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2nd National Symposium 3rd -5th October, Agartala

System of Rice Intensification in Andhra Pradesh

Department of Agriculture

Andhra Pradesh

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General scenario of rice Rice is the most important food crop of India, and it

occupies 23.3% of gross cropped area of the country.

Rice contributes 43% of total food grains production.

AP stands 6th in area, 3rd in production, and 2nd in

productivity and contributes nearly 12% of the national

rice production.

AP farmers grow rice annually in an area of 3.98 M Ha

in 22 districts.

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Need for SRI

• Depletion of water resources

• Stagnating rice productivity

• Growing importance of organic agriculture

• Increasing production costs

• Need best utilization of family labour for small and marginal farmers.

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Six key principles of SRI• 1. Young-aged seedlings• 2. Careful single seedling transplanting• 3. Wider spacing• 4. Water management• 5. Weeding• 6. Compost/organic manuring

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SRI technology uses:SRI technology uses:

• Less water

• Less seed (2 kg/ac)

• Fewer plants per unit area (25 x 25 cm)

• Less chemical fertilizers

• More organic manures

• Less pesticides

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Tillering is greatly increased:Tillering is greatly increased:

30 tillers per plant are fairly easy to achieve

50 tillers per plant are quite attainable

With really good use of SRI, individual plants can have 100 fertile tillers or even more. Why?

Because there is no set-back to plant growth thanks to early and careful transplanting and no die-back of roots

Maximum tillering occurs concurrently with panicle initiation

With SRI, a positive correlation is found between the number of panicles per plant and number of grains per panicle

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Increased tillersIncreased tillers

Increased tillersIncreased tillers

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Increased yieldsIncreased yields

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Conventional method

SRI method

Seed rate 25kg/acre 2kg/acre

Nursery area 5 cents/acre 1 cent/acre

Age of seedlings 30 days(5-6 leaves) 8-12 days(2 leaves)

Spacing 15 cm x 10 cm 25 cm x 25 cm

Plants/hill 3-4 1

Hills/ sq.m 33 16

Weeding Manual/chemical Mechanical

Water management Continuous inundation

Keep soil moist till panicle initiation

stage

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Benefits of SRIBenefits of SRI

1. Higher yields – of both grain and straw

2. Reduced duration of crop cycle (by 10-15 days)

3. Less chemical inputs

4. Less water requirement

5. Less chaffy grain (%)

6. Grain weight increased without change in grain size

7. Higher head rice recovery rate

8. Withstands cyclonic gales

9. Soil health improves through biological activity

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Increase in yield by 26.68% Reduction in cost of cultivation

Lower seed rate

Less use of fertilizers and pesticides

Fewer non-filled grains

More grain weight

More rice recovery

Non-lodging

Harvest early by 10 days

Observations in these demonstrations

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Action Plan for 2007-08 :

Kharif 2007 - Rs. 91.945 lakhs  

Incentive of Rs. 3500/- per acre demonstration

Component Total cost (Rs) Subsidy allowed (Rs)

Application of vermicompost

(1 ton/acre)

4000-00 1000-00 (25% subsidy)

Supply of cono-weeders and markers

3000-00 2250-00 ( 75% subsidy)

Erection of demonstration board

250-00 250-00 (full cost )

Total 7250-00 3500-00

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Year Rice area covered in Ha.(in 000)

Rice area covered inSRI cultivation in Ha.

Kharif Rabi Total Kharif Rabi Total

2003-04 2,109 866 2,975 28 190 218

2004-05 2,215 871 3,086 240 2,451 2,691

2005-06 2,526 1,456 3,982 1,127 6,306 7,433

2006-07 2,641 1,337 3,978 3,061 2,480 5,541

SYSTEM OF RICE INTENSIFICATION( SRI ) SYSTEM OF RICE INTENSIFICATION( SRI ) CULTIVATION PARTICULARS, CULTIVATION PARTICULARS, 2003-04 TO 2006-07 2003-04 TO 2006-07

IN ANDHRA PRADESHIN ANDHRA PRADESH

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Year Season Number ofDemon-stration

plots organised

Yield inSRI methodsPaddy kg/ha

Yield inconventional

methodsPaddy/kg ha

Yield advantage

Paddy kg/ ha

Percentage SRI increase in yield over conventional

methods

2003-04 Kharif 69 8,358 4,887 3,471 41.5

Rabi 476 7,917 5,479 2,438 31.8

2004-05 Kharif 599 7,310 5,561 1,749 24

Rabi 311 7,310 5,777 1,533 21

2005-06 Kharif 2,864 7,476 5,451 2,025 27

Rabi 12,277 7,390 5,620 1,770 24

2006-07 Kharif 7,653 6,724 5,005 1,719 25.6

Rabi 6,201 6,830 5,558 1,272 18.6

Productivity recorded under SRI demonstrations

Average increase in yield – 26.68%Average increase in yield – 26.68%

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No clear specifications regarding the designs of markers

and weeders most suitable under different soil types

Labourers are facing difficulty to carry out the SRI

practices, particularly in weeding with present-designed

weeder.

Farmers are facing operational difficulties to adopt SRI in

larger areas.

There is no specific recommendation of percentage of

water saving by adopting SRI technology.

CONSTRAINTS IN ADOPTION OF SRI

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Seed Village concept should be encouraged with SRIMass media can be utilized for wide publicityCapacity-building of farmers, tenant farmers, extension

staff, NGOs, and labourers is needed.Studies on varietal trails should be conducted with SRIFormulating location-specific package for SRIDesigning of mechanized weeder suitable for different soilsSupply of suitable mechanized weeders and markers on

90% subsidySupply of paddy puddler and levelers on 75% subsidyIntensive training for labourers who are involved in SRI

SUGGESTIONS FOR SCALING UP SRI METHOD

Cont….

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Supply of recommended chemical fertilisers on 50% subsidy and vermicompost on 75% subsidy to SRI farmers

Supply of knapsack hand compression sprayers on 75% subsidy to SRI farmers

Organising of field trips and exposure visits

Supply of green manure seeds on 75% subsidy Supply of power tillers on 50% subsidy

Research on saving of water in SRI technology

Research on uptake of nutrients in SRI technology

SUGGESTIONS FOR SCALING UP SRI METHOD

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