Transplanting rice in NE Thailand

It is traditional in Asia to seed rice in nursuries before the rainy season commences, and then transplant seedlings into paddies once it begins. This practice gives the plants a quick start and ensures better overall survival of the rice plants. Its success depends on the onset of the rainy season being fairly consistent from year to year. In this photo, taken in northeastern Thailand in 1987, the rainy season was unusually late in beginning, resulting in transplants that were getting spindly and chlorotic. Extensive deforestation in the region, as well as global climatic change, may be contributing to more erratic rainfall patterns.