Hillario Padilla- SRI Plastic Mulch

1. SRI-Plastic Mulch:
Remarkably High Yield and Large-Scale Adoption
Lu Shihua, Hil Padilla & Joanne Li

2. Large scale promotion in Sichuan, China –
500,000 hectares adoption (450 hectares organic)

3. More with less fertilizer

4. 在不同覆盖方式下氮肥对水稻产量的影响
200.0
300.0
400.0
500.0
600.0
700.0
800.0
0 4 8 12 16
施氮水平（kg/mu)
产量（kg/mu)
盖膜
盖草
裸地
Higher yield even with 66-75 % reduction in
chemical fertilizer use
Nitrogen Applied (kg/ha)
Plastic Mulch
Straw Mulch
Traditional
Farming
The rice yield under different mulching
materials and nitrogen level
0 60 120 180 240
Yield(t/ha)
12
9
6
3

5. Plastic Mulch Multi-Location Testing (as inspected by experts)
Date Location Farmer Organization Rice yield (kg/ha)
08.8.03 Hongqi Village, Niufo Township,
Da’an Area
Zeng Yuanshuai Sichuan Academy of Agricultural
Sciences
10,179
08.8.13 Daping Village, Juexi Township,
Yibin County
Mao Xiuyan Yibin Science and Technology Bureau 8,464
08.8.14 Kaochong Village, Quan’an
Township, Neijiang City
Chen Dayuan Neijiang Science and Technology
Bureau
10,941
08.8.19 Heihu Village, Zhujia Township,
Renshou County
Liao Liebing Science and Technology Bureau of
Sichuan Province
11,404
08.9.01 Xiangshui Village, Yanjiang
Township, Yanjiang
Li Junqing Science and Technology Bureau of
Sichuan Province
11,701
08.9.01 Xiangshui Village, Yanjiang
Township, Yanjiang
Chen Shengfu Science and Technology Bureau of
Sichuan Province
11,516
08.9.01 Xiangshui Village, Yanjiang
Township, Yanjiang
Yang Hua Science and Technology Bureau of
Sichuan Province
10,020
08.9.11 Zhonghe Village, Qiandi
Township, Shifang City
Zhao Daohua Science and Technology Bureau of
Sichuan Province
9,600
08.9.19 Jianyang Village, Dongxi
Township, Fenghuang Village
Liu Zijie Science and Technology Bureau of
Sichuan Province
11,816
08.9.19 Jianyang Village, Dongxi
Township, Fenghuang Village
Li Tongying Science and Technology Bureau of
Sichuan Province
10,424
08.9.19 Jianyang Village, Dongxi
Township, Fenghuang Village
Zhang Xingfu Science and Technology Bureau of
Sichuan Province
9,494
Average 10,506

6. Weeds Drought
P: Plastic Mulch T: Traditional
P T
Vigour PestT T
T
P
P
P
(P stabilizes yield)

7. Organic Rice
10.8 tons/ha
PT
Plastic-mulched Organic
Rice yielding more than
7,500 kg/ha
(Sichuan Village Daily, 13 Sep 2009)

8. Comparative Yield of Traditional Variety and Hybrid under
SRI-Plastic Mulch（2011）
Experimental Site Rice Variety Traditional Method
（tons/ha）
SRI-Plastic Mulch
（tons/ha）
1. Ziyang, Sichuan Guiyu no.7
(traditional variety)
6.30 7.65
Chuan xiang 8108 (hybrid) 6.52 8.80
2. Jianyang, Sichuan Guiyu no. 7
(traditional variety)
5.50 6.75
Chuan xiang 8108
(hybrid)
5.85 8.00
Site1. The traditional variety under SRI-Plastic Mulch is higher by 17.3% compared to hybrid under traditional farming；
Site 2. The traditional variety under SRI-Plastic Mulch is higher by 15.4% compared to hybrid under traditional farming.
Proves that in rice development:
Path not only gene-centered but also culture method

9. Core technology
Plastic mulch
Support technology
1. Dryland seedling nursery (from SRI)
2. Raised-bed : No-till or tilled
3. Transplanting young seedlings (from SRI)
4. Wide; Triangle plant spacing (modified from SRI)
5. Ditch irrigation – makes it aerobic (Intermittent irrigation in SRI)
6. Reduced but balance fertilizer based on recommended amount
What are the tricks?

