identify landuses which maximise farm profitability and minimise net recharge. International Conference on Multiple Objective Decision Support Systems for Land, Water and Environmental Management. Hawaii, USA.

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RICELAND SUITABILITY ASSESSMENT

Objectives

To develop improved procedures for evaluating the suitability of land for rice growing by:
· developing field survey and interpretation procedures for electromagnetic (EM-31) surveys to identify sites of high groundwater recharge; and
· evaluating hand soil texturing as an index for assessment of soil permeability and development of an improved index based on objective assessment of a wider range of soil properties.

Background

Groundwater recharge from rice growing has a major impact on regional groundwater levels and soil salinisation. During the ricegrowing season, rice fields are inundated continuously for as long as 150 days. Over the growing season between 1150 and 1200mm of water per hectare are used to meet the evapotranspiration demands of rice. The remainder of irrigation water supplied to the rice crop is accounted for in surface drainage, soil storage and deep percolation.

The suitability of soil for growing rice is currently judged by the texture of the top 2-3 metres of the soil, determined by hand texturing. A suitable soil must have more than 2 metres of continuous medium or heavy clay. One soil profile per 4 hectares is generally assessed. Localised sites exist within rice fields which allow high levels of groundwater recharge, and identification of these sites is difficult with the current technique for selecting assessment sites.

Electromagnetic (EM) induction techniques can rapidly identify areas of different soil texture within a field.

Research

The ability of electromagnetic surveying (EM-31) to identify soils of different physio-chemical properties was tested. This was achieved by a series of field experiments in which the EM values of 24 rice fields in the Murrumbidgee and Murray Valleys were measured and mapped. These fields experienced a wide range of salinity, water table depth and history of ricegrowing.

A protocol was developed to classify EMv data into enough EMv classes to describe the spatial variation measured within each field. Soil samples were taken from within each soil class to first interpret the EMv data in physical and chemical terms, and second to provide the first profile of soil chloride content for recharge estimation.

Groundwater recharge was assessed at each soil sampling location by chloride mass balance and measuring infiltration. These recharge data were used to assess the adequacy of current soil classification methods in describing groundwater recharge and to develop new, simply measured indices of recharge.

Outcomes

The reaction of ricegrowers and irrigation resource managers to the technique has been extremely encouraging. Irrigation resource managers have shown interest in applying the approach in the present (1996-97) rice season. Ricegrowers have shown considerable interest; most has been positive although some ricegrowers feel threatened by the technology. Overall, knowledge of the possible implications of this technology will reinforce of the need for rice growing to be restricted to appropriate soil types so that groundwater recharge from .....

Implications

The project has been successful in developing field survey and interpretation procedures for electromagnetic (EM-31) surveys. The project showed that soil clay content can be predicted by EM-31 surveying. This allows a field to be delineated into areas of similar soil and to be accurately described using the current texture based soil suitability criteria. The survey methods are not only applicable to the assessment of soil for ricegrowing, but can be used to target any soil survey which relies on the textural properties of the soil for classification in riverine landscapes.

The survey methodology could be applied to locate sites suitable for farm water storages or evaporation basins; to subsequently monitor for leakage; to classify the suitability of land for irrigation, and to map recharge and discharge areas on a farm or sub catchment scale.

RIRDC Project No: DAN-95A

RESEARCHER: Mr PG Slavich
ORGANISATION: Research and Advisory Station, NSW Agriculture,
PO Box 736 DENILIQUN NSW 2710
PHONE: 02 6626 1200 FAX: 02 6628 1744

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PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF RICE HARVESTING EQUIPMENT

Objectives

· To evaluate a range of harvesting equipment under Australian ricefield conditions.
· To generate information on equipment performance and its effect on rice quality.
· To fill a serious gap in knowledge and meet a need for objective harvest equipment data.
· To disseminate pertinent farmer-friendly information on the results.

