Improved rice seed utilization is increasing in Brazil

Improved rice seeds (for only irrigated rice) utilization has reached more than 50% on the 2011/12 crop. This increase meant additional sales of more than 1 million seed bags (40kg each bag). During the 2009/10 crop improved rice seeds were used in only 35% of the planted area.

The reasons for this increase were:

• Introduction of new and superior varieties and hybrids with better ability to react to modern agriculture supplies and also to have better tolerance to low temperatures and iron toxicity;
• The implementation of better crop management practices specially by Embrapa and IRGA.

This project showed that rice growers can get much higher yield if they use the correct number of plants per hectares, as well as appropriated fertilization, adequate irrigation practices, weed control and pest and disease controls.

Average yield of irrigated rice is approximately 7.5 tons per hectare in view of all these procedures. Seed treatment is another positive procedure for the crop.

The bigger use of improved seed shows that the rice growers are more professional and they are conducting their rice farms during the past few years much better.