Ways of supplying water for two varieties of upland rice in the central region of the Ivory Coast

During a period of very low rainfall, water dynamics were studied on three plots of clayey-sandy soil: one bare soil plot and two other plots bearing two different varieties of upland rice (Moroberekan and Irat 13). Simultaneous and periodic measurements of the water content and hydraulic head profile can be used to find the hydrodynamic characteristics of the soil and to determine the water consumption of the rice, either by the zero flux plane method or by calculating the flux at a certain depth. Root extraction patterns are also calculated at different times. The results show that these methods can be used for finding the components of the water balance in soil under cultivation. They are precise enough to show the differences in water utilization by two varieties of rice at the tillering stage during a period of drought. (author)