The research was carried out over two cropping seasons
(2012 and 2013) in an experimental platform located within the
Rice Research Centre of Ente Nazionale Risi at Castello d’Agogna
(4514048“N, 841052“E, NW Italy). The site is situated in the low
section of the river Po plain which includes the distal part of the
glacial alluvial Würmian
flat, and is characterized by the presence
of bumps of Holocene
fluvial dynamics and leveling due to the
more recent agricultural processes. The climate is temperate,
characterized by hot summers and two main rainy periods in
spring and autumn. The mean annual precipitation was 611 and
756 mm in 2012 and 2013, respectively, while the mean value for
the last 20 years was 704 mm. The mean annual temperature was
+13 C for both years (Fig. 1), in line with the 20 year mean.