Transplanting rice in NE Thailand

It is traditional in Asia to seed rice in nursuries before the wet season commences, and then transplant seedlings into paddies once the rainy season starts. This gives the plants a quick start. The practice is successful only if the date for onset of the rainy season is fairly consistent from year to year. In this photo, taken in NE Thailand in 1987, the rainy season was unusually late in beginning, resulting in transplants that were spindly and chlorotic. Extensive deforestation of the uplands may be contributing to more erratic rainfall patterns in recent years.