Two field experiments were conducted during 2006 and 2007 growing seasons at El-Karada Water Requirements Research Station, Kafr El-Sheikh governorate, Egypt. The investigation aimed to produce more rice with less water by inducing planting methods in North Delta, Egypt. The main plots were randomly occupied by three planting methods while the rice cultivars were assigned to sub-plots. Planting methods were traditional planting, planting in bottom of beds and furrows, while the rice cultivars were Sakha 101, Sakha 102, and Giza 177.
Results showed that planting in bottom of beds significantly increased plant height, number of tillers/hill, number of panicles/hill and panicle length by 4.1%, 21.3%, 17.5% and 5.6%, respectively, while insignificantly increased panicle weight and grain yield compared with traditional planting method. At the same time, the results showed that there were no significant differences in grain yield between methods of planting in bottom of furrows and beds.
Rice cv. Sakha 101 significantly exceeded rice cvs. Sakha 102 and Giza 177 in number of tillers/hill by 15.6%, and 29.6%, number of panicles/hill by 10.7%, and 19.2%, panicle weight by 26% and 31%; 1000-grain weight by 3.5%, and 12%, and grain yield by 7.5% and 17.7%, respectively.
Means of irrigation water applied were 1480 mm, 1013 mm, and 919 mm for traditional planting, planting in bottom of furrows and beds respectively. Methods of planting in bottom of furrows and beds saved 31.6% and 37.9% of irrigation water compared with traditional planting method, respectively. Mean of amount of irrigation water applied for rice cvs. Sakha 101, Sakha 102 and Giza 177 were 1181 mm, 1116 mm, and 1116 mm, respectively.
Method of planting in bottom of beds increased field water use efficiency (FWUE) by 65.8% and 11.6% more thantraditional planting and planting in bottom of furrows methods, respectively. Rice cv. Sakha 101 surpassed rice cvs. Sakha 102 and Giza 177 by 7.3% and 17.3% in FWUE, respectively.
Therefore, Method of planting in bottom of beds could be applied for the rice cultivars in North Delta Egypt because it increased rice productivity by 3.7%, enhanced FWUE by 65.8% and saved water by 37.9%, compared with traditional planting.