Introduction to Major Field Crops

Water Management

In rice, water requirement is the total amount of water needed from sowing till ripening, to meet the losses due to evaporation, transpiration and economically unavoidable losses in the form of deep percolation and seepage. It also includes water required for raising nursery and for special purposes like puddling. The total water requirement of rice varies from less than 800 mm to more than 2,500 mm depending upon the duration of the variety, characteristics of the soil and climatic conditions of the locality. Rice is grown under continuously flooded condition with 2-7 cm standing water throughout the season to achieve higher yield and weed control.

Fig: Irrigation.