Temperature Effects on the Phenology of Upland Rice Grown Along an Altitude Gradient in Madagascar

Andranomanelatra 1625 m asl

Sep Nov Jan Mar May Jul Sep

M ax imum a nd M ini mum a ir te mpe ra ture (° C ) 10 20 30 40 Ivory 965 m asl

Sep Nov Jan Mar May Jul Sep

Ankepaka 25 m asl

Sep Nov Jan Mar May Jul Sep

D ay l eng th ( h h :m m ) 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 (1625 m asl) (965 m asl) (25 m asl)

Crop duration to flowering (d)

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 A lt it ud e Low Mid High B22 WAB 878 Botramaitso Chomrong FOFIFA 161 FOFIFA 167 FOFIFA 172 IRAT 112 NERICA 4 PRIMAVERA

Minimum air temperature at booting stage (°C)

10 15 20 25 30 35 St eril it y ( % ) 0 20 40 60 80 100 High altitude Mid altitude Low altitude Hi g h altitu d e (16 25 m asl) Y ie ld ( t h a -1 ) 0 2 4 6 8 B22 WAB 878 Botramaitso Chomrong FOFIFA 161 FOFIFA 167 FOFIFA 172 IRAT 112 NERICA 4 PRIMAVERA Mid altitu d e (96 5 m asl) Y ie ld ( t h a -1 ) 0 2 4 6 8 L o w altitu d e (25 m asl)

Sowing early Recommended sowing Sowing late

Y ie ld ( t h a -1 ) 0 2 4 6 8

Temperature Effects on the Phenology of

Upland Rice Grown Along an Altitude Gradient

in Madagascar

Alain Ramanantsoanirina

, Julie Dusserre

, Suchit Shrestha

, and Folkard Asch

1_{FOFIFA, Madagascar;} 2_{CIRAD, France;} 3_{University of Hohenheim, Germany}

Acknowledgements _{This study is part of a large project adressing „Adaptation of African agriculture to climate change“ funded by the}

German Ministry for collaboration and development through GTZ/BEAF. More information can be found at

www.risocas.de. Collaborators in this study are the University of Hohenheim; Germany, WARDA; Benin, and CIRAD;

France. FOFIFA , Madagascar as a co-partner institute heartily thanks funding organization and Collaborating

institutions.

Tropentag 2009 “Biophysical and Socio-economic Frame Conditions for the Sustainable Management of Natural Resources”, October 6 - 8, 2009, Hamburg, Germany Scientific Groups: Crop science and land use Section: Water use efficiency in cropping system

 10 varieties of upland rice were planted at 5 monthly staggering sowing dates in three locations.

 Plot size was 1 X 1 m with 20 X 20 cm spacing between plants.

 Daily values for minimum and maximum temperature were recorded.  Different physiological and phenological stages were observed during

crop cycle.

 Biomass, yield, and yield components were determined at maturity.

High

altitude

rice

cultivation

is

constraint

by

a

short

vegetation

period due to low temperatures and

thus by the time the crop needs to

complete its cycle. Climate change is

assumed to result in a rise in mean

temperatures

of

2–5

degrees

depending

on

the

simulation

scenario.

Thus,

rice

cropping

in

higher altitudes may become more

favorable as long as precipitation is

not a limiting factor. In order to match

rainy season with crop duration in

higher altitudes rice genotypes are

needed that possess an early vigor, a

short duration and a certain degree

of drought resistance.

 High altitude conditions increase

crop duration.

 Highest yield were obtained with

the recommended sowing date in

mid altitudes.

 Sterility is not influenced by

minimum air temperature at

booting.

 Cold tolerant varieties have less

sterility under high altitude

conditions.

 Crop duration increases with altitude.

 All varieties yielded best in mid altitudes when sown at the recommended date.  The effect is less pronounced in mid

altitudes.

 Sterility is independent of temperature in low altitude.

 Sterility is lower in mid altitude conditions.

Introduction

Conclusions

Results and Discussion