Integrated management practices for lowland rice production

Abstract

The objective of this work was to perform a technical and financial evaluation of integrated management practices for lowland rice (Oryza sativa). The experiment was carried out in Cachoeirinha, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. A randomized block design with split-split plots with four replications was used. The three growing seasons (2003/2004, 2004/2005, and 2006/2007) were the main plots, the sowing dates (preferential and late) were the split plots, and the management practice systems (low, average, high and very high) were the split-split plots. The management practice systems varied in terms of seeding rate, fertilizer rate, herbicide rate, nitrogen fertilizer topdress management, and irrigation management. The grain yield and financial return responses to the improvement of management practices were greater at the preferential sowing date, at the end of October, than on the first week of December. At the preferential sowing date, the financialreturn increased with the improvement of management practices, due to the increased income resulting from the higher grain yield.