Impacts of precision fertilization combined with alternate wetting–drying water management on yield, production costs, and the environment in irrigated rice-growing systems
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: A comparative study was conducted to investigate the effects of implementing precision fertilization (PF) practices combined with alternate wetting and drying (AWD) water management on yields, financial costs, and environmental impacts in irrigated rice growing systems. A paired comparison t-test design with 10 replications was used. Two rice-growing models were compared: Model 1 combined PF and AWD and Model 2 combined farmer-experience-based fertilization with a continuous flooding system. The PF was performed based on the recommendations of the All-rice1 smartphone app. The rice fields under Model 1 resulted in higher paddy yields (p<0.05), by 32.71% on average, compared with those under Model 2, leading to a higher net profit of 12,935 THB per ha (p<0.05). In addition, in the rice fields under Model 1, a range of 11 selected life cycle environmental impact indicators, comprising climate change (71.60%), acidification potential (52.78%), freshwater eutrophication potential (54.84%), marine eutrophication potential (62.50%), human health toxicity—cancer effects (65.56%), human health toxicity—non cancer effects (55.38%), particulate matter (56.20%), photochemical ozone formation potential (74.07%), terrestrial eutrophication potential (52.92%), ecotoxicity for aquatic freshwater (73.96%) and ozone depletion potential (77.22%) were significantly lower than those using Model 2 (p<0.05). In conclusion, the adoption of the PF combined with AWD not only increased rice production levels but also increased economic benefits and reduced the environmental impact indicators of irrigated rice growing systems.
Institutions: Silpakorn University, Department of Livestock Development
Language: English
Subfield: Plant Science
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4417455243