Rice Production with EM-1

               

Rice is the common staple food for us Filipinos. Producing rice is never easy. It requires labor and capital. Farmers allocate majority of the budget in buying fertilizer and pesticide they need.

 

We are suggesting to use EM-technology, to minimize cost of the fertilizer and pesticide they need in growing rice. This will benefit both farmers and consumers without deteriorating the health of soil and environment.

 

Effective Microorganisms or EM-1Technology is a combination of beneficial microbes that helps purify and revive nature. These are friendly microbes and work well with the existing indigenous microbes within your farm. Good microbes should be dominant in the soil to be able to help in converting the nutrient hidden in the soil or organic fertilizer into available form and make it available for plant uptake. The lactic acid bacteria in EM-1 helps in protecting the plants against harmful microbes that causes diseases on rice. More beneficial microbes within your farm means more forces to combat harmful microbes. 

 

"PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE". This applies if you really want to optimize the benefits of every inputs you apply and minimize the expenses. Instead of using chemicals for prevention of pest and disease or putting too much synthetic fertilizer, we suggest you to use organic fertilizer like vermicast, compost or any processed animal manure or use EM derivatives such as  Bokashi Fertilizer, EM-5  and EM-FPE. The materials needed in making this EM derivatives is available in your locality. Most of it are just for free. The process of making was discussed on previous blog published. Just click the link if you want to recall the procedure.

 

We are not suggesting to completely remove their existing practices. This method may be used together with existing method of growing rice. Whether conventional or organic farming. But of course there are some exemptions on the timing of application if the farmer is using conventional method. This will be further discuss in this article.

 

The method of application discuss below is the common and combination of simplified method in rice farming. The use of EM-1 in rice and other plants is very flexible. Everyone is free to create their own method and experiment according to farm environment. It is very safe to use and you don't need to worry about overdose.   

 

How to prepare EM Activated Solution (EMAS) 

                 

 

 

 

You could maximize your EM-1 by making EM Activated Solution (EMAS). Dilute 1 liter molasses to 28 liters of Non-chlorinated water.  Then add 1 liter of EM-1 Concentrate. Mix well. Cover it tightly. Ferment it for 7 days. During its fermentation gas will form inside the container. Just loosen the cap to release the gas and tighten in again to continue fermentation. When it has sweet sour smell after 7 days, its ready to use. For areas with low temperature, the fermentation period may take up to 15 days.

 

For Seed Treatment

Prepare the seedbed at least 10 days before sowing to allow the organic matter to properly decompose.

To hasten seed germination and prevent development of seed borne diseases, soak seeds for 24 hours in DEMS (Diluted EMAS Solution)  at the rate of 1:1000 ( ex. 200 ml EMAS to 200 liters water). It is necessary to replace the water use in soaking this seeds atleast every 6 to 12 hours.

 

Nursery stage

Dilute EMAS 1:500 to 1000 and water this to seedlings at least once a week. EM-FPE  or EM-5 could also be sprayed for healthy root development  and  to prevent  pest and diseases. (1 ml EMAS or FPE or EM-5 for every 500ml to 1 liter of water.)

For Land Preparation

1. After harvest add all crop residues and compost to field and apply 1000 kg of Bokashi  per hectare. If you have your own organic fertilizer, apply the usual amount you are using. Then just add diluted EMAS as stated in procedure no. 2 below.

     

2. Dilute 1 liter of EMAS to 200 liters of water per hectare and water to the whole field. This will hasten the decomposition of rice straw and other plant debris in the field. At the same time it will be your additional organic basal fertilizer. If the field is flooded with water dilute 1 liter EMAS to 100 liters of water.

3. One month before next cultivation, do the first plowing .

  

4. After first plowing, Apply diluted EMAS at the rate of 1 liter EMAS to 100 liters of water per hectare. Pour it or spray it flooded field during land preparation. Leave it for 20 days until weeds germinate.

Protocol from Kyusei Nature Farming

     When EM is applied to soil with organic matter, it breaks the dormancy of weed seeds because of the organic acids and bio-active substance produced by this beneficial microbes. Therefore most weed seeds will germinate at the same time.

