Effect of Rice Cultural Practices on Water Percolation, Irrigation Requirement, and Nitrogen Leaching under Lysimeter Condition

In this lysimeter experiment, temporal changes of water percolation rate, irrigation requirement and ${No}_3$－-N leaching were investigated under different cultural practices that were no-till direct seeding on flooded paddy (NTDSF), till direct seeding on flooded paddy (TDSF), and transplanting. The highest water percolation rate of 3,001 l/$m^2$ was measured in NTDSF. Others were 2,551 l/$m^2$ and 2,210 l/$m^2$ in TDSF and transplanting. Water percolation rate in NTDSF and TDSF was increased by 36% and 15% compared to transplanting. Water percolation rates in all cultural practices were increased remarkably from the reproductive growth stage and relatively large amount of water loss through percolation was measured even after the reproductive growth stage. A total irrigation requirement was 3,469 l/$m^2$ in NTDSF and 2,898 l/$m^2$ in TDSF. That was equivalent to 45% and 21 % of increase compared to 2,389 l/$m^2$ in transplanting. The largest ${No}_3$－-N leaching through the entire rice growing period was 701 mg/$m^2$ in NTDSF and was followed by 494 mg/$m^2$ in TDSF and 465 mg/$m^2$ in transplanting. The ratios to the total amount of ${No}_3$－-N leaching at the vegetative growth stage, reproductive growth stage and ripening stage were 31 %, 41 % and 28% in NTDSF; 21 %, 48% and 31 % in TDSF; and 18%, 48% and 35 % in transplanting.