Development of alternative cropping patterns in rainfed lowland areas with small farm reservoir

An on-farm trial was implemented in rainfed lowland rice areas of San Ildefonso, Bulacan, Philippines. Four experimental cropping patterns (ECPs), consisting of rice-green corn, rice-sweet potato, rice-peanut, and rice-mungbean, were compared to farmers' cropping pattern (FCP) of rice-fallow in terms of crop production and economic performance in 6 on-farm trial sites. A superimposed variety trial of 5 Philippine Seed Board (PSB) rice varieties planted in subplot was compared with PSB RC-4 planted in ECP plot and BPI-Ri10 planted in FCP plot during the wet season. Three to 4 varieties and 4 fertilizer levels involving various combinations of inorganic and bio-organic fertilizers (BOF) were superimposed in the ECP plot during the dry season. Among the green corn varieties tested, 'Improved Macapuno' and 'Supersweet' corn applied with 500-1000 kg ha^-1 BOF + 92 kg N ha^-1 produced better ear yield and high net benefits. Sweet potato varieties, UPL, SP2 and UPL SP5, when applied with 28-28-28 kg NPK ha^-1 using inorganic fertilizer produced better tuber yield. Peanut variety EG Red produced better grain yield and higher net benefit. Mungbean did not thrive well due to the low soil pH in the area. Rice varieties PSB RC-10, PSB RC-14, and PSB RC-6 were found to be the most adaptable varieties in the area in terms of production and economic performance.