Background

The timing, duration and mode of conduct of the harvest has a direct bearing on rice quality and on growers' incomes. Delayed or protracted harvest usually downgrades whole grain mill appraisal.

The rate of change in harvest technologies has gone ahead of the availability of independent or non-commercial information available to farmers. They are dependent on imported harvesting equipment, including the more recent stripper fronts and rotary combines.

Project surveys point to an ageing header fleet averaging 9 years old. Rice harvesting machinery tumover is around $6 million a year.

Research

Harvesting equipment performance was assessed by material processing performance, derived from field tests, and economic performance, computed on costs accumulated from farmers, company and dealer personnel. Comparative harvest costs were then calculated in $/tonne, based on the criterion of throughput at 3% machine loss. Rice sample quality was assessed by the RCL appraisals laboratory.

Twenty different combinations of harvesters aid fronts were tested at five sites. Included were John Deere CTS combine; Case-IH 2188; John Deere 9500 and 9600; Gleaner R62; FNH TX66; Shelboume Reynolds and Harvest Hustler strippers tested against standard fronts; plus the draper front and Vibramat attachments for cutterbars.

Outcomes

The most economic machine combination was a rotary combine with a stripper front. Other combinations have a very wide range of harvest costs for privately-owned equipment, some greatly exceeding the standard contractor harvest rate of $22.50/tonne for 1996.

Two farmer field days were conducted, attended by some 300 people. Despite farmer opinions that field tests conducted under such poor crop conditions would hardly be worthwhile, much useful information has been generated. Procedures have been refined to facilitate future spot harvester performance testing.

The largest combines performed in the acceptable loss range. The best performers were capable of up to a tonne of grain a minute with a stripper attachment. For cutterbar fronts, the Vibramat was highly cost-effective and had lowest front losses.

The stripper front consistently increased capacity and is cost effective on suitably-adapted combines. Combine fuel consumption with a stripper front was lower per tonne of crop harvested -than a cutterbar. But not all machines can use a stripper effectively due to walker limitations or an inadequate header drive system. Strippers had three times higher gathering loss than a cutterbar, but the losses were within acceptable limits. Bin sample dockage was lower with stripper fronts.

There was no significant difference in grain quality in this colder season between rotaries and walker type combines, or between strippers vs cutterbar fronts. The cool harvest season was not a fast drying one either, so the effects of seasonal tinning on quality were masked this year. On the positive side there was virtually no lodging and little rain-damaged grain, so machine performance could not be measured under lodged crop or wet field conditions.

Implications

The project also examined trends in the harvester market and dealt with crop characteristics and grain quality issues. Some fresh challenges to the industry are presented with the results of this project, along with proposed methods to meet the challenges. February 1996 was the coldest on record and many rice varieties were set back considerably, often with yields below half the average expected. Farmers have expressed the desire to see the project conducted again in a better season. They have asked for more harvest machinery field days as an opportunity to see the harvest equipment being tested and hear the project results explained firsthand.

RIRDC Project Number: KDI-IIA

RESEARCHERS: G R Hamilton, G R Quick
ORGANISATION: Kondinin Group 51 Gurwood St.
WAGGA WAGGA NSW 2650
PHONE: 069 21 4047 FAX: 069 21 4182

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DEVELOPING A FRAGRANT RICE VARIETY WITH EXPORT POTENTIAL USING MICRO-PROPAGATION

Objective

· To use the methodology developed during a previous RIRDC project to hasten the development of a higher yielding fragrant rice which would remove the need for production premiums, while retaining the quality necessary for continued growth in market share.

Background

A previous RIRDC project, aimed at the development of aromatic varieties for the NSW rice industry, resulted in the development of the first NSW fragrant rice variety "Goolarah". While this variety had exceptional grain quality allowing successful entry into the market, unfortunately it was low yielding and late maturing. The Ricegrowers' Cooperative offered substantial premiums to growers in order to achieve adequate production.

