Annual report 1995-96

Other collaborating farmers tell their story

Lao family recognizes the importance of new system

Thit Phet and his father Xieng Somdi, brother Xieng Boun, and young nephew, Somvang, rest among their growing rice seedlings on one of the family's 1-hectare fields in Xiengnguen District and contemplate the days remaining chores. Mr. Phet, 27, who is still single after spending 7 years as a monk in a local wat (Buddist temple) has returned to manage the farming operation.

 

"The recommendation of district agricultural authorities is that we should grow rice only on one piece of land each growing season. In doing so, I hope we will be able to harvest enough rice to get us through the year," he says. "Before, by opening new areas, we were usually able to grow enough rice. We do recognize the importance of the new system, which will keep us on the same land every year. We will work hard to be successful."

Mr. Phet wants to work with the Lao-IRRI Project researchers to establish practices that will improve soil fertility and reduce weed pressure. He will begin by experimenting with two nonrice crops interspersed among the 1-hectare rice area.

"I have decided to plant an improved variety of cotton (Khamkao) as my cash crop and pigeon pea as my soil improvement crop," he says. The plots planted to cotton and pigeon pea this year will rotate to rice next year and this year's cotton and pigeon pea plots will be rice next year. One plot will have continuous rice. Over time, the researchers will be able to make some comparisons.

Along the various contours that have been marked with the assistance of the researchers, the family will plant Leucaena and drought-resistant grasses such as Brachiaria brizantha and Vetiveria zizanoides. And they will add fruit trees, such as mango, sweet tamarind, orange, and lychee, up- and down-slope along each side of the middle contours. They will also plant teak trees-an investment for the future-along the uppermost contour.

The family plants three glutinous rice varieties, which are preferred by the Khamu people. The major difference is their duration. Says Mr. Phet, "Vieng will be harvested in late October, Mak Hin in early November, and De Kay in late November. This enables us to spread out our labor requirements and it is also a hedge against drought affecting our entire harvest."

Fighting nematodes with crop rotation
Lao Theung farmer Sahai Boua, 40, finished planting his rice crop 5 days before and is now busy laying out contours across his field and sowing seed of the shrubby legume Leucaena along them as part of his on-farm research collaboration with the Lao-IRRI Project. Lao-IRRI agronomists, Mr. Boonthanh Keoboualapha and Dr. Keith Fahrney, observe the progress. Other farmers identified Mr. Boua as a potentially good research cooperator, having land that was the right size and slope for experimental designs, along with the family's desire to continue cultivating the same fields.

Recently, IRRI scientists identified the weed Ageratum conyzoides as a harborer of a root knot nematode (M. graminicola) in Indonesia, Thailand, and Lao PDR-which may be the reason Mr. Boua has been noticing yellowing in his rice. His family's 1.5 hectares have an overabundance of A. conyzoides. "This is the main reason we want to do a rotation experiment on this farm," says Dr. Fahrney.

Evidence exists that rotations of different plants, such as maize and peanut, can help cut down the nematode populations. Because of the rotation experiment designed for his farm, Mr. Boua will, for the first time be planting nonrice crops on portions of his land. Previously, these areas were destined for either continuous rice growing or short-term weedy fallows where A. conyzoides provided a home for the nematodes until rice was planted again.

Mr. Boua has decided to plant an improved variety of maize (Hat Dok Keo 4) as his cash crop and peanut as his soil improvement crop. "Perhaps my rice yields will increase as a result," says Mr. Boua hopefully. "At the same time, peanuts will help make my soil more fertile, which will enable my family to stay on this land for years to come."

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