Effects of water ponding on decreasing leaf and panicle temperature in rice paddy fields

Abstract

Several studies have suggested the spikelet fertility would be significantly damaged if the air temperature (Ta) was high at heading and flowering stage. In this study, we evaluated the effect of water ponding in two paddy fields to decrease leaf temperature (Tl) and panicle temperature (Tp) during the 2014 growing season. Within the first conventionally water managed paddy field (cultivar Akitakomachi), we set 1 m × 1 m experiment plot (Plot A1) from July 8th to August 24th, and water was put in 15 cm depth in the morning at 8:30. For expecting larger difference of leaf and panicle temperature between in and outside the plot, the plot was expended to 2 m × 2 m (Plot A2) from August 25th to September 8th, 2014, and water was put in 15 cm depth at noon. This method was also used in the plot B (2 m ×2 m) which was installed in another conventionally water managed field (cultivar Nikomaru) from September 9th to 30th, 2014. Tl and Tp were measured every two or three hours during daytime in every 10 cm canopy layer in and outside plots. In the first experimental paddy field, at largest, Tl and Tp in the plot were 4.3 °c, 5.5 °c lower than Tl and Tp outside the plot, respectively. Tp was 6.6 °c lower than Ta under low relative humidity condition. In the second experimental paddy field, Tl and Tp in the plot were 3.6 °c, 3.4 °c lower than Tl and Tp outside the plot, respectively. It revealed water ponding was a useful method to decrease leaf and panicle temperature under larger solar radiation, higher air temperature and lower relative humidity conditions at heading and flowering stage.