Resource Conservation Technology More rice with less

Resource Conservation Technology – More rice with less input DR. B. J. PANDIAN Prof. (Agronomy) WTC, TNAU, Coimbatore

System of Rice Intensification (SRI) Square Planting of single seedling & wider Spacing (25 x 25 cm) Younger seedlings (14 -15 days old) Mechanical weeding (4 times from 10 DAT) Components Reduction in nursery area & seed rate (100 m 2/ha 7. 5 kg/ha Alternate wetting and Drying

Benefits PERFORMANCE OF SRI IN TAMIL NADU (2007 -08) 4. 20 lakh ha Yield increase 28 % SRI area during 2008 -09 5. 38 lakh ha Average of 6187 kg/ha as against 4527 kg/ha in conventional (37 % increase) SRI during 2009 -10 6. 49 lakh ha

2. Reduction in cost of cultivation n Reduction in seed cost, Nursery area and duration; Nursery costs reduced by 68% n Seedling pulling cost reduced from Rs. 800 to Rs. 150 n Labour requirement for planting reduced from 60 to 35 n Labour requirement for weeding reduced by 50 % n No need for herbicide n Saving in electricity for pumping and labour for irrigation Conventional Saving Rs. 2369/ha SRI

Water saving irrigation Ø 30% saving in irrigation water Conventional – 1100 mm SRI – 700 mm Root zone not continuously saturated

4. Better functional root system 5. Non lodging even during aberrant weather SRI Conventional

CHALLENGES n Farmers traditional mindset n Lack of awareness n Skill upgradation of labourers n Lack of regulated irrigation n Timely availability of implements (Marker & Weeder)

Exposure visits to change Traditional mindset

Awareness creation on SRI INFORMAL MEETING WITH FARMERS Nichabanadhi Kottakaraiyar PAP-Aliyar GRAMA SABHA MEETINGS Upper Gundar

n Awareness creation n Collectors Conferences Workshop on SRI and NADP programmes at Coimbatore (25. 07. 08) Workshop on SRI and NADP programmes at Madurai (11. 08)

VIP’s participation in Field days Honb’le Agricultural Ministers’ visit to a SRI field at Pallathathanoor, Upper Vellar Legislative members of Estimate Committee visit to a SRI field at Vikravandi Visit of the Secretary to the Honb’le CM, Tamil Nadu to a SRI field at Azhiyur, Varaganadhi

Popularization of Technologies News Paper Publication on SRI techniques CD on SRI Tamil Book on self learning mode

SRI Beneficiaries as resource persons SRI Beneficiaries addressing the gathering of SRI Workshop organized at Thanjavore

Capacity Building

Rural Artisan Training

LESSONS LEARNT SAVING IN SEED Pack of 3/5 kg for ac Printed with SRI 30 kg seed pack

METHOD OF NURSERY Wet nursery Gardenland type

SRI NURSERY OTHER TYPES

Nursery technique Community nursery

Ensuring perfect levelling

AGE OF SEEDLING Adopt minimum of 15 days; Maximum of 18 days No. of SEEDLING SINGLE SEEDLING Areas of poor drainage Saline Soils TWO SEEDLING Heavy Rainfall Period BPT 5204 (II Season)

Marker assisted planting PLANTING 25 X 25 cm Manual planting

TIME OF WEEDER OPERATION Weeders (Cono/Rotary/Drum) Suitable to soil type 10 DAT 20 DAT Must in both directions 30 DAT 40 DAT Negotiable

• Hybrids perform better

Oru Nellu Oru Nathu (Single seed Single Seedling)

SRI crop monitoring through cellphone in South Vellar sub basin-way 2 sms. com

DEVELOPMENT & DEMONSTRATION OF MECHANICAL TRANSPLANTER At Upper Vellar sub basin At Varaghanadhi sub basin DEVELOPMENT OF POWER OPERATED WEEDER

SRI FARMERS ASSOCIATION SWAFIA– “SAVE WATER FARMERS’ INTEREST ASSOCIATION”

Future Policy n Supply of seeds in 3 kg bags instead of 30 kg pack n Use of Hybrids n Seed production / Demonstration plots (100 % SRI) n n Development of mechanical transplanter power operated weeder for SRI Strengthening of extension staff at Block level SRI cell at district and State level for effective implementation Availability of weeders and markers n n Authorization of dealership at village level Bank loan for rural artisans

Achieving UN Millennium Development Goals begins with rice research “Poor people in Asia can live without many things in life, but they cannot live without rice. ” Professor M. Yunus Managing Director, Grammen Bank, Bangladesh