Effects of hardpan disruption on irrigated dry-season maize and on subsequent wet-season lowland rice in Lao PDR

Hardpan disruption had no effect on percolation in the following wet season, although it increased percolation by 56-70% in two of the four fields in the first 30 days after transplanting. Consequently, hardpan disruption gave gross benefits 2.7-9.8 times the costs of disruption, with a maize price of US$ 180 t−1, in those situations where it increased maize grain yield.