10. 在不同覆盖方式下氮肥对水稻产量的影响
200.0
300.0
400.0
500.0
600.0
700.0
800.0
0 4 8 12 16
施氮水平（kg/mu)
产量（kg/mu)
盖膜
盖草
裸地
At all levels of fertilizer, plastic mulch outperforms straw
mulch and traditional rice farming
Nitrogen Applied (kg/ha)
Plastic Mulch
Straw Mulch
Traditional
Farming
The rice yield under different mulching
materials and nitrogen level
0 60 120 180 240
Yield(t/ha)
12
9
6
3

11. Soil condition Treatment
Thousand
grain
weight
（g）
Effective
grain（%）
Effective
panicles
(104/ha)
No. of Gains
per
panicle
Yield
（kg/ha）
Perpetually
submerged
paddy soil
T N0 30.16a 85.31a 147.2d 191.4a 6285c
T N180 31.02a 85.86a 165.0cd 171.1b 7087bc
FM N0 29.79a 87.81a 175.3bc 170.6b 9229a
FM N120 30.15a 88.66a 194.7ab 159.4b 9439a
FM N180 30.07a 87.66a 216.0a 159.1b 9105a
Intermittent dry-
wet paddy
soil
T N0 29.51c 78.65c 148.0b 152.0a 5125c
T N180 30.60ab 82.11bc 210.0a 138.2a 7129b
FM N0 30.32b 86.20ab 179.7ab 158.6a 8225a
FM N120 31.21a 89.99a 216.0a 155.4a 9178a
FM N180 30.60ab 88.84a 213.0a 151.5a 9216a
Submerged
paddy soil
T N0 30.27a 88.98a 106.0c 172.6a 5709d
T N180 31.49a 87.44a 164.0b 178.1a 8189c
FM N0 30.85a 90.29a 198.67a 164.1a 9154b
FM N120 30.41a 85.72a 200.0a 178.0a 9769ab
FM N180 31.16a 87.04a 208.7a 171.1a 9972a
Rice growth and yield using plastic mulch in various soil type
Data from Xiangshui Village, Yanjian area, Ziyang, Sichuan, China (2011-2015)
T-traditional
FM-Film Mulch
N-Nitrogen

12. 2006年响水村采用和未采用农户水稻产量的差异
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
会员户 非会员户
产量(kg/mu)
Rice yield in Xiangshui Village, 2006
Yield(t/ha)
P T
9
6
3
0
Plastic mulch matures earlier

13. Soiltemperature(C0)
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
9:00
10:00
11:00
12:00
14:00
16:00
18:00
9:00
10:00
11:00
12:00
14:00
16:00
18:00
9:00
12:00
15:00
18:00
early tillering middle tillering late tillering
A: soil surface (0 cm depth)
B: soil subsurface (10 cm depth)
10:00
9:00
11:00
12:00
14:00
16:00
18:00
9:00
10:00
11:00
12:00
14:00
16:00
18:00
Time of day (hour:minute)
9:00
12:00
15:00
18:00
PM SM TF
Effect of different mulches on soil temperature

14. Applying Plastic Mulch on Raised Bed

15. Plastic problem
Plastic outweighs negative effects of
pesticides and fertilizers on the environment

16. Carbon Footprint Reduction from Nitrogen Fertilizer
(Sichuan, China)
Application
Area
(Ha)
Nitrogen
reduction
(kg/ha/yr)
Nitrogen
reduction
(t/yr)
Cost reduction
(US$/yr)
Carbon
footprint
reduction
(t/yr)
Reduced
Nitrogen
66%
(180kg/ha)
450,000 120 54,000 38.4 M 282,000
Organic 450 180 81 0.6 M 423
Total 54,081 39 M 282,423
Note:
[1] Cost of urea in Chengdu is US$ 320 per ton.
[2] Production of 1kg Urea, release 2.35kg of CO2 (S. Wood & A. Cowie (2004) A Review of
Greenhouse Gas Emission Factors for Fertilizer Production. IEA Bio-energy Task 38)
[3] Urea = 45% N

17. Trade Off
Saves water, fertilizer and labor
Irrigation expense
(USD/ha)
8.31 80.56 72.25
Nitrogen fertilizer
(kg/ha)
106.05 189.75 83.7
Labor
(person/ha)
175.5 348 172.5
Plastic
Mulch Traditional Saving effect

