Understanding, quantifying and managing spatial variability of rice growth

Summary

Identification and management of factors contributing to infield rice crop yield variability are considered significant drivers for improving the water productivity and sustainability of cropping systems in the rice growing areas of southern NSW. The Australian Rice Industry has a long record of striving to improve water productivity (t/ML) of the rice crop. This project aims to understand factors contributing to spatial variability in rice yield, to provide tools to manage variability, and hence to increase productivity, profitability and water productivity.

Program

Rice

Research Organisation

New South Wales Department of Industry and Investment for and on behalf of the State of NSW - Inactive

Objective Summary

To extend the capacity of NIR plant tissue testing as an aid to fertilizer management so that crops with significant spatial variability can be managed more efficiently. The capacity of hyperspectral imagery to determine the spatial variability ofcrop nitrogen uptake and requirements will be evaluated. This project also aims to understand factors contributing to spatial variability in rice yield and quality so that rice farmers can manage the spatial variability of crop growth and yield to increase input resource (water land fertiliser and energy) productivity and profitability. The research program aims to use the better resolution of a new FTNIR instrument to achieve more reliable calibrations for elements such as phosphorus in plant shoots.