Table 3 Fertilization, transplanting and harvesting schedule in the 2020 and 2021 on-farm trials.

From: Soil microbes and organic fertilizer efficiency are associated with rice field topography

Year

Village

Fertilizer treatment

Fertilizer amount (t ha−1)

Nitrogen content (kg ha−1)

Date

Basal

Top-dressing

Basal

Top-dressing

Basal

Transplant

Top-dressing

Harvest

2020

Kaya

0–0

0

0

0

0

May 20

Sep 8

1–0

1

0

40

0

Apr 10

May 15

Sep 8

1–1

1

1

40

40

Apr 10

May 15

Jun 29

Sep 8

2–0

2

0

80

0

Apr 5

May 17

Sep 8

2–1

2

1

80

40

Apr 5

May 17

Sep 8

3–0

3

0

120

0

Apr 9

May 20

Jul 6

Sep 8

Ishikawa

0–0

0

0

0

0

May 11

Sep 9

1–0

1

0

40

0

Apr 8

May 11

Sep 9

1–1

1

1

40

40

Apr 8

May 11

Jul 7

Sep 9

2–0

2

0

80

0

Apr 8

May 11

Sep 9

2–1

2

1

80

40

Apr 8

May 11

Jul 7

Sep 9

3–0

3

0

120

0

Apr 8

May 11

Sep 9

2021

Kaya

0–0

0

0

0

0

May 18

Sep 14

1–0

1

0

40

0

Apr 9

May 15

Sep 14

1–1

1

1

40

40

Apr 9

May 15

Jul 1

Sep 14

2–0

2

0

80

0

Apr 7

May 12

Sep 14

2–1

2

1

80

40

Apr 7

May 12

Jul 16

Sep 14

3–0

3

0

120

0

Apr 7

May 18

Sep 14

Ishikawa

0–0

0

0

0

0

Apr 9

May 13

Sep 8

1–0

1

0

40

0

Apr 9

May 13

Sep 8

1–1

1

1

40

40

Apr 9

May 13

Jul 12

Sep 8

2–0

2

0

80

0

Apr 9

May 13

Sep 8

2–1

2

1

80

40

Apr 9

May 13

Jul 16

Sep 8

3–0

3

0

120

0

Apr 9

May 13

Sep 8

  1. Treatment codes (X–Y): X indicates basal fertilizer rate (0, 1, 2, or 3 t ha⁻1), Y indicates top-dressing fertilizer rate (0 or 1 t ha⁻1) of Mamekko fertilizer. Cultivation protocol: Mamekko fertilizer was broadcast with a manure spreader and incorporated by rotary tillage. Fields were flooded approximately two weeks before transplanting and puddled one week before. Three-week-old Koshihikari seedlings (certified seeds from Toyama) were transplanted at 0.3 m × 0.22 m spacing. Irrigation was suspended for 15–20 days before top-dressing application and again approximately three weeks before harvest. All cultivation practices followed the Yosano Municipal Government guidelines for rice production with Mamekko fertilizer.