LASER Land Leveling in Rice FarmingLASER Land Leveling in Rice Farming

Julian F. CachoBAE 4213

April 28, 2004

OverviewOverview

LASER LASER Leveling System How LASER Leveling Works Benefits of LASER Land Leveling in Rice

Farming Limitations of LASER Land Leveling Possible ways to overcome the limitations

LASER Defined:LASER Defined:

Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation

Light of special properties

Lasers amplify light Radiation coverage at wavelengths ranging from IR to UV and even Soft X-ray range (XUV)

XUV (10 nm – 30 nm)

(www.columbia.edu/cu/mechanical/mrl/ntm/Glossary.html)

LASER Leveling SystemLASER Leveling System

Laser Transmitter

Laser Receiver

Electrical Control Panel

Twin Solenoid Hydraulic Control Valve

LASER TransmitterLASER Transmitter

- Sends the LASER beam rapidly in a circular manner

LASER Receiver (Omni-directional)LASER Receiver (Omni-directional)

- Intercepts the LASER beam

Electrical Control PanelElectrical Control Panel

- Accepts and Interprets the signal from the LASER receiver

Twin Solenoid Hydraulic Control Twin Solenoid Hydraulic Control Valve Valve

- Raises or lowers the bucket

Benefits of Precise Land LevelingBenefits of Precise Land Leveling

Increases Yield Reduces Weed Problems by even water

distribution Increases Opportunity to Use Direct

Seeding Increases Water Use Efficiency Other benefits

Yield IncreaseYield Increase

Table 1. Results of Land leveling experiments conducted by CIAP in Cambodia, 1996-1999

Year Rice Yield (t/ha)Leveled Fields Unleveled

Fields 1996 3.40 2.67 1997 2.27 1.46

1998 2.72 2.36 1999 (CARDI) 2.34 2.00

Average 2.72 2.19

Average Increase = 24% or 530 kg/ha

Reduces Weed Problems by Even Reduces Weed Problems by Even Water DistributionWater Distribution

Improved water coverage - reduces the weed by up to 40% (Rickman, 2002)

Reduction of time for crop weeding (Rickman, 2002)

- from 21 to 5 labor days/hectare

- 75% decrease in labor required for weeding

Increases the Opportunity to Use Increases the Opportunity to Use Direct SeedingDirect Seeding

- Direct seeding reduces labor by approximately 30 person-days/hectare

Increased Water Use EfficiencyIncreased Water Use Efficiency

Reduction in time and water required to irrigate the field

- 25 to 50 % less water to flood the field

(Coblentz, 2000)

Other BenefitsOther Benefits

Highly Accessible and Inexpensive Input Data

- topographic map

-internet, local agricultural offices

Re-leveling takes 5 to 10 years (Rickman, 2002)

Limitations of LASER Land Limitations of LASER Land LevelingLeveling

High Cost of the equipment/LASER instrument

Need for Skilled operator to set/adjust laser settings and operate the tractor

More efficient for regularly sized and shape field

Possible Ways to Overcome the Possible Ways to Overcome the Limitations in the Third World CountriesLimitations in the Third World Countries

Government Intervention - precision land leveling services on a subsidized

rental basis

- The Government of Punjab, India charges services by Rs. 150/hr = $3.4/hr = Php187.5/hr

Intervention of Farmers’ Cooperatives and Other Farmers’ Associations

References:References:

• http://msucares.com/news/print/agnews/an00/000742tw.htm• http://www.ricefarming.com/home/archive/precleveling.html• http://www.knowledgebank.irri.org/laserLeveling/How_it_works.htm• http://www.punjab.gov.pk/agriculture/water_management/

agriculture_water_management• http://agronomy.ucdavis.edu/uccerice/water/wtrmg03.htm• http://www.agriculture.com/sfonline/sf/2003/october/

0310precision_rice.html• http://www.columbia.edu/cu/mechanical/mrl/ntm/Glossary.html Rickman, J. F., 2002. Manual for laser land leveling, Rice-Wheat

Consortium Technical Bulletin Series 5. New Delhi-110 012, India: Rice-Wheat Consortium for the Indo-Gangetic Plains, pp. 24.

• Dr. Marvin Stone, Dr. John Solie, and Dr. Bill Raun

Oopps!.........

……. No LASER Precise Answers

……. For Difficult Questions!