Trichoderma is capable of treating rice straw in the field

The Cuu Long Delta Rice Research Institute has recently researched, selected and successfully produced Trichoderma probiotics that can handle straw directly in the field, on a large scale, reducing the cost of straw collection, transportation and hit the compost pile.

The initial results have made use of local rice straw for rice production, contributing to stabilizing the sustainability of intensive rice land and improving rice productivity in the Mekong Delta. Since then, reducing the cost of chemical fertilizers and contributing to increasing economic efficiency of rice cultivation, meeting the strategy of sustainable agricultural production and good protection of the environment. This is one of the outstanding achievements of the Mekong Delta Rice Institute.

Trichodema used to treat rice straw is native to the Mekong Delta Rice Institute and is used to treat rice straw for rapid decomposition. Trichodema strains were collected and isolated from rice farming systems in the Mekong Delta. Trichoderma inoculants have a high efficiency of rice straw treatment in the field, in accordance with the farming conditions in the Mekong Delta, increasing the NPK content.

Treating rice straw using biological products

In piloting in An Giang (6ha / 2 crops): 2010-2011 Winter-Spring crop with rice straw plowing model with Trichoderma preparation reduced the amount of fertilizer N, P2O ₅ and K ₂ O. Since then, reducing fertilizer costs by more than 1.8 million VND / ha and increasing rice productivity by 0.33 tons / ha (3.9%), increasing profit by nearly 4.3 million VND / ha and increasing profit rate 29.3% compared to the conventional farming model of farmers.

In the 2011 Summer-Autumn crop, reducing fertilizer costs by more than 1.6 million VND / ha and increasing profit by nearly 2.6 million VND / ha compared to farmers' farming model. In Can Tho (4ha / 2vnd), through piloting in the 2010-2011 Winter-Spring crop with rice straw treatment model, inoculant treatment reduced fertilizer costs by nearly 1.7 million VND / ha and increased rice yield. nearly 0.4 tons / ha (up 4.45%), increasing profit nearly 4.2 million VND / ha and profit margin increased by 33.9% compared to farmers' farming model. In the Summer-Autumn crop in 2011, the cost of chemical fertilizer was reduced to about VND 2.4 million / ha and increased the profit of nearly VND 4 million / ha (19.1%) compared to the farming model of farmers.

According to the analysis, rice straw contains about 0.6% N, 0.1% P as well as S, 1.5% K, 5% Si and 40% C . Rice straw is considered an important source of nutrition. increase rice yield (0.4 ton / ha / crop when rice straw is buried in the soil) and increase soil fertility over time. The models for rice productivity and economic profitability are higher than that of farmers, the average yield increases from 3.9 to 4.45% in the Winter-Spring crop and from 1.4 to 3, 9% in Summer-Autumn crop and profit increased by 13.5 to 15.2% and 10.3 to 19.1% respectively. The profit rate in the recommended model is 22 to 42% higher than that of farmers.

According to the Mekong Delta Rice Institute, currently in Vietnam rice is the main food crop with an average annual production of about 38 to 40 million tons on a cultivated area of ​​about 7.44 million hectares. In particular, the two key rice growing areas of the country are the Mekong Delta with an area of ​​3.87 million hectares and the Red River Delta with an area of ​​1.1 million hectares. Farmers have rice cultivation practices from two to three crops a year. If an average of one ton of rice produces 1 to 1.2 tons of straw, the current rice yield is estimated to be 40 to 46 million tons / year.

The treatment of rice straw after each rice harvest in practice has not been effective. Therefore, depending on the specific weather conditions, farmers will choose the appropriate treatment method of straw. If rice is harvested in the dry season, farmers will burn copper to take advantage of the harvest and reduce this straw quickly. Also harvesting rice in the rainy season farmers often spray straw right next to the canal and canal bank. This will obstruct waterway traffic and cause environmental pollution, affecting human health.

Currently, the Mekong Delta Rice Institute is continuing to scale up the application of rice straw treatment with Trichoderma in various types of arable land in the Mekong Delta region, before applying it to reality. It aims to meet the demand of on-site rice production, contributing to reducing fertilizer costs and reducing environmental pollution.