SYSTEM OF RICE INTENSIFICATION
SRI involves the use of management practices which together provides better growing conditions for rice plants, particularly in the root zone, than those plants grown under traditional practices.
Critical components
- Lesser seed rate (6 – 8 kg/ha)
- Reduced nursery area (100m2/ha)
- Planting of younger seedlings (14-15 days old)
- Square planting with single seedling (25cm x 25cm)
- Mechanical weeding - 4 times (10th / 20th/30th /40th Days After Planting)
- Intermittent irrigation
- N management through Leaf Colour Chart (LCC)
Problems in Adoption
- Lack of awareness about the benefits of SRI
- Lesser area under large scale demonstration
- Fear of planting single seeding with wider spacing
- Non availability of rotary weeders
Constraints in the adoption
- Square transplanting
- Drudgery involved in operating the cono weeder for soil aeration and weed control
- Problems in adopting intermittent irrigation due to poor drainage facility especially in the deltaic condition
- Farmers’ mind set is the major obstacle for adoption of SRI method of rice cultivation
Research and extension activities by TNAU
- TNAU has developed the location specific SRI practices to be adopted for promotion of SRI method of rice cultivation in Tamil Nadu.
- 94 on-farm demo trials were organized during 2003-04 for the dissemination of SRI practices in the Cauvery Delta through a State funded scheme.
- 100 on-farm demo trials were organized during 2003-04 for the dissemination of SRI practices in the Tamirabarani through a State funded scheme.
- TNAU has developed a modified rice mat nursery (MRMN) to produce young, robust, and healthy seedlings in 15 days. The rice seedlings reach a height of
18-20 cm with 4 leaves in 15 days. Seedling mats can be easily transported to the main field for transplanting. This innovative mat nursery requires 88% less land and 55% less water for seedling production to plant 1 ha of main field.
- Marked check rope planting, transplanting with marker tool method have been developed by TNAU for transplanting rice under square geometry in order to facilitate cono weeder operation in both the directions
- Efforts are initiated by TNAU for fabrication of motorized cono weeder to facilitate inter cultivation in larger areas and reduce the human drudgery involved in this operation with the ultimate objective of promoting SRI in Tamil Nadu.
- Efforts are already initiated by TNAU under TN-IAMWARM project for fabricating SRI transplanter machine.
Experience of TN-IAMWARM in SRI upscaling
- Consolidation through exposure visits, trainings – Manimuthar & South Vellar sub basin
- SRI field training to labourers and farmers
- Skill training for SRI square planting for SHG and farm labourers – South vellar sub basin
- Identification of location specific technologies
- Community nursery in Varaghanadhi sub basin
- SRI rolling marker in Varaghanadhi sub basin
- Demonstration of Pai nursery in Pambar & Maninuthar sub basin
- Demonstration of rolling markers for square planting - South vellar sub basin
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