Page 55 - Agriculture_Form_3

Agriculture for Secondary Schools

Chapter

Four Paddy production

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Introduction

In this chapter, you will learn the principles and practices of producing paddy,
including planning, site selection, land preparation, variety selection and
sowing. You will also learn management of soil water and nutrients, weeds, pests
and diseases as well as, harvesting and postharvest handling, and marketing.
The competencies developed will enable you to produce paddy effectively and
efficiently for food and income generation.

Think

One of the most consumed cereals in Asia and Africa

Paddy and its importance
Paddy (Oryza sativa) sometimes it is used interchangeably with rice; however,
rice refers to the paddy product when its husks have been removed. Paddy is an
annual grass of the family Poaceae that is grown for its grains. It is a staple semi-
aquatic cereal crop that thrives in warm, humid tropical and subtropical climates.
It grows up to a height of 60 cm to 150 cm, depending on the variety and soil
conditions. Despite growing well on flooded fields, some varieties are cultivated
in uplands, hence called upland varieties.

Paddy passes through three main growth stages vegetative, reproductive, and
maturity stages. The vegetative stage begins at germination and continues until
the start of panicle formation. The stage is dominated by the development of
roots, leaves, and stems. The reproductive stage starts with panicle initiation and
ends at flowering. This stage is characterised by the development of the plant’s

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