Features of the growth and development of rice plants during aerobic cultivation

Addressing food security amid climate change and limited water resources has made sustainable rice cultivation increasingly important, especially in semi-arid regions like Kazakhstan’s Balkhash area. In ۲۰۲۴, a comprehensive field experiment was carried out to assess rice growth and development under aerobic cultivation, using a factorial design with three replications. The study evaluated three irrigation methods (traditional flooding, drip, and sprinkler), two planting layouts (conventional ۱۵ cm spacing and wider ۶۰ × ۳۰ cm strips), three planting dates (April ۱۰, May ۱, and May ۲۰), seven rice varieties (both local Kazakh and imported), and three weed control approaches (mechanical, chemical, and integrated). Drip irrigation demonstrated the highest water use efficiency (WUEp = ۰.۷۱ kg m-³), reducing water consumption by ۴۱% compared to flooding. While overall yields with drip irrigation were ۱۲% lower than with traditional flooding, certain native cultivars (Aq Marjan and Sir Soloi) experienced a comparatively modest ۷% yield reduction. These varieties exhibited deeper root systems (۴۲.۳ cm) and greater lateral root density (۱۱.۲ cm cm-³). The May ۲۰ planting date produced the highest yield (۵.۹ tons ha-۱), likely due to avoidance of early-season cold stress. Integrated weed control reduced weed biomass by ۷۸%. These findings underscore the potential of aerobic rice cultivation, particularly when appropriate varieties and management practices are employed. The approach can achieve up to ۵۰% water savings without significant yield loss, supporting the viability of sustainable rice production in Kazakhstan’s water-limited environments

کلیدواژه ها:

Aerobic rice cultivation ، Water Use Efficiency ، Cultivar adaptation ، sustainable agriculture ، Kazakhstan