Rice farmers can see great irrigation savings by switching from traditional cascade irrigation to Multi Inlet Rice Irrigation (MIRI) and Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD). MIRI and AWD both differ from traditional flooding by irrigating all rice paddies in a field simultaneously. This reduces the effects of cold water rice in the upper field while at the same time preventing heat stress to the crop in the lower paddies. This irrigation method also reduces environmental stress to the crop, which can directly affect your bottom line by reducing the water pumped and saving money. Find out more about MIRI and AWD below.
In addition to the large scale on farm rice studies, MSU research has utilized controlled small plot research to verify the use of AWD in rice. PhD. candidate Lee Atwill shares his AWD investigations. Experiments were conducted at the Delta Research and Extension Center in Stoneville, MS during 2015 and 2016 toevaluate the yield and… Read more
AWD is a water-saving technology that farmers can use to reduce the amount of irrigation water used in rice fields without any yield penalty. In AWD, farmers allow the flood water to recede to a “muddy” state before re-flooding the field. The number of days of non-flooded soil between irrigations can vary from 1 day… Read more
With water being one of the most expensive inputs of the rice producer, utilizing methods to limit the amount of water used makes economic sense. Adoption of multiple inlet irrigation has allowed producers to reduce water consumption. Water use with multiple inlet has translated into an 18% (fig.2) reduction in water cost over straight levee… Read more