Evaluation of the Yields of Rice Cultivated by the V-furrow Direct Seeding Method: Comparative Study on the Growth and the Yields in Australia and Japan

Abstract

The V-furrow direct seeding method (VFDS) we developed covers only 3% of the total rice fields in Aichi even in 2006, although it has the potential to substantially reduce production cost and labor requirement. To prove the yield potential of the VFDS, we compared its yield level with that in the direct seeding culture (DS) practiced in Australia, which gives the highest yield level in the world. Field experiments conducted at Yanco Agricultural Institute in Australia showed that the growth and yields of an Australian variety Amaroo were superior to a Japanese popular variety Koshihikari when grown by the ordinary combine seeding (CS) which is one of the three major DS in Australia. However, when grown by the VFDS, the two varieties did not differ in yield, and the yield of Koshihikari was significantly higher than that by the ordinary CS. The two varieties were then grown at Aichi Agricultural Research Center in Japan applying some typical Australian cultural practices such as high seeding rate, high fertilizing rate and deep permanent water to VFDS. The results showed that none of the Australian practices enhanced the growth or yields in either variety. These results show that the yield level that can be achieved with VFDS is comparable with the high levels achieved with the ordinary Australian DS.