Research

The development of a higher yielding fragrant rice followed the standard breeding program procedure, but included additional tests for fragrance in each generation. There were two phases to testing for fragrance. The first ensured that progeny selected within a cross retained the genes conditioning for the desired type and degree of fragrance. This testing was carried out in panicle rows, in which a sample of seeds from plants within a row were tested, and single head selection was conducted on rows in which more than half of the grain was fragrant.

The second phase was carried out once lines had progressed to yield testing in small plots. Single heads were selected from the best performing plots, and half grains were tasted, allowing plants to be regenerated from the germ end of fragrant grains. Seed from these regenerated plants should be homozygous for fragrance, and was multiplied in panicle rows at the same time as further yield testing and quality evaluation was carried out using seed harvested in bulk from the yield plots.

Outcomes

A new fragrant rice ("Kyeema") was named and released to the NSW rice industry in 1994. The development of Kyeema addressed the most pressing needs for fragrant rice production. Its yield potential is significantly greater (approximately 3 t/ha) than the initial fragrant cultivar Goolarah, and its growth duration approximately 3 weeks shorter.

In addition to the release of Kyeema there are three other significant outcomes from this project. The first is the development of an advanced semi-dwarf line of the Thai jasmine type, the second is the development of a Basmati quality advanced line, and the third is the introduction and characterisation of diverse fragrant varieties which will underpin future advances.

Implications

One of the objectives of this project was to search the literature and identify fragrant rice varieties for future use in this program. The underlying premise to this approach was that while many reports indicate relatively simple inheritance patterns, the genetic background has subtle but significant effects on the sensory perception of flavour and aroma. This approach has been vindicated by the experience of rice growers in the southern US states. The variety "Jasmine 85" was released and significant tonnage produced, however its performance in the market place was extremely poor. Despite having appropriate aroma, the taste, texture and appearance were all slightly different to Thai jasmine rice, and the market did not rate Jasmine 85 of acceptable quality.

An additional two lines from the fragrant rice program have been included in advanced testing in the 1995-96 season. The first of these, designated YRF203, is a Basmati-type rice, which represents a new class of fragrant rice for the NSW rice industry. Basmati rices are grown in India and Pakistan and have unique grain quality characteristics. They have firmer cooked grain texture than Thai fragrant types, a sharper, more pungent aroma, and if the grain is soaked prior to cooking it elongates during cooking to more than twice its uncooked length. YRF203 is a significant step towards achieving a rice of this type adapted to the temperate conditions of NSW.

This project has allowed the development and integration of new techniques into the NSW rice breeding program, and has resulted in a higher yielding fragrant variety, as well as promising lines of diverse qualities. These developments provide the foundation for additional product diversification and increased profitability for the NSW rice industry.

RIRDC Project Number: DAN-79A

RESEARCHER: Russell Reinke
ORGANISATION: CSIRO Plant Industry,
GPO Box 1600 CANBERRA ACT 2601
PHONE: 02 6246 4911 FAX: 02 6246 5000

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MAXIMISING THE FUTURE PAY-OFF FROM RICE BREEDING

Objective

· To assist rice breeders to plan their program to maximise its future pay-off to the Australian rice industry by evaluating the cost-effectiveness of the alternative breeding approaches.

Background

The project addressed two RIRDC goals specific to the rice industry: · enhancement of profitability and market opportunities for the Australian rice industry; and · development of a coordinated program of research in support of the industry addressing key factors in production, processing, and marketing of the product.

Research & Outcomes

User-friendly software, namely SAMBOY-Rice (Software for Assisting Management of Breeding Options at Yanco-Rice) has been developed to facilitate the continuing use of the analyses well beyond the life of the project.

This software is flexible with ability to update and run sensitivity analysis. The economic information generated is highly valuable to breeders, research fund administrators, and other scientists involved in administration of the funds in the rice breeding program.

Implications

The economic information generated will help to identify the relative costs and to decide how to reduce the total cost of the rice breeding program or increase returns from the given resources. Through more efficient breeding program the returns to the growers would increase because of better targeted varieties. The software SAMBOY-Rice will allow the future use of the analyses developed in the project.

