Exploring the Feasibility of Growing Upland Rice in Flooded Paddy Ecosystems

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the adaptability and performance of three upland rice varieties; NERICA 4, NamChe 5 and PR 107 under flooded paddy ecosystems in Doho, Tororo and Kween paddy flooded sites. The experiment was conducted in a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications during March-June in 2022 and 2023. Data were collected once at planting on soil pH, organic matter, soil mineral nutrients and texture. Plant height, number of tillers plant-1/ hill-1, panicles plant-1/hill-1, seeds panicle-1 and grain yield were determined at harvest. Collected data were analysized (ANOVA) using 13th Edition of GenStat statistical package and significant differences between treatments means were separated using Fischer's least significant difference test at P<0.05. The pH range was slightly acidic (5.8-6.6) at all the sites. The nitrogen levels were high under all treatments but Ngenge registered higher Phosphorus (70.4 Mgkg-1) than Doho (17.1 Mgkg-1) and Tororo (23.9 Mgkg-1) sites. The Potassium levels in the soils were similar at Doho and Tororo (0.5-0.6 Cmol/ kg) but higher in Ngenge (1.33 Cmol/ kg). The major soil textural class was sandy clay loam for Doho & Tororo but Ngenge had clay soil texture. NamChe 5, NERICA 4 and PR 107 rice recorded taller plants than WITA 9 at all sites. WITA 9 was significantly (P>0.05) shorter (55 & 58 cm) than other treatments (76 & 82cm) during both seasons at Doho and Tororo sites but produced significantly (P>0.05) more) tillers plant-1 (8.8 tillers), tillers hill-1 (23 tillers), panicles m-2 (321 panicles), panicles hill-1 (23 panicles), seeds panicle-1 (189 &192 seeds and rice grain yield (5.0 & 3.6 Mtha-1) than other treatments during 2022 and 2023. In Doho the panicles per hill and number of tillers plant-1 for NERICA 4, NamChe 5 and PR 107 were at par during 2022. Similarly, NamChe and PR 107 treatments recorded similar numbers of tillers m-2 and panicles plant-1 during 2023. The yield during 2022 was high and similar for NERICA 4, NamChe 5 and PR 107 while lower and similar rice grain yields were recorded under the same rice treatments during 2023. In Tororo NamChe rice recorded significantly (P>0.05) more tillers hill-1(9 tillers) than NERICA (6-8 tillers) rice during 2022. The panicles per unit area (209-211 panicles) and rice grain yield (3.0-3.2 Mtha-1) were at par for both varieties during the two seasons. NamChe 5 however, recorded significantly (P>0.05) higher seeds per panicle (172-175 seeds) than NERICA 4 rice (157- 160 seeds) during both cropping seasons. In Ngenge the growth attributes, yield attributes and yield for NERICA 4 and NamChe 5 were similar during the two seasons. NamChe 5, NERICA 4 and Pr 107 upland rice varieties could be adapted and adopted under flooded paddy conditions.