Organic Rice Farming Techniques

Crop Rotation

• Growing rice intensively on a single plot year after year can deplete nutrients and encourage pests and weeds to multiply. The National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service recommends that organic farmers rotate crops using a three-year system, alternating rice, soybeans and a grain crop like corn or sorghum. This can help reduce the number of weed seeds in the soil and break the life cycle of major pest plants.

Flooding Times

• Rice is normally grown in flooded fields. Controlling when and how much the fields are flooded can help reduce the incidence of pests and weeds, by killing them when they are still developing. Organic farmers should take care to flood fields according to a schedule in order to reduce the number of potential pest problems.

Variety Choice

• Some types of rice respond better to organic growing than others. These include traditional rice varieties and some new types. For instance, J-18, a tall, long-duration (long growing season) rice, responds well to organic fertilizers and does not suffer from significant pest problems. Many varieties of rice developed primarily for conventional growing do not respond as well to organic techniques, so choosing the right rice is important for a good harvest.

Fertilizer

• While organic growers may not use chemical fertilizers, organic fertilizers and soil amendments can significantly improve yields and the health of the crop. According to the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service, green manure soil amendments such as clover can provide 1/3 to ½ the nitrogen needs for high-yield rice varieties. Other fertilizers and soil amendments for organic growing include animal manure, compost and minerals.