RIRDC Project No: DAN-108A

RESEARCHERS: Drs. John P Brennan, Inder Pal Singh, and Laurie G. Lewin ORGANISATION: NSW Agriculture Agricultural Research Institute,
PM Bag WAGGA WAGGA, NSW 2650
PHONE: 069 381 999 FAX: 069 381 809
EMAIL: brennaj@agric.nsw.gov.au

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BUSINESS CHECKS FOR RICE FARMS

Objectives

· To improve the knowledge of rice farmers about financial and business principles to enable rice farmers to make better management decisions. · To develop a package of financial and physical whole farm checks as benchmarks for increasing profitability. · To compare the influences and importance of increased productivity and business and financial management on farm profitability as a step for improving farm profitability.

Background

The project was the second step in developing a business and financial educational program for rice farmers. The first pilot study of 31 businesses in 1994-95 in the Finley district developed a framework for comparing farm businesses. However, there was a need to further develop the educational package and evaluate differences between financial years. There was also a need to determine the interest in business management in other rice districts.

Research

Introductory meetings with prospective farmers were held at Finley, Deniliquin, Wakool and Moulamein in February 1996. Response to the introductory meetings was very good with a total of 71 farmers deciding to participate in Business Checks for the 1993-94 financial year and 54 for the 1994-95 financial year. Each farmer completed a Business Checks Input sheet containing both physical and financial farm information.

This information was then checked and entered on a computer spreadsheet developed by Rendell McGuickan Consultants. Comparative results were developed for each group with the results presented at 4 separate meetings in March 1996. Each farmer received a Business Checks report comparing check averages with the highest 25% and lowest 25%. Another report compared the checks for average, highest 25% and lowest 25% disposable incomes. The meetings were evaluated using direct farmer feedback.

Outcomes

Business Checks has demonstrated that productivity as in rice yields is only one factor influencing farm profitability. The other key checks influencing profitability are:
· area of rice
· farm operating costs as a % of farm income
· megalitres water managed per labour unit
· debt as a ratio of farm income
· clearing sale value of machinery as a ratio of farm income
· non-farm income.

Implications

At present there are many farmer based crop check programs including Ricecheck, aimed at improving productivity. A basic principle of these programs is to educate farmers through a number of learning steps. Many of these crop check programs have been successful in improving productivity.

However, there is a need to develop links between crop check packages such as Ricecheck to business management. For 1995 GRDC is funding Business Checks pilot groups in the wheat belt of Victoria. If the pilot group feedback is positive Business Checks may expand through TOPCROP Australia.

Ricecheck was the forerunner of all the present crop check programs and has filled a vital industry need. The farmer feedback from the Business Checks pilot project shows there is a big need for knowledge about financial and business management particularly at a whole farm level. Business Checks which uses the same learning principles as Ricecheck has the potential to have a dramatic impact on future rice industry profitability and sustainability.

RIRDC Project No: DAN-122A

RESEARCHERS: Mr John Lacy, Mr Rob Rendell
ORGANISATION: NSW Agriculture, PO Box 108 FINLEY NSW 2713 PHONE: 03 5883 1644 FAX: 03 5883 1570

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IMPROVING SEED QUALITY IN EARLY GENERATIONS OF EXPERIMENTAL RICE VARIETIES

Objectives

· To improve the quality of early generation of rice seed, particularly in the areas of seed viability, varietal purity and freedom from existing and potential weeds.
· To develop a strategic seed reserve of rice cultivars which are resistant to exotic rice pests and disease which are not present in Australian ricegrowing areas.
· To proceed more rapidly through the early generation seed build-up of potential new varieties to enable the industry to be more responsive to the changing marketing needs of the rice trade and the agronomic need of growers.

