ABSTRACT
Study of the agricultural systems used by rice farmers. II. ldentification and classification of the farming systems

Germán Klee G.1 y Carlos Sepúlveda P.1
 
The second part of the study titled "Characterization of the farm systems in the rice crop area" carriedout in Linares province, Maule Region is reported. 50% of the national area sown with rice is in thisprovince. From a total of 1,025 farms (54,042 ha), 6.8% were sampled. The farmers were estratifiedaccording to farm area, measured as "basic irrigated hectares" (BIH), in three strata: 0.1 to 2.9 BIH; 3to 12 BIH, and more than 12 BIH. The general methodology is described in the first part of the study.The identification of the farm systems considered the different farms activities and the dominant croprotation. A dicotomic keywas made to identify and classify the farm systems. Simple cuantitativa modelswere produced for the more representative farm systems. No identical farm systems were found. Thecrop rotation which includes rice for one year and natural grassland for one to three years is used in 97%of the farm systems were found. In some systems appear wheat, grain legumes or livestock.
Key words: rice, farm systems
1Estación Experimental Quilamapu (INIA), Casilla 426, Chillán,Chile.