The PalayCheck ®

System: Concepts,
Principles,
& Key Checks

Part 1: Understanding the PalayCheck System

 ANO ITO?

PalayCheck
 The Beginnings of PalayCheck
• It takes off from Australia’s Ricecheck system, which
helped increase Australia’s yield from about 6 t/ha in
1987 to almost 10 t/ha in 2000.
12000

10000

8000
Yield (kg/ha)

6000

4000

2000

0
1970
1972
1974
1976
1978
1980
1982
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
Australia’s rice yield, 1970 to 2000
Source: FAOSTAT
The Beginnings of PalayCheck
• 2000: Ricecheck system recommended to FAO to
close the yield gap in irrigated areas in a holistic &
sustainable manner.

• Feb 2004: PhilRice-FAO project on “Strengthening the

Development & Use of RICM for Food Security &
Poverty Alleviation” was started.

• 2004-2006: A Philippine version of Ricecheck –

the PalayCheck -- was developed thru a
series of workshops/consultations with
rice experts, extension workers, & farmers.
“Palaytandaan” served as base material.
The Beginnings of PalayCheck
• 2004-2006: PalayCheck was tested in some 30 sites
with almost 1,000 farmers nationwide. Average yield
increased by at least 1 t/ha in pilot sites. Results
showed the more checks achieved, the higher the yield.

• 2006: PalayCheck was recommended for upscaling.

• 2009: PalayCheck served as platform of PhilRice’s
“Location-specific Technology Development” program.
What is PalayCheck?
• Integrated crop management system (ICM) for rice
land preparation harvest mgt

varieties

crop establishment pest & water mgt

fertilizer
 Seed-based
• Start with the seed & how to grow it
technologies
using centrally-developed
(varieties &
recommendations
agro-chemicals)

Single-problem/
• Start with/Focus on a specific field
component,
problem & then branch into a holistic
integrated mgt
study of the system as it relates to
technologies
the problem
(INM, IWM, IPM)

Broader, holistic, • Start with a holistic, integrated

integrated mgt study of the system & then identify
technologies & solve specific problems limiting
(ICM) the system
Changes in technological recommendations
for crop management
Source: Barroga, 2010
What is PalayCheck?
• Encourages farmers to manage crops based on
targets & provides recommendations on how to
attain the targets based on best management
practices for a particular
agro-ecological condition. • From available technologies
• From practical experiences
• Adapts/Localizes (may not be research-based)
these recommendations
at the farm-level, taking • Appropriate to farmers’
into account the interactions resources, understanding, &
among practices & other capabilities
factors affecting yield,
• Achieveable
grain quality, & environment.
 PALAYCHECK:
Gagawing SWAK
ang teknolohiya sa
bukid niyo!
 An analogy

ADOBO Dish

http://www.carinderia.net/adobo.html http://www.nestle.com.ph/recipe/recipes/recipedetails.asp?ID=6
An analogy
Ivatans’

Houses
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bigberto/4722536431/sizes/z/in/photostream/

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/view?q=ivatan+house+house&uname=gavhug&psc=G&
cuname=gavhug&filter=1#5174174728338541170

Ifugaos’

http://picasaweb.google.com/gavhug/TawiTawi21207543PM#5033559525377767618
Badjaos’
What is PalayCheck?
• Provides a collaborative learning framework for
farmers to improve on their understanding of
production principles & their management skills to
enable technology localization, with facilitation from
technically-competent resource persons.
Four PalayCheck Principles (HIKE)
Holistic, integrated
1
crop management
• Rice growing is a
production system with a
range of management
factors involved.
Thus, a holistic,
integrated crop
management based on
local conditions is
essential to maximize or
optimize the beneficial
impacts.
 Four PalayCheck Principles (HIKE)
Holistic, integrated crop management
1• Management practices & result areas under the different crop
management areas are interdependent & interrelated. They have a
combined impact on yield, grain quality, & environmental outcome.

Seed & variety Land Crop

selection preparation establishment

Nutrient Water Pest Harvest

management management management management
Four PalayCheck Principles (HIKE)
Input-Output-Outcome
2• The INPUTS (practices) must achieve the optimum level of
OUTPUTS (results of practices) at all growth stages &
management areas to get the optimum OUTCOMES (combined
effects of outputs on yield, quality, profitability, & environment).
• PalayCheck gives simple, objective recommendations for both
INPUTS & OUTPUTS. These recommendations may be revised
based on new findings & experiences.