Background

This project aims to provide infrastructure to enhance the plant breeding program by way of seed receival, drying, storage and cleaning facilities. The scientific stages of the plant breeding program are carried out by NSW Agriculture at Yanco. The available irrigation land at Yanco is limited and a major part of the early generation seed increase work has been carried out at McCaughey Memorial Institute for many years.

A seed drying, processing and storage plant has been established at the McCaughey Institute, Jerilderie, and is operated by Rice Research Australia Pty Ltd in conjunction with NSW Agriculture's rice breeding program.

Outcomes

The seed plant has a capacity to receive, dry, store, process and package 350 tonnes of rice seed annually. The primary cleaning and width separation unit has a total screen area of eight square metres to efficiently clean batches of seed from 500 kilograms to 50 tonnes at a rate of 1.5 tonnes per hour.

Length separation is achieved by dual indent cylinder separators. The final specific gravity separation occurs on a gravity table. Processed product is available as a bulk product in 50 tonne aerated silos, one tonne bins or packed in 50 kilogram sacks.

Implications

The seed processing and storage facilities will have a role in ensuring the long-term future of the Australian rice industry.

The NSW rice industry is free from major rice diseases and pests present in many overseas ricegrowing areas. Future security for the industry necessitates increased resistance to exotic diseases and pests in the genetic base of the rice breeding program.

Plant breeders at Yanco Agricultural Institute plan to use gene marking biotechnology to enhance resistance in the breeding program. The early stages of the resistance program will produce interim resistant cultivars which will be seed increased at McCaughey Institute and stored at the seed increase facility. Interim cultivars will be stored for two to three years, then regrown or replaced. These cultivars would provide a nucleus of seed for the commercial industry to rapidly replace existing rice varieties in the event of the outbreak of exotic diseases or pests.

RIRDC Project No: RRA-1A

RESEARCHER: Mr G Wright
ORGANISATION: Rice Research Australia Pty Ltd,
RMB 72 JERILDERI NSW 2716
PHONE: 03 5886 1391 FAX: 03 5886 1695

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ADOPTING PUDDLING TO MINIMISE DEEP PERCOLATION FROM RICE

Objectives

· To refine the puddling technology, through interaction with practicing ricegrowers, to identify and solve any problems which could hinder adoption.
· To assess whether deep percolation under banks and/or toe furrows can negate the benefits of puddling, using replicated field experiments. If yes, determine how to identify which banks/toe furrows are a problem, and how to ameliorate them.
· To determine the effect of 0, 1, & 2 years of puddling on the growth and yield of non-rice crops sown after rice, and on soil structure, in replicated field experiments.

Background

Rice growing is a major contributor to the rapid development of high watertables in the Irrigation Areas and Districts of southern NSW. To restrict recharge of watertable (Deep percolation), recent policy aimed to restrict rice growing to paddocks where rice paddock water use is less than/equal to 16 ML/ha (1600 mm), in an average season.

Strict implementation of the 16 ML/ha policy would create severe economic hardship for significant numbers of rice growers in some areas. However, research and experience overseas have shown that soil modification by puddling, smearing and compacting can reduce deep percolation by up to 3 orders of magnitude.

Research

A technique of puddling to reduce deep percolation from rice was developed for the rice cultural system in southern NSW.

Outcomes

Puddling can dramatically reduce water use in high water use rice paddocks, but is not always as effective as required. Further refinement of the technique is needed to ensure the desired result. The few data available also suggest that puddling has the potential to further reduce deep percolation in paddocks using around the 16 ML/ha target. Economic analysis suggests that a saving of 1 ML/ha more than offsets the cost of puddling.

Rice establishment, growth and yield can be equally good with puddling as with conventional cultivation - provided a couple of well-defined traps are avoided. The main agronomic constraint is turbidity. This problem can be minimised by careful water management at the rime of puddling.

There is no evidence to date that the growth and yield of crops (wheat, canola) sown immediately after rice are impaired by puddling prior to rice. These results are from crops direct drilled after rice harvest, in replicated treatments that have had 0, 1 or 2 consecutive years of puddling. However, longer term monitoring of non-rice crops on a range of soils is desirable after up to several years of puddling.

