Experiment of Voga on Crops during Dry Season

by
Mr. Jarern Pimkal
Horticulturist, Lopburi Agricultural Department
and Irrigation Group of Kokkatiam, Muang, Lopburi

General Information of Kokkatiam District

  • All parts of Kokkatiam district are irrigated. Main crop is rice. Farmers do 5 plantings of rice in 2 years.
  • Soil in the area is generally heavy clay soil, low in nutrients. Analysis shows soil characteristics as follows; pH 7.35, OM 1.24%, P 44.05 ppm., K 481.38 ppm., S 16.85ppm.
  • A project to improve water management supported by Thai and Japanese governments helps promote planting of dry-seasoned crops after regular-seasoned rice to generate income and reduce water usage during dry season.
  • Experiment of Voga on dry-seasoned crops has been conducted. Analysis of Voga is as follows; OM 0.1%, P 34 ppm., K 230 ppm., Ca 8400 ppm., Mg 390 ppm, Si. 5667 ppm.

Experimental Results of Voga Usage in Sweet Corns

  •  There were 25 farmers participated in the project, three of which used Voga.
  • Planting, fertilizing, and irrigating techniques are same for all farmers as follows;
    • Plowing, raising beds, then planting 1 kg of corn seeds (Hi-brix variety) per rai. Then spray with chemicals for weed control.
    • Watering through ditches every 7-10 days or when soil is dry.
    • Fertilization: For one rai, use one bag (50 kg) of chemical fertilizer 46-0-0 mixed with 1 bag of Voga (20 kg) used when corns are 25-30 days old by sprinkling around plants.

Soil Preparation

Making ditches for water drainage

Soil Preparation
Soil preparation
Raise beds
Raise bed

Growing Sweet Corn on Heavy Soil Clay

Must make raised bed for easy irrigation and flood prevention

Raise beds before corn planting
Rasie bed for corn planting
Planting corn seeds on raised beds
Planting corn seed on raised beds

Experimenter shows how to grow corns

2 rows of seeding on each bed
2 rows of seeding on each bed
Supply water through ditches
Supply water through ditches

Watering through ditches every 7-10 days

Corns after 30 days

Watering corns through ditches every 7-10 days
Watering through ditches every 7-10 days
Corns after 30 days
Corns after 30 days

Harvesting

  • Start harvesting when corns are 73 days old (75 days suggested by the company)
  • Farmers who used Voga gained 2,000-2,800 kg of produce per rai.  Weight of 2 corns are 0.9 kg.
  • Farmers who did not use Voga got 1,000 kg of produce per rai with corn’s weight of 3 corns per kg.

Comparison

  • Field with and without Voga
Field using silicon Voga
Field using silicon Voga
Field without silicon Voga
Field without silicon Voga
Compare fields with/without silicon Voga
Compare fields with/without silicon Voga
Corn produce
Corn produce

Comparison of the produce

  • Farmers who used Voga
    • Mr. Chumnan Chinbutr, Chairman of Thumbon Kokkatiam District administration,
      planted 1 rai of corn got 2,000 kg of produce.
    • Mr. Rim Jaikaew planted 1 rai of sweet corns got 2,800 kg of produce.
  • Farmers who did not use Voga
    • Mr. Liam Patmasung, Village leader, moo 5, Thumbon Kokkatiam, got 1,000 kg of produce.

Conclusion

  • Voga can increase yields of corns under limited expertise and knowledge of farmers who are used to growing rice, condition of limited water supply, high temperature during dry season, long daylight time.
  • Experiments on sweet corns of Hi-brix-10 variety during regular season will confirm  usefulness of Voga.