 ***If you use herbicide, but still want to add EM-FPE or EMAS to bring back the beneficial microbes unto the soil allow 3-7 days for withdrawal period.***

 

5. Do the second plowing  and incorporate the weeds to the soil. This reduces the weeds on your rice field. Additional to this, when you transplant the seedlings, weed seeds will take sometime to germinate again. Tillers are taller that time therefore it will be difficult for weeds to grow because of light and nutrient competition.

    One week before transplanting add 1,000-4,000 kg of organic fertilizer such as vermicast, processed animal manure or compost. You may add EMAS or EM-FPE diluted 1: 200 after adding the organic fertilizer. The beneficial microbes will start working by converting the nutrients into available form from this organic fertilizer.

   You may also use synthetic fertilizer. But if you use sythetic fertilizer you may skip adding diluted EMAS or EM-FPE.

 6. Transplanting. Ideally transplant 3-4 bunch of seedlings when it is 25cm high with planting distance of 25cm x 25cm.

Transplanting

     15 days after transplanting dilute 2 liters of EMAS or EM-FPE  to 200 liters of water  (per hectare) and spray it to rice tillers.

***Some of rice farmers I know, dilute 500ml to 1 liter EM-FPE and 500ml to 1 liter EM-5 to 200 liters of water. They spray it foliar atleast once a week***

Growth stage of Rice
  ♣ At 30, 60 and 90 days after transplanting dilute 500ml to 1 liter EM-FPE and EM-5 to 200 liters of water and spray this to 1 hectare rice field. If spraying is not possible because its already on its flowering or millking stage, just pour or drip EM-FPE at the side of the rice field. Frequent application of EM-FPE may needed sometimes to provide additional enzymes to rice plant. Do not worry it has no overdose.   

***Mr. Bert Baniqued a rice farmer in Nueva ecija uses Fish Amino Acid (FAA) or Kuhol Amino Acid (KAA)with EM-1 on his rice field. He dilute 2 liter of  FAA or KAA in 200 liters of water and pour it once a week on his rice field.***

     
 ♣  Broadcast 500 to 1,000 kg bokashi per hectare once a month for additional nutrient. Instead of using bokashi fertilizer you may also use vermicast, compost or any processed animal manure.

***Or follow you regular application of synthetic fertilizers. But as much as possible use more organic fertilizer than synthetic fertilizer.***
     
 ♣ To prevent pest and diseases dilute 1 liter EM-5 to 200 liters of water and spray this to rice field once a week especially during rainy season. But if you want to suppress the pest and diseases on early stage instead of using chemicals, dilute 2 liter EM-5 per 200 liters of water. Spray it twice or 3 times a week until pest and disease is suppress.
    
     If the rain continuosly pour in 3 days or more, after the rain stops, dilute 1 liter EM-5 and 1 liter EM-FPE and spray it to rice tillers to prevent disease. Do this on 3 consecutive days.
  
    Use chemicals as your last option if the organic concoctions can no longer suppress pest and diseases.
***Prevention is better than cure.***


 

 

Your may share your own experiences in using EM technology. Comments and suggestions are also welcome. Thank you for taking time to read this.

 

EM Improves Rice Production in Gapan, Nueva Ecija

Mr. Victor Solis, a professional Electronics and Communication Engineer graduated at Polytechnic University of the Philippines managed a 10ha rice area in Gapan Nueva Ecija. He was the former project manager of one Telecommunication Company and engaged into rice farming as their family business.
As the eldest son of the family, he continued of what his father started on farming.  An engineer who turned his wills on farming, faced different challenges in rice farming since he doesn’t have enough knowledge to make it more productive. He never stop learning and collected agricultural magazines and other articles related on farming. Application of what he learned from those helped him most.
         Putting zinc phosphate on the soil to neutralize acidity and  lessen the yellowing of leaves was his first action. He was dependent on synthetic fertilizers throughout the cropping season, and realized the higher cost of farm inputs but equal percentage of production.
          Being curious, Vic don’t stop doing research. He encountered EM in a magazine for many times. As he visited to Harbest Office he got some protocols and was encouraged to try EM for rice. He believes “prevention is better than cure” therefore he apply organic fertilizers and add more beneficial microbes to improve soil condition. 