INPUT OUTPUT OUTCOME

1-2 seedlings/hill 20-25 hills/sq m high yield
LCC every 7 days 20-24 tillers/hill high profit
at EPI
Four PalayCheck Principles (HIKE)
Key checks
3• KEY CHECKS are the KEY OUTPUTS (or results) -- the most
important determinants of yield, profit, grain quality, &
environmental outcomes
Inputs Outputs
Land preparation • Levelled field
-Clean/repair dikes • Uniform bund height
-Plow field • Breakdown of organic
-Harrow 2x materials
-Level
Of the 3 outputs, this is the key output. Thus,
the Key Check --- your benchmark or check
against actual results of doing the inputs.
Four PalayCheck Principles (HIKE)
Key checks
3• Use KEY CHECKS as targets & benchmarks to ASSESS
success or failure of farmers’ management practices
Key Check
Farmer Cooperator
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Alvin (farmer partner)        
Cris        
Doming        
Gary        
Mando        
Paul        
Four PalayCheck Principles (HIKE)
Key checks
3• There may be more than one key check per management area.
Key checks may also be location-specific.

For example, in Philippines & Indonesia, ‘used certified seeds’

is a key check; but in Australia, where all farmers use certified
seeds, it is not included as key check anymore.

• Although studies imply a higher yield & gross margin with more
key checks, it is more important to be able to understand/
explain WHY
such yield Your main challenge!
was achieved
or not achieved given the inputs.
Four PalayCheck Principles (HIKE)
Experiential group learning
4• Farmers must first identify their strengths (practices contributing
to improving outcomes) & weaknesses (practices limiting level of
outcomes) in crop management before these can be changed.

• This is best attained through

EXPERIENTIAL GROUP
LEARNING, with assistance
from facilitative & technically-
competent resource persons.
Four PalayCheck Principles (HIKE)
Experiential group learning
4 Farmer Cooperator
Key Check No. of Key
Checks
Grain Yield Gross Margin
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 (t/ha) (P/ha)
Achieved
Alvin (farmer partner)         8 6.15 38,160
Ben         8 7.20 45,080
Charlie         8 4.65 25,560
Cris         7 5.37 32,000
Doming         7 5.53 33,350
Gary         7 5.58 34,350
Jojo         7 5.72 35,550
Larry         7 4.20 23,580
Mando         7 4.40 25,260
Paul         7 4.71 26,050
Robert         7 4.49 24,220
Romeo         6 3.90 22,360
Roger         6 5.15 25,830
Vic         6 5.35 27,350
Willy         5 3.50 16,300
Range = Mean = Mean =
Checks achieved (%) 60 87 93 100 80 87 93 87
5–8 5.06 29,000
Four PalayCheck Principles (HIKE)
Experiential group learning
4• EXPERIENTIAL (or discovery-based) GROUP LEARNING
promotes collaborative learning among farmers & between
resource persons & farmers, making learning less intimidating.
Learning is hands-on, shared, & guided.
 Four PalayCheck Principles (HIKE)
Experiential group learning MANAGE CROP:
4 undertake specific
PLAN: specify what to practices to
do, change, achieve MANAGING THE CROP
achieve outputs &
PLANNING
Specify what to do/ Undertake specific
practices to achieve
key checks
change and achieve
CHANGE Key Checks
MONITOR:
MANAGEMENT CHANGING MONITORING observe, measure,
KNOWLEDGE, Observe, measure,
UNDERSTANDING, and record the record results
IDENTIFY MGT AND ATTITUDES TO
MANAGEMENT
results achieved

STRENGTHS & HARVESTING

HARVEST:
WEAKNESSES
IDENTIFYING
MANAGEMENT
Record yield,
quality, and
determine &
STRENGTHS AND
WEAKNESSES
prices received record yield,
COMPARE & INTERPRET
COMPARING AND
INTERPRETING RESULTS quality, &
RESULTS: identify key checks
Determine Key Check
achievement and yield prices
achieved & their relationship
relationships
received
with yield, gross margin
 Four PalayCheck Principles (HIKE)
Experiential group learning
4 • The activities in the learning cycle are influenced by:
Key Checks & Farmers’ knowledge &
Recommendations experience

Climate, agroecosystem,
Resources & finance
soils, & other environment
availability
factors

Neighbor/Peer groups’ knowledge &

attitudes; extension support
 Key checks & Managing
Planning
recommendations the crop Farmers’ knowledge
& experiences
Changing
management Monitoring

Climate, Resource
agro-ecosystem, ID mgt strengths & Harvesting & finance
soils, etc. weaknesses
availability
Comparing &
interpreting results

Neighbor/peer group knowledge, attitudes, etc.