18. Plastic recycling

19. Shift to Biodegradable Plastic Mulch (2016)
Conventional (No mulch) Biodegradable Plastic Mulch
Programmed degradation rate

20. Flooded
nursery
Dry nursery
1. Dry seedling nursery

21. 2.Why raised-bed?
Convenient for
drainage and
irrigation
Conflict - water and
temperature
Flood Low temp
Slow growth
Drainage Drought
Stop growth
• Only ditch irrigation –
saves water
• Increase temperature
in raised bed (aerobic)

22. 5 ft
No-Till Raised Bed

23. Mechanization
developed by farmers
(2012)

24. Convenient for transplanting
5 ft
3. Transplanting young seedlings

25. 200.00
300.00
400.00
500.00
600.00
700.00
800.00
0 4 8 12 16
施氮水平（kg/mu)
产量(kg/mu)
2叶期
4叶期
6叶期
2 leaf stage
4 leaf stage
6 leaf stage
Two-leaf stage gives the better yield especially
at lower fertilizer rates
12
9
6
3
0 60 120 180 240
Nitrogen Applied (kg/ha)
Yield(t/ha)

26. 4. Triangle planting

27. 40-50cm
40
-
50
cm
10-15cm

28. • Allows the sun to hit the base of the
plants (Fukuoka’s experience)
• Prevents unproductive tillers at later
growth stage

29. Effect of different cultivation methods on the no. of
seedlings per clump (Cultviar: Xiangyou No. 1)
0.0
10.0
20.0
30.0
40.0
50.0
60.0
70.0
80.0
90.0
100.0
Single
se e dling
thre e
se e dlings
tria ngula r Single
se e dling
thre e
se e dlings
三角
50cm *50cm 30cm *30cm
Theno.ofseedlingsperclump
triangular

31. Use of log with spikes to
mark triangle planting
holes

32. 5. Ditch irrigation
i. saves water
ii. makes the raised-bed aerobic
iii. reduces CH4 emission

33. b
Intensifying SRI and Conservation
Agriculture (CA)
•Organic no-till rice-canola rotation
•Plant residue of canola oil (rape seed) is used as mulch
for rice (inset)

35. Average of Organic SRI Rice Yield from 2012 to 2017
Continuous straw mulching eventually out-yields plastic mulchYield(t/ha)
9
8.3
7.5
T TP NP NS NSP
T - Traditional
TP – Traditional with Plastic Mulch
NP – No-till with Plastic Mulch
NS – No-till with Straw Mulch
NSP- No-till with Straw Mulch
with Plastic Mulch

36. Organic SRI Rice Yield from 2012 to 2017
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0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
RiceYield(kg/ha)
T
TP
NP
NS
NSP

37. Combining Mulch-No Till System with
Perennial Rice
PR 23 from Yunnan Lazy farmer’s variety
from Sichuan

38. CH4 Study
in collaboration with the Institute of Soil Science, CAS in 2010

39. CH4 fluxes and emissions during the
rice-growing period
Compared to TF, PM decreased
CH4 emission by 85%. The
application of DCD/HQ reduced
CH4 emission by 1-5%.
0
10
20
30
40
50
0 30 60 90 120
Days after flooding (Apr. 18, 2010)
CH4flux(mgCH4m
-2
h
-1
)
TF
TF-DCD/HQ
PM
PM-DCD/HQ
Transplanting
0
10
20
30
40
50
CH4emission(gCH4m
-2
)
TF TF-DCD/HQ PM PM-DCD/HQ
Plastic Mulch reduces greenhouse gas emission
DCD - Dicyandiamide
HQ - Hydroquinone

40. Thank You!Contact: hilpaddy@kfbg.org

41. Plastic mulch is the core technology
Nitrogen efficiency and absorption rate with different
mulching materials and amount of nitrogen
Applied Nitrogen (kg/ha) 60 120 180 240
N Use efficiency (kg/kg)
Plastic mulched 28.7 23.4 19.4 15.3
Straw mulched 9.4 4.4 10.1 6
Traditional 5.3 9.6 6 6.1
Absorption rate (%)
Plastic mulched 32.8 11.6 17 16.1
Straw mulched -1 -6.3 1.7 4.4
Traditional 3.2 8.3 5.8 8.7