Alternate wetting and drying (AWD) of paddy fields: A water-saving technology
2008
Salim, M. (Pakistan Agricultural Research Council, Islamabad (Pakistan). Plant Sciences Div.) | Shehzad, F.D. (Pakistan Agricultural Research Council, Islamabad (Pakistan). Plant Sciences Div.)
Rice productivity in Pakistan is lower than in various rice producing countries of the World. One of the major reasons of low productivity is the shortage of water. It is, therefore, imperative to increase water-use efficiency. Various studies in China and elsewhere have revealed that continuous flooding is not necessary for getting high yield of rice. In China, lot of effort has been made to develop water-saving rice production technologies. The most important of these is alternate wetting and drying (AWD) of rice-fields, instead of keeping them continuously flooded or submerged. In the present article, salient advantages and disadvantages have been discussed. The advantages include less water-use for paddy-production, high paddy-productivity, and improvement in the environment, with enhanced efficiency of nutrient-use, better utilization of rainwater, less infestation/ population of insect pests. The technology may affect the grain-quality o f Basmati rice in Pakistan. It is suggested that studies on various aspects of the technology should be carried out, in various ecological zones and in different soil-types. The adoption of the technology may prove helpful to enhance rice-productivity and improve the rural economy in Pakistan.
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