Four PalayCheck Principles (HIKE)

Holistic, integrated crop

1management
Input-Output-Outcome
2
Key checks
3
Experiential group learning
4
Let’s review!
The Eight Key Checks of PalayCheck

1
Used high quality seeds of a recommended variety

relatively pure, clean; full &

uniform in size; viable

less weeds

healthy seedlings

more fertilizer-responsive; stronger pest resistance

10-15%
increase
in yield fast & uniform growth resulting in efficient
crop establishment & harvesting activities
The Eight Key Checks of PalayCheck

2
No high & low soil spots after final levelling

less water to fill up;

uniform water distribution;
easier drainage

efficient fertilizer application

less weed incidence;

better snail management
uniform crop maturity;
timely harvesting
use of farm machinery &
application of controlled
irrigation facilitated
The Eight Key Checks of PalayCheck

3
Practiced synchronous planting after a fallow period

efficient use of irrigation less spread of pest damage

The Eight Key Checks of PalayCheck

4
Sufficient number of healthy seedlings
better nutrient
compete better better root uptake
against weeds growth

more efficient
nutrient use

Healthy seedlings

Sowing right amount of seeds

Transplanting right amount of seedlings
Giving right nutrients
 The Eight Key Checks of PalayCheck

5Sufficient nutrients at tillering to early panicle

initiation & flowering

NUTRIENTS

over adequate under

pest uniform less tillers

damage growth
slow growth
lodging uniform
panicle dev’t low grain
attainment weight
of yield
potential
The Eight Key Checks of PalayCheck

6
Avoided excessive water or drought stress that could
affect the growth and yield of the crop

• Water transports nutrients from the soil to the plant.

• Adequate water supply facilitates land preparation

& ensures good crop establishment .

• It also promotes seedling vigor & normal crop

growth and development, with minimal lodging.

• There is better nutrient uptake with right amount of

water because it corrects some nutrient imbalances
& leaching is minimized.
The Eight Key Checks of PalayCheck

7
No significant yield loss due to pests
• Knowledge of the interactions of the rice crop with
the biotic factors, agro-ecosystem, & the crop
management system help in understanding how
to minimize pest damage.

• Correct pest identification & application of

ICM (i.e. resistant variety; date & method of
crop establishment; fertilizer & water
management; & pesticide use) also help.

• Proper pest management results in good

seed or grain quality.
The Eight Key Checks of PalayCheck

8
Cut & threshed the crop at the right time
REAPING

too early timely too late

large % good grain grain

of immature quality shattering
& half-
filled high market
value milling
grains breakage
consumer
low MR, acceptance low grain
low grain quality
quality
The Eight Key Checks of PalayCheck
Crop Mgt Area Key Checks
Seed & variety 1) Used high quality seeds of the recommended
selection variety
Land preparation 2) No high & low soil spots after final levelling
Crop establishment 3) Practiced synchronous planting after fallow
period
4) Sufficient number of healthy seedlings
Nutrient management 5) Sufficient nutrients at tillering to early panicle
initiation and flowering
Water management 6) Avoided excessive water or drought stress
that could affect the growth & yield of the crop
Pest management 7) No significant yield loss due to pests
Harvest management 8) Cut & threshed the crop at the right time
Statement of Key Checks in PalayCheck

Management area Importance of Key Check –

why Key Check should be
attained
Key Check statement -
what to attain Assessment of Key Check
– how to know that Key
Check has been attained
Recommendations to Achieve
Key Check – how Key Check
could be attained
Integration of Management
at Different Crop Growth Stages
Under actual field conditions...
Key Check recommendations are done mostly together
at varying levels of activity.

For example: Flowering to

grain filling
- Key Check 5,
6, & 7
 Crop Mgt Area Key Checks
Seed & variety 1) Used high quality seeds of the recommended
selection variety
Land preparation 2) No high & low soil spots after final leveling
Crop establishment 3) Practiced synchronous planting after fallow
period
4) Sufficient number of healthy seedlings
Nutrient management 5) Sufficient nutrients at tillering to early panicle
initiation and flowering
Water management 6) Avoided excessive water or drought stress
that could affect the growth & yield of the crop
Pest management 7) No significant yield loss due to pests
Harvest management 8) Cut & threshed the crop at the right time Let’s
review!
 PALAYCHECK:
Gagawing SWAK
ang teknolohiya sa
bukid niyo!
CREDITS
Instructional presentation designer:
Dr. Karen Eloisa Barroga

Sources & reviewers of technical content:

Mr. Salvador Yabes; Mrs. Anita Antonio; Mrs. Ofelia Malonzo

Note:
Adapted from a powerpoint presentation developed by:
Mr. Salvador Yabes
For more information, visit:
You may use, remix, tweak,
& build upon this presentation
non-commercially. However, always
use with acknowledgment.

Unless otherwise stated,

the names listed are
PhilRice staffers.
Text: 0920-911-1398
Produced in 2011