             Vic has been using EM for rice for 5years. At first He extended EM-1 by dissolving 1 liter molasses to 28 liters of non-chlorinated water. He add 1 liter EM-1 and mix it well. He fermented it for 7 days before using it.  

 

 

 

              He used EMAS during land preparation to condition the soil before transplanting. He diluted 2-3 liters of EMAS per 100liter of water and spray the flooded field. He observed the fast decomposition of rice straws and other plant debris. EM also improves soil nutrients. As if nutrients hidden in the soil was unlocked. That is why he do not apply synthetic fertilizer for his basal.  For Vic, EM is multipurpose.

                                                                                                                                                                                     

               There were improvement in terms of production. Rice grain was full and heavy. He harvest 100-115 sacks per hectare compare to his neighbors who harvest 60-75 sacks of rice per hectare. Using EMAS gives him additional savings. He reduced his synthetic fertilizer application up to 15% and yet the rice tillers are  still healthy and green. He also started making his own vermitea with EMAS to further reduce his application of synthetic fertilizers. He apply it not just on rice field but also to his vegetable garden.              

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Prevent vegetable pest and diseases now!

 

EM-5 contains esters formed by mixing acetic acid and alcohol. This is primarily use to prevent pest and diseases. It acts as barrier around the plant. EM-5 contains 5 main ingredients listed below.

 

Ingredients:

600 ml Non-chlorinated water 

100 ml EM-1 Concentrate

100 ml Molasses

100ml Distilled Spirits (Lambanog, Gin)

100 ml Naturally fermented vinegar (coconut vinegar (tuba), Sugarcane vinegar)

 

***To enhance its effect you may add at least 150-250g of chopped chili, garlic, onion, ginger, neem leaves and fruit, marigold, different herbs, or any plant parts with medicinal and insecticidal properties.

***In rainy season you need sticker so that anything you spray like foliar fertilizers or pesticide will not be easily be wash out by too much water. In this case you may add slimy plants or fruit on your fermentation such as malavar spinach (Alugbati), jute leaves (saluyot), aloe vera or okra

Procedure:




Use NEEM LEAVES and FRUIT in your EM-5. Neem's active ingredient called "azadirachtin"  could control wide range of pest and diseases.
If you want to target specific pest or disease use specific plant parts with the capability to repel or kill insect pest or control the reproduction of disease.
For Example: If your problem mostly is aphids and whiteflies use more garlic on your EM-5. For worms and leaf spots use more chili or ginger. For leaf blight use more ipil-ipil, kakawate, or onion and many more.
  

It is ready to use if it has sweet sour smell and pH drops to 4 below. After fermentation you may keep the plant parts in EM-5 and filter it every time you want to use it OR you may filter it right after fermentation to separate the solid from liquid using cheesecloth. Put the plant part on your compost or spread it to your garden to repel insect pest.

 

Use EM-5 within 3 months.

HOW TO USE IT??

Dilute 1 liter EM-5 to 100 up to 500 liters of water. Spray it to plant early in the morning or late in the afternoon. For maintenance use 1:500 dilution at least once a week. But if insect pest or diseases started to build up use 1:100 dilution rate. Spray especially underside of leaves.

At nursery use 1:500 to 1000 dilution rate.


To simplify:
♠ Per liter of water dilute 2-10 ml EM-5.
♠ Per knapsack sprayer (16 liters) dilute 32 ml to 160 ml of EM-5.
          ☻ In field we actually don't use measuring cap. Instead we use empty cans of sardines  
               (150ml). Therefore for every knapsack sprayer use half can of sardines to 1 can of  sardines.
♠  Per drum (200 liters) water dilute 400 ml to 2 liters of EM-5. OR 1 liter EM-5 per drum.