 Hmm, my rice plants are looking a bit pale. I may need to apply fertilizer again. Oh, how I wish these rice plants could talk. Surely they will tell me what they need. Extra bag of fertilizer? Do you know what makes a healthy rice plant? What? Hmm... No. Orlando, proper nutrition makes healthy rice plants. Say that again? I said proper nutrition makes healthy rice plants. What? I don't understand what you mean. Then you must hear this. Orlando, rice plants are living organisms. Aside from water and sunshine, we need nutrients to be healthy so we can grow and produce grain. The main nutrients that we need are nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, and sulfur. But where do you get all these nutrients? I'm glad you asked. We get most of our needed nutrients from the soil, leftover plant materials, and irrigation water. Organic materials such as straw, compost, and organic fertilizers can also supply us with nutrients. But these sources normally can't give us all the nutrients we need to produce a profitable harvest. That's why we need additional nutrients which usually come by adding fertilizers. Isn't that what I was doing before you stopped me? Yes, that's true. But a rice plant has very specific needs for added nutrients from fertilizer. In order for a rice plant to be healthy, you should feed it with the right amount of nutrients at the right time. Do you know that farmers now have a way to decide how much and when to apply essential nutrients to their crop to get high yields? Thanks to new developments from research, farmers can make more money by using fertilizers wisely. How? Can you please tell me more about this new method? Well, that's what I'm here for. But before that, here are a few important things. Rice plants are a lot like people. Like people, we also go through several stages of growth, from a seed to a young plant, then all the way to a mature rice crop. Our need for nutrients is different for each growth stage, and the amount of additional nutrients from fertilizers should match our needs at every stage. Really? That's very interesting. But can you be a little more specific? Alright, let me walk you through the different growth stages of rice and our nutritional requirements. When rice plants are still very young, that's from the time of transplanting or direct sowing up to about 2 weeks in the field, we grow at a slow rate. So we take up minimal nutrients. At this stage, phosphorus, potassium, and sulfur are important. But you need to apply only a small amount of nitrogen during this early stage. You mean I don't need to add tons of fertilizer at an early stage? That's right! We need a balanced amount of food while we're young. All of the required phosphorus should be applied to young rice to ensure strong roots and plant health. As we grow faster and begin to produce tillers, we need more nutrients. At this stage, we don't need additional phosphorus, but we do need more nitrogen. However, when you expect the yields to be low, such as in the lower yielding season, the need for nitrogen is less. Oh, I see! You need more nitrogen as you grow faster. And when expected yields are high. Now you're getting it! But there's more! Oh, I'm so sorry for interrupting. Please do continue. A critical stage for us to receive nitrogen is during panicle initiation. This is when we begin to develop panicles or grain bunches that produce the grains. If we do not get enough supply of nitrogen at this stage, we might produce fewer grains per panicle, resulting in loss of yield and profit. Okay, got it! Add nitrogen at panicle initiation. And if you expect yields to be high, you will also need to apply potassium at this stage. An insufficient supply of potassium can lead to fewer field grains. However, when organic materials are added to your field, you typically don't need to put in additional potassium at panicle initiation, because those organic materials contain much potassium. Okay, got it! But how do I know when to apply fertilizer for panicle initiation stage? Good question! It's not that hard. First, you need to know the growth duration of your rice crop. This is the total number of days from chance planting to harvest, or, in the case of direct seeded rice, from sowing to harvest. To determine when to apply fertilizer for the panicle initiation stage, simply deduct 60 days from the total number of days. That means, if your crop is in the field for 100 days, you should apply nitrogen about 40 days after establishment for panicle initiation stage. Wow! I never imagined it to be that easy. Maybe that's why I've been getting low yields. I haven't been applying fertilizers at the right time. It's mostly at the early stage and late stage, when I see the panicles have already emerged. That's true! Applying nitrogen too late can mean a loss of money. You should also keep in mind that the kind and amount of nutrients that we need can vary from field to field. Our need for nutrients can also differ each year depending on the climate and growing season conditions. So, you need to adjust fertilizer rates and timing of application. Is that all I need to know? Well, just one more important thing. It's about the grade or numbers listed on bags of commercial fertilizers. The numbers refer to the amount of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in the bag. Fertilizers like 16-20-0 contain 16% nitrogen, 20% phosphorus, but no potassium. 14-14-14 is a complete fertilizer, meaning that each bag contains 14% each of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Okay, I get it. 16-20-0 does not contain potassium. 14-14-14 contains potassium, but less phosphorus than 16-20-0. That's correct, Manglando. How about organic fertilizers? Can I use them for my rice field? Another good question, Manglando. Well, crop residues, animal manure, compost, and organic fertilizers can provide us with essential nutrients. Rice straw and plant materials spread in rice fields are typically rich in potassium. But organic materials and organic fertilizers are relatively low in nitrogen as compared to the amount of nitrogen we need in order to prevent nitrogen deficiency. It is best to combine organic fertilizers with inorganic fertilizers such as UREA and 16-20-0. Would you know where I can get additional information on fertilizer application guidelines for my own field? Of course! You can ask your local agricultural officers and technicians, or staff members from the Department of Agriculture, or even fertilizer suppliers. Make sure you ask them about the Nutrient Manager for rice. It is a quick and easy to use computer operated program that provides you with a fertilizer guideline specific to your rice field. That can help you a lot! Is that right? I'll make sure to do that. Thanks! So, Manglando, what have you learned today? Well, I learned that rice plants need to be fed with the right amounts of nutrients at the right time. I also learned that rice plants are like people. You have different needs at different growth stages. Correct! And don't forget... I know, I know! Proper nutrition makes healthy rice plants. Well, gotta go. Just call me if you need me. Hey, wait! I didn't catch your name! It's Risa! Risa the rice plant! I think I'm going crazy! Was I really talking to a rice plant?