One of the constraints against adoption of puddling is the large amount of time (person, tractor) it takes to puddle a paddock. However, one pass seedbed preparation is possible with puddling, compared with 3-4 passes for conventional cultivation. It is even possible to apply nitrogen (ammonia) behind the rotary hoe while puddling.

Considerable effort has gone into demonstration and promotion of puddling. In 1993-94 12 growers tested puddling on significant areas. The relatively low adoption rate implies that it is not an attractive option to rice growers. A key factor influencing further adoption will probably be the importance placed on reducing rice paddock water use in the Land and Water Management Plans currently being developed.

Implications

Puddling has been proven sufficiently that farmers should be encouraged to try it out for themselves in a couple of bays and to monitor its effect on water use using bay tests. It has the potential to significantly reduce recharge of the watertable from rice culture.

RIRDC Project No: CSI-5A

RESEARCHER: Dr Liz Humphreys
ORGANISATION: CSIRO Soils, Private Bag No 2, GLEN OSMOND SA 5064
PHONE: 069 60 1528 FAX: 069 63 0262

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PREDICTION OF RICE CROP FERTILISER REQUIREMENTS USING NIR

Objectives

· To develop tissue testing based on the technique known as near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIR) to assist rice producers to decide on the correct form and rate of fertiliser needed to obtain the maximum possible yields of high quality rice.
· To provide research support to the Tissue Testing Service offered to rice growers by the rice industry in southern Australia.
· To encourage farmers to use fertilisers in such a way as to have minimal impact on the environment.

Background

In 1986 the researchers first demonstrated that the technique of near infrared reflectance (NIR) spectroscopy could accurately determine the total nitrogen concentration on ground samples of rice shoot tissue. After a successful pilot tissue testing service in the 1987-88 season the RCL Rice Tissue Testing Service was established to analyse rice samples collected from growers. In the third season of the service being offered almost 40% of the rice growers were sending samples from crops for analysis. On average about 2 crops were sampled from each rice farm.

Surveys of rice growers revealed that the advantages they obtained from the information provided by the Tissue Test included confidence to apply more OR less fertiliser than they expected was needed by the crop and an overall gain in yield by about 0.6 tonne/ha. Surveys further indicate that producers who have used the service since it became available in 1987-88 refer to the tissue test recommendation before making the final decision as to how much, if any, fertiliser to apply.

This success led to further funding to further develop the capabilities of the NIR analyses and to provide the necessary research backup to the RCL laboratory.

Research

The following indicate the range of activities in the laboratory and in the field which were part of the backup provided by this project: · Development of improved NIR calibrations · Improvements to the Tissue Test sample collection and recording system · Updating of forms, instruction sheets and the Rice Tissue Test Database · Links with other RIRDC Projects, eg. MaNage Rice.

Outcomes

The project provided better calibration of the NIR measurement and a better integrated system for providing this service to ricegrowers.

Implications

The results of the project have also reduced pressure on the environment beyond the rice farm by reducing some of the wastage of fertilisers, eg in situations where inappropriate forms or amounts of fertiliser were applied. Surveys in two seasons indicated that growers who make use of the RCL NIR Tissue Testing Service achieve, on average, 0.6 tonnes/ha more paddy grain than the average for all rice producers. While there are confounding factors in this comparison it indicates substantial real benefits, perhaps as high as $13m/year, can be attributed to the NIR tissue testing technology.

RIRDC Project No: DA-82A

RESEARCHERS: Dr Graeme D Batten M.Rur.Sc., PhD Anthony P Blakeney M.Sc.Agr. FRACI
ORGANISATION: NSW Agriculture, Locked Bag 21 ORANGE NSW 2800 PHONE: 069 51 2736 FAX: 069 55 7580






Last updated: 22 October1997
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