RAISING SEEDLINGS BY THE WETBED METHOD

WETBED METHOD is preferable in areas where water control is not dependable.

CHARACTERISTICS OF WETBED SEEDLINGS
Good wetbed seedlings are uniform in size, and easy to pull and transplant; free from diseases, pests and their damage. Mechanical injury should be minimal, tough with short but erect leaves and vigorous roots; able to recover quickly after transplanting.


ADVANTAGES
- Fewer seeds are required per unit ara of ricefield.
- Seedlings are easily transplanted
- The number of seedlings per hill can be specified
- Suitable for experimental purposes


DISADVANTAGES
- It requires a larger seedbed area
- Preparation of seedbed, care, and pulling of seedlings are laborious.
- Seeds are easily carried away by rainwater if heavy rain occurs shortly after sowing.

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MATERIALS
- seeds with 2-3 mm radicle incubated for 24h
- meter stick or steel tape
- thoroughly prepared land sufficient for given amount of seeds
- any recommended insecticide
- knapsack sprayer
- abaca twine
- bamboo stakes (1 x 2.5 x 100 cm)
- ammonium sulfate

OPERATION 1. Preparing wedbed

STEPS

1. Compute the the area required for the seedbed
The wetbed area required per hectare ranges from 350 to 500 m². Each seedbed should be about 1-1.5 m wide to facilitate seedbed management.

2. Select the best location.
The seedbed should be conveniently located for irrigation and drainage. It should be safe from flood and far from electric light. The seedbed should be fertile, exposed to full sunlight, and accessible to the operator.

3. Prepare the land
Prepare the seedbed 30-35 days before planting time. Plowing once and harrowing 2-3 times at 7-10 days intervals between operations is sufficient to prepare the field.

4. Flood the field in between operations
Maintain water at a level sufficient to cover the soil. This servs as a guide in leveling the bed.

5. Measure the area of seedbed.
With a steel tape or other measuring device, measure or twine and 4 bamboo stakes to outline the predetermined area.

6. Construct the seedbed
Raise the bed 4-5 cm above the original soil level to facilitate drainage. Collect the mud around the outlined area and smooth the surface of the seedbed. Incline the surface gradually toward both sides to facilitate drainage during the first few days.

OPERATION 2. Sowing the seeds

STEPS

1. Allow the mud on top of the bed to settle overnight to keep the seeds from sinking.
2. Sow the pregerminated seeds evenly on the seedbed (about 100g/m²bed).
Sow these thinly over the entire area.
3. Sow the remaining seeds
The remainder should be sown on those spots that did not receive enough seeds at first sowing.

OPERATION 3. Care of the wetbed

STEPS

1. Irrigate the seedbed
After 4 days, irrigate the seedbed about 2-3 cm deep. Gradually increase the water depth to 5cm to control weeds and facilitate pulling of seedlings.
2. Protect the seedlings
Spray the seedlings with any recommended insecticide 7days after sowing. If necessary, repeat application after 10days. Protect the seedlings from carabaos, rats, and birds.
3. Protect seedlings from nitrogen deficiency
Yellowing of the lower leaves indicates that the seedlings need nitrogen. If you observe this, broadcast 50-100g of ammonium surfate or 20-40g urea per square meter of seedbed.

OPERATION 4. Preapare seedlings for transplanting

STEPS

1. Pull seedlings
Increase the water depth to about 10cm 1 day before pulling. Grasp 2-3 seedlings at a time between your thumb and 4 fingers. Pull seeds close to the base to avoid injury.
2. Wash soil from the roots
Wash the roots carefully. Do not strike the seedlings on a hard object to remove mud, because this will injure the plants.
3. Arrange the seedlings
After uprooting enough seedlings (5-8 cm in diameter), arrange them by holding the bunch in your left hand and tapping the roots gently on your right palm.
4. Bundle the seedlings.
Bundle the seedlings with a 40cm long soft material like abaca twine.

First, hold the seedlings with your left hand. Make a loop at one end of the twine and put it under left thumb. Wind the longer end of the twine around the seedlings just above your forefinger, passing over the first loop.

Do this twice, then make a loop at the other end and insert this inside the first loop.

Tighten the first loop by pulling one free end of the twine. Now you have a bundle of seedlings.

5. Distribute the seedlings in the field
If transplanting is done immediately after pulling, distribute the bundled seedlings throughout the field. If not, protect the seedlings from drying by submerging the roots in water.