Site-specific Nutrient Management of Irrigated Rice in the Central Plain of Thailand

In Thailand fertilizer recommendations for irrigate rice are basically the same on all soils, irrespective of soil nutrient supply differences. As a result of insufficient knowledge, farmers sometimes apply large amounts of nitrogen fertilizer, resulting in high costs of production while possibly degrading the environment, which also results in increased farmer poverty. Site-specific nutrient management (SSNM) for rice was introduced to the farmers in 2005 with emphasis on building farmer capacity as well. Farmer leaders conducted 12 field tests on NPK response of rice with the supervision of the local agricultural officers. The farmer leaders disseminated the practice of SSNM to their neighbors and conducted 64 and 98 demonstration plots in selected provinces during 2006 and 2007, respectively. The results revealed that fertilizer costs of SSNM demonstration plots were only 51% and 54% of those of farmers' practice in the 2 years while usually maintaining or increasing rice yields.