Rice Production

Skills Development Series

Plowing and harrowing

with a carabao RP3-01.1
(water buffalo)

INTERNATIONAL RICE RESEARCH INSTITUTE

LOS BAOS, LAGUNA, PHILIPPINES

First edition, 1988.

Revised edition, 2001.

Plowing and harrowing

with a carabao RP3-01.1
(water buffalo)

2001
INTERNATIONAL RICE RESEARCH INSTITUTE
LOS BAOS, LAGUNA, PHILIPPINES

Prospectus

This exercise explains how to plow and

harrow a wetland field with a carabao
(water buffalo).

Rationale

Aside from essential cultural practices such

as fertilizer management, pest control, and
water management, land preparation also
influences the ultimate yield of rice.

Objectives

At the end of this exercise, you should be

able to
n

plow a wetland field with a native

moldboard plow hitched to a carabao,
and
harrow a plowed wetland field with a
comb-tooth harrow hitched to a carabao.
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Materials
n
n
n
n

carabao
moldboard plow with harness
comb-tooth harrow with harness
ha wetland field

Carabao
with harness

Comb-tooth
harrow

Moldboard plow

OPERATION 1. Plowing a wetland

field with a carabao-drawn native
moldboard plow
Steps

1. Get the field ready for plowing.

a. Flood the field 3-5 cm depth above
soil surface for 3 to 7 days before
plowing, depending on the hardness
of the soil.

b. Remove from the field anything that

may injure the plowman such as thorny
weeds.

c. Cut tall grass or stubble that will

interfere with plowing.

2.

Get the carabao and plow ready for

plowing.

a. Approach the carabao from the left side

to avoid its pointed horns.
b. Hitch the plow to the carabao by
placing the yoke across its shoulder
and securing it with a leather
adjustment belt around the neck.

3.

Start plowing.

a. Begin plowing near the levee.

First, pass the plow 2 to 3 times
inside the levee clockwise to move
the soil away from the base of the
levee. That will facilitate repair
of the levees later on.

Levee

Start
Levee
a
3

a
2

a
1
b
1

3.

Start plowing.

a. Begin plowing near the levee.

First, pass the plow 2 to 3 times
inside the levee clockwise to move
the soil away from the base of the
levee. That will facilitate repair
of the levees later on.

Levee

Start
Levee
a
3

a
2

a
1
b
1

b. To plow the rest of the field, move

counter-clockwise.

Levee

End
Start

Levee

a1b1

a a b b b

c. Plow to a depth of at least 10-12 cm;

plow deeper if you have to incorporate
and cover organic matter.

Levee

Water level
Field surface

3-5 cm

Furrow slice

Furrow wall

10-12 cm
Plow depth
Furrow

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d. To adjust the depth of cut:

Method 1
Changing the length of draw-rope
changes depth of cut. Lengthening the
rope gives deeper cut.
Method 2
1) Push the handle forward to plow
deeper.
2) Pull the handle toward you to make
a shallower cut.

1.

2.

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e. To turn left or right at a corner:

Lift the plow up completely and let it
move freely on its landside. Lift and
push the handle toward the left if you
want to turn right, and toward the right
if you want to turn left.

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f. To make straight furrows:

When the moldboard curves away
from a straight line and moves toward
the right, push the handle to the right
until the plow cuts a straight furrow.
To bring it back from the left, push
the handle toward the left.

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4.

Flood the field again.

Keep the soil flooded with 1 cm of water

above the furrow slice for about 7 days.
That will soften the soil clods further and
allow weeds to germinate, while fresh
organic materials that have been
incorporated in the soil will decompose.

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OPERATION 2. Harrowing with a

carabao-drawn comb-tooth
harrow
Steps

1.

Drain off excess water.

Leave just enough water to show the high

and low spots of the field.

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2.

Get the harrow and carabao ready for

harrowing.

Hitch the harrow to the carabao by

putting the yoke across its shoulder and
securing it with a leather adjustment belt
around the neck.

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3.

Start harrowing.

a. Start harrowing lengthwise from the

edge of the field along the furrow
slice. Make your return pass in the
middle of the field and then return to
pass the harrow inside your first pass.
The next return pass should then be
outside your first return pass. As you
harrow, slant the handle slightly
toward you.

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b. Harrow the field crosswise.

As in harrowing lengthwise, make
your return pass in the middle of the
field.
Usually, two lengthwise harrowings
and one crosswise harrowing will
puddle the soil adequately.

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c. Do initial leveling by moving mud from

high spots to low spots.
To do this, pull the handle of the
harrow backward to load the harrow
with mud at high spots. At low spots,
push the handle forward to unload the
mud.

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4.

Flood the field again.

Keep enough water in the field to prevent

the soil from drying and hardening.

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5.

Harrow and level the field.

If possible, wait 7 to 10 days before

harrowing again. This is to allow weed
seeds to germinate before they are finally
turned under the soil, and to give more
time for incorporated fresh organic
matter to decompose.
Level the field by attaching a bamboo
pole or wooden plank to the base of the
harrow teeth during the last harrowing.
When necessary, replace the whole
harrow assembly with a wooden plank
of suitable length.

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Support information

1. How many days before plowing must the field

be flooded? Why?

The field should be flooded 3 to 7 days

before plowing depending on the hardness
of the soil. Flooding will soften the soil
and prevent soil from sticking to the plow.

2.

Why should plowing be started next to the

levee in a clockwise direction?

To facilitate cleaning and repair of the

levees.

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3. Why do you flood the soil after plowing or

after each harrowing and wait for 7 days
before the next harrowing?

The soil should be flooded after plowing

to soften the soil clods further and allow
weed seeds to germinate, while plowed
fresh organic materials decompose. The
soil should be flooded after each
harrowing to prevent drying and
hardening. It is necessary to wait 7 days
before the next harrowing to allow weed
seeds to germinate before they are finally
turned under the soil and to give more
time for incorporated organic materials
to decompose.

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4. Why is it better to harrow with only a few

centimeters of water in the field?

It is better to harrow when water in the

field is only a few centimeters deep so
that weeds and stubbles that are plowed
under will be thoroughly mixed with the
mud, and low and high spots can be seen
and leveled properly.

5.

Describe the characteristics of a wellprepared wetland ricefield.

In a well-prepared wetland ricefield:

a. Mud and water are thoroughly mixed.
b. Weeds, rice straw, and stubble, which
have been plowed under, are
thoroughly decayed.
c. Land is well leveled.

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6. From the biochemical point of view, why

should land preparation be started at least
15 days before transplanting?

Land preparation should be started at

least 15 days before transplanting to:
a. save the seedlings from a high
concentration of harmful substances
generated by decomposing organic
matter.
b. allow the plants to utilize the plant
nutrients released during the
decomposition of organic matter.

7.

What precautions should you take in

handling the carabao?

a. Approach it from its left side.

b. Avoid its pointed horns.

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Evaluation
1. Given a field ready for plowing and a plow
hitched to a carabao, demonstrate the
correct plowing procedures.
2. Given the plowed field ready for harrowing
and a comb-tooth harrow hitched to a
carabao, demonstrate the proper method
of harrowing.

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Definition of Terms

the raised ridge of a furrow

slice that overlaps another.
Furrow - the trench formed when a plow
bottom cuts and turns the furrow slice.
Furrow slice - the ribbon of soil lifted and
thrown to one side by the plow bottom.
Harrowing - the process of breaking the soil
clods after plowing, using secondary tillage equipment like a comb-tooth harrow.
Plowing - the initial process of cutting the
soil using primary tillage equipment such
as a moldboard plow.
Back furrow -

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