MECHANIZATION OF THE SYSTEM OF RICE INTENSIFICATION (SRI)

VIMAL PRATAP PANDEY Ph.D.(AGRONOMY) Vimal2724@gmail.com

Many rice producers in Pakistan have adequate access to land but face severe limitations on labour and water. High costs of production also limit profitability of rice production. Under these conditions, System of Rice Intensification (SRI) methodology has considerable potential. However, , labour requirements as currently practiced put it out of reach for middle to large rice farmers. Machines have been devised and field-tested by Farm All Technology for application of SRI principles, resulting in 70% reduction of labour and water requirements. Higher yield further enhances rice profitability. Mechanized SRI was done on a 20-acre field laser- levelled for even water application. Raised beds were mechanically constructed with straight furrows on either side for irrigation (and guiding other mechanical field operations). Planting was done into dry soil by laborers riding the transplanter, dropping 10-day seedlings into holes 9 inches apart. Small amounts of compost and fertilizer were precision-applied. First irrigation covered the field to 1 inch above the raised beds to settle seedling roots into the soil. . From 10 days after transplanting, raised beds were weeded by a mechanical weeder with blades set to remove weeds and aerate the soil between plants spaced 9 inches apart. Subsiquent irrigations were made only In to the furrows between raised beds so very little water was applied and subsoil movement of water satisfied plant needs. Plant growth was remarkable, with tillering reaching over 100 tillers per plant, and tillers per m2 averaged 364. Yield from 10 sampled locations within the field averaged 13 tons ha-1 Water is essential for plants nutrient uptake. Soil nutrients dissolved in water enter plant roots and rise up to the shoot and leaves by a process of osmosis to nourish plant growth. Only a limited amount of water can pass through the tiny tubes, however. Excess water is wasted by evaporation into the air, and there can be detrimental effects: causing salinity and causing roots to degenerate. Based on this understanding, an experiment using ideas and practices from the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) has been conducted, which was based on the motto of More from Less. These goals were set: y Save at least 50% water per acre and even more on each tone of paddy produced y Save at least 20% on cost of inputs per acre and even more on each tone of paddy produced y Decrease labour intensity of production and thus the constraint that labour poses for large-scale production y Increase per-acre yield of paddy to produce not just more but better quality Rice To achieve these goals, the main innovations were: y Planting on raised beds to grow the rice crop in soil that is moist but not inundated and saturated y Precision placement of fertilizer & compost in a band so plant roots have easy access to it y Minimizing trauma to the young plants (10 days old) during their transplanting y Wider spacing to exploit the natural vigor of each plant to its maximum, minimizing competition with fellow rice plants and with weeds, both below and above ground.