India Water Week 2016 CS2: Efficient water use in Agriculture Comparison of Triangular and square system of rice intensification in rice cultivation Shanmugasundaram, Renjan, Remya ,and Sruthimol Centre for Excellence in Rice Research Regional Agricultural Research Station Kerala Agricultural University, Pattambi

The Settings Rice -water intensive food crop Irrigated rice requires 5000 litres of water for producing 1 Kg of rice and water is becoming a scarce and costly input day by day. Management strategies - direct sowing , alternate wetting and drying tried System of Rice intensification (SRI) developed in Madagascar and systemized by different scientists offers opportunity to expand their understanding of potentials already existing in the rice genome

SYSTEM OF RICE INTENSIFICATION

Experience with SRI methods shows average rice yields can be doubled without requiring a change in the cultivar’s or the use of purchased input but there are some constraints Damage due to crabs and birds – Gap filling to be adopted Use of Conoweeding – Laborious More labour required for transplanting Not suitable in the first season in Kerala

Experiences from Sichuan province of China Introduction of SRI gave 20 % yield increase compared to 55% with modified SRI Modifications suggested - Plant arrangement 40x35cm - Transplanting at 3.5 leaf stage instead of 2-3 leaf stage –lower ambient temperature - Soil amendments-Integrated - Weeding - Herbicides

Methodology Study area: Pattithara village, Palakkad district Technology: SRI VS Oblong /Triangular SRI Study period:January 2015 to March 2015 Variety : Mahamaya Project : Lead farmer centred Extension advisory and Delivery services(LEADS)

Demonstration conducted in farmers field

LEAF BLADE SIZE (cm) IN RESPONSE TO APPLICATION OF SRI METHODS SL NO 3rd LEAF 2nd LEAF FLAG LEAF AVERAGE LENGTH WIDTH O SRI 32 1.8 29 2.3 24 2.8 28.3 30 1.4 2.1 22 2.4 27 1.96

OBSERVATIONS SL NO. OBSERVATIONS DEMONSTRATION CONTROL 1 Paddy hills in 1meter square 12 24 2 Average plant height 92 cm 64 cm 3 Productive tillers in 1 hill 69.8 55 4 Length of panicle 24 cm 19 cm 5 Grains in a panicle 172 168 6 Grains wt in 1000 32.34 23.28 7 Grains wt in 1 meter square 1.55 1.24

YIELD RESPONSE TO DIFFERENT PLANTING PATTERNS IN RICE SL NO TRANSPLANTING PATTERN YIELD COMPARED TO ordinary SRI +t/ ha + % 1 SRI- Std spacing 8245 nil 2 Triangle version of SRI 9450 1506 12.75

COMPARISION OF SRI (OBLONG METHOD) Vs NORMAL SRI SL NO. PARAMETERS METHOD OF CULTIVATION OBLONG NORMAL SRI 1 Grain yield (kg/ Acre) 9450 8245 2 Straw yield ( kg /Acre) 3000 3 Total cost of cultivation (Rs/ Acre) 43,920 39,520 4 Gross income (Rs/Acre) 179550 156655 5 Net income 135630 117135 6 C: B Ratio 3.9

Advantages of Oblong method Tillers are more as compared to SRI Weight of grain is more Withstand extreme calamities of drought and flood Cono weeding can be done even in later stages and in all direction Early harvesting is made possible Wide spacing within each hill with wide spacing between hills gives more edge effect or border effect

Way forward Mechanisation to be followed in triangle SRI Fabrication of machine is needed in preparing marker for triangle planting Pot planting machine should be tried on Oblong method Three plants per hill in wide spacing may help in better utilization of sunlight Sowing vegetables in the wide spacing may be possible

Conclusion SRI is not a fixed technology but set of practices for creating a more beneficial growing environment for rice plants hence location specific adaptation should be tried Continuing variations and evaluations should be done by researchers and recommend farmers to further modify and improve the system

Thank you for your kind attention sundarrars@rediffmail.com