Page 63 - Agriculture_Form_3

Agriculture for Secondary Schools

before applying a fertiliser. The fertilisers should be applied at the right time
and in appropriate amounts. It is therefore important to consult an agricultural
extension officer for proper advice.

Activity 4.4
FOR ONLINE READING ONLY
1. Visit your paddy plots and some nearby paddy fields, or find out from online
videos, documentaries, physical and e-library. Observe and summarise in
your portfolio how the following management practices are taking place in
the fields.
(a) Water management

(b) Nutrient management

2. Adopt the good water and nutrient management practices you have learnt, then,
under the supervision of your teacher, apply them in your plot. Remember the
types and amounts of fertilisers to apply at the different growth stages of your
paddy, the time, and the amount of water to be flooded.

(a) Identify the tools/implement, and materials required to carry out the
practices above.
(b) Point out the challenges encountered when implementing nutrients and
water management in paddy fields and how you solved them.

3. Summarise your work in your portfolio.

Weed management in paddy production
Weeds compete with paddy crops for nutrients, water, sunlight, and space, leading
to reduced yields. There are three types of weeds affecting paddy crop plants,
namely:

Grass weeds: (example, barnyard grass): These resemble paddy plants, and it
is often difficult to differentiate them. They compete aggressively with rice for
nutrients and water, especially in the early stages.

Sedges weeds: (example, small flower umbrella sedge): Sedges thrive in flooded
or poorly drained fields, and it is difficult to distinguish them from paddy plants
at early growth. They are very competitive in a wet, flooded paddy system.
Normally, they are difficult to control at regular weeding.

54 Student’s Book Form Three

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