Status of System of Rice Intensification (SRI) in India

Status of System of Rice Intensification (SRI) in India

M. C. Diwakar

Directorate of Rice Develop= ment, Pataliputra Colony, Patna-800 013= ,Bihar

        &= nbsp;   Rice is one of the most important food crops of = India and more than 60 per ce= nt of the world population. India has largest area under rice in the world. The area of rice crop was about 34 million ha. during 1950-51which has been increas= ed upto 41.9 million ha. during 2004-05. The rice occupies about 24 per cent of the total gross cropped are= a in the country.

        &= nbsp;   The rice production has registered an all time the highest increase in the production from 25.8 million tonnes during 1950= -51 to 93.10 million tonnes during 2001-02. Thus, it h= as been observed that rice production in the country has registered more than 3 times during 2001-02 in comparison to 1950-51. The range of productivity of rice during last 5 year is from 1901 to 2079 kg/ha which is stagnating at present.

        &= nbsp;   The productivity of rice was about 668 kg/ha. during 1950-51 which has reached a level of 2078 kg/ha. during= 2001-02. Thus about 3 fold increase in productiv= ity has been achieved mainly because of high yielding varieties of rice respons= ive to high dose of fertilisers coupled with improv= ed package of practices.

        &= nbsp;   It has been observed that there is considerable increase in area under high yielding varieties&nbs= p; which is about 80 per cent of the total rice area.=

        &= nbsp;   The area of rice is declining year after year due to diversification to the oth= er crops and the area is occupied by the Urban Housing and Road Construction. During 2001-02 the area of rice was 44.6 million ha. wh= ich has been decreased upto 41.9 million ha. during 2004-05. Thus, there is no possibility for incr= easing the area so as to enable us to increase the production of rice in the count= ry.

Strategies

        &= nbsp;   There are three pronged strategies to be adopted for increasing production and productivity of rice in the country:

= -&nb= sp;            =          To increase area under Hybrid rice;

= -&nb= sp;            =          To popularize System of Rice Intensification(SRI) for increasing productivity = of rice per unit area;

= -&nb= sp;            =          Improved Crop Production Technology includes Extension Education to the farmers.

System of Rice Intensification(SRI) is very productive = system of rice production developed in Madagascar. It was practiced in 18 districts of Srilanka wh= ich has encouraged result in doubling the yield of rice.

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Benefits        =             &nb= sp;            =             &nb= sp;            =             &nb= sp;            =             &nb= sp;            =             &nb= sp;            =             &nb= sp;            =             &nb= sp;            =             &nb= sp;         =             &nb= sp;            =

= -&nb= sp;            =          It reduces 65-70 per cent seed;

= -&nb= sp;            =          Saving of water about 35-45 per cent;

= -&nb= sp;            =          More number of tillers/productive tillers;

= -&nb= sp;            =          More number of spiklets per panicle;

= -&nb= sp;            =          Uniform maturity;

= -&nb= sp;            =          Head rice recovery is more;

= -&nb= sp;            =          Early maturity(5-20 days);

= -&nb= sp;            =          Plants are healthy and resistant to major pests and diseases;

= -&nb= sp;            =          Yield advantage (1.5 to 2.00 time) over the conventional method;

= -&nb= sp;            =          No competition between&nb= sp; rice plant and weeds.

The system and principle of SRI technology are given as under:

(i)      =            Early t= ransplanting :The seedling of 8-12 days old = (with two leaves) are transplanted in the field thereby more tillering potential and more root growth.

(ii)      =          Careful transplanting : R= emoving plant from nursery (without shock)with seed, soil and root and careful putting seedlings on the surface o= f the soils(without pushing seedlings in the soil).

(iii)      =        Wide sp= acing : planting single seedlings in the s= quare pattern at 25 x 25 cm.

(iv)      =        Weed management : By use of cono-weeder(rotating hoe) that churns the soil 2-4= weedings required before panicle initiation, first we= eding 10 days after transplanting thereby more root growth, reduced weed competit= ion and better aeration of soil and increases productivity by one ton/ha/weeding for each additional weeding after 2 weedings.

(v)      =          Water management : Regular water applications to keep= soil moist but not standing water, with intermittent dryings, alternating aerobic and anaerobic soil conditions thereby more root growth and better nutrient availability.

(vi)      =        Compost :   <= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Garamond'>Apply compost 10 ton/ha in<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> addition to chemical fertilizers. Regarding chemical&nbs= p; fertilizers, the phosphorus and Potassium should be applied as recommended for a particular area. As far as Nitrogen is concerned, the recommended dose of basal dressing should be applied. The doses of subseque= nt top dressings should be applied at active tillering and panicle initiation stages. However, it should be decided based on the growth and vigour of the crop.

Status of SRI cultivation in different States

        &= nbsp;   The State Governments of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu have adopted this technology in almost all the districts. However, the State Governments of Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Punjab,= Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Trip= ura and Bihar are also implementing in some selected districts for increasing production of rice in their districts. To create awareness among the farmers, training and demonstrations are being organized at the farmers field under Macro Manag= ement Mode of Agriculture.