?...Rice...?

Question

explain 2 problems that can occur for farmers growing rice?

Answer 1

Common Problems:

1. Weed control.  While flooding the fields will reduce weed pressure there are certain plants that grow faster in the anaerobic environments of flooded fields.  These plants can compete for nutrients, sunlight and space with the rice and reduce the farmers yield (tons of rice produced per acre).  Other plants produce seed or grain very similar to rice (red rice is a particular problem in some Texas fields) which reduces the quality of the rice.  That reduction in quality is seen in a price "Dock" or a reduction in price per pound of rice the farmer receives.

2. Soil fertility:  The soil is a very active and dynamic system.  When the field is flooded the nutrients change form and may or may not be plant available.  Successful rice farmers are very good soil fertility planners.

3. Disease:  There are multiple diseases that affect rice.  Just google "rice diseases" for a list.

4. Water:  This is becoming a more and more common problem.  As the price of energy increases and the competition for water increases (city people like watering their yards, etc), the price of water increases.  This is a significant input for a rice farmer.  As the price for this input increases the price for rice and the yield of rice per acre (or hectare, unit area of land, etc) must increase if the farmer is to maintain profitability.  This also leads to using water that is less clean (higher in salts, more polluted, etc, etc.) and affects the growth and yield of the rice. There are also multiple studies that have been conducted to limit the time of flooding (thus using less water) and it's affect on rice production.  These show rice can be grown without flooding, but with significant yield reduction.

good luck.

Answer 2

hail and locusts