1. India Water Week 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

2. 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

3. SYSTEM OF
RICE INTENSIFICATION

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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)

8. Demonstration conducted in farmers field

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

21. Thank you for your kind attention