The technology of raising rice seedlings in dry nursery in China

A new technology of raising rice seedlings in dry nursery began to be adopted in early 1980’s inChina. It expanded in Northeast of the Country and spreaded from North to South in the followingyears. In 1995, it was listed as one of the national popularization project during the ’Ninth Five-Year-Plan’ by the Country Government. The total area was up to 9.3 million hm~2 in 1996 (cover-ing 80% paddy field in the northern parts of China). The expected popularized area will be up to15.3 million hm~2 in 2000 according to the Ministry of Agriculture, half of the total rice-growingarea in China.

Effects of Different Planting Densities on the Yield of Rice Developed from Seedlings Dry Raised in Plug Trays

[Objectives]This study was conducted to investigate the effects of different planting densities on rice tillering dynamics and yield. [Methods]The effects of different planting densities on rice yield were studied based on seedlings dry raised in plug trays. [Results]Planting density had obvious effects on tillering dynamics,number of panicles per unit area,number of grains per panicle and rice yield under the condition of seedlings dry raised in plug trays. Comprehensive analysis showed that the row spacing × hill spacing = 25 cm × 14 cm,that is,the planting density of 2. 85 × 10~5 hills/hm^2,achieved the highest yield,at 9 960 kg/hm^2. [Conclusions]This study provides a scientific basis for optimizing rice cultivation techniques and achieving high yield and high efficiency in rice production.

Evaluating Low Cost and Sustainable High Quality Cassava Drying Technologies among Small and Medium Processors in Uganda

Cassava regarded as a white gold of Africa is driving the agricultural commercialization and industrialization with small to medium technologies in Uganda. There is an over-whelming demand for high quality cassava flour （HQCF） by Bakeries, beverage industry, paper board and composite end markets. The end market for HQCF dictates on its quality attributes and rewards for its quality in terms of price offered within their minimum standards. However, obtaining sustainable amounts of HQCF for these markets calls for devoted efforts. Limited types of HQCF processing technologies exist and if they exist, their efficiency, costs and sustainability are not well understood. We evaluated high quality cassava drying technologies in Northern and Eastern Uganda in two years using naturally ventilated wooden screen solar drying structures and open air sun drying structures. Naturally ventilated wooden screen solar dryers produced clean dry high quality cassava chips free off insect and bird contamination and caused faster drying to less than 14.3% MC in 1.5 hours than open outside drying conditions. We recommend naturally ventilated wooden screen solar dryers for small and medium cassava processors during dry and rainy season. Halftone to one tone cassava chips dryers per day drying unit can cost one 2,258-4,338 USD to make it functional. Also open outside raised metallic racks with black surface can give good results on a good sunny day especially for starters on small scale basis. A small durable unit of 150 kilograms per day can be made with 500 USD.