After their prayers were heard on high because of a prolonged dry spell, farmers now face a new challenge—flooded fields—that threaten their very own lifeline.

But indigenous technologies provide hope for farmers in flooded areas, that is, by knowing the type of water that floods their fields, said the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) in the Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija.

Rice plants at vegetative stage may survive for seven days and continue to produce grains even if submerged in water if the water is clear and not brought in by strong currents, PhilRice said.

Why?

Clear water allows sunlight to penetrate the rice leaves for photosynthesis (a process by which plants use energy from sunlight to produce its own food). If the water contains suspended particles, the submerged rice plant can survive only for three days for lack of sunlight.

When the flood subsides, the onset of rain is good for farmers because it washes off the settled particles in floodwaters, thus enabling the rice leaves to photosynthesize.

Rice plants lodge because of strong flood currents, especially if the soil is clayey. In such a case, rice plants need to be straightened up manually to grow and produce grains. 

A significant reduction in yield of about 30 percent to 50 percent occurs if 75 percent of the rice plant at flowering stage is flooded. Fertilization is also rendered useless under such condition.

If rice fields are flooded at flowering stage, experts recommend the cutting of the rice leaves to allow the plant to produce another set of leaves until it reflowers.

An excellent way to manage excess water in the field is by clearing canals and waterways of waste matters for quick drainage.

At the community level, PhilRice advises that physical flood-defense infrastructure should be built and maintained to prevent damages to crops in the next season.

Farmers should also consider planting early-maturing varieties before the onset of the typhoon season, or adjusting the time of planting due to weather changes, it said.

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After their prayers were heard on high because of a prolonged dry spell, farmers now face a new challenge—flooded fields—that threaten their very own lifeline.