Intensification of rice with
judicious input usage: Results of SRI paddy in Chittor
district
=
P.Bala=
Hussain Reddy* and S.Sreenivasul=
u**
K.V.K. ,(ANGRAU),
System
of Rice Intensification (SRI), a ray of hope in enhancing the productivity =
of rice
with reduced inputs like, seed, water, and chemicals was introduced in Chittoor dt., during 2004=
Kharif season by KVK with a view to know its efficien=
cy in
terms of water use and productivity. Two demonstrations were conducted on t=
rial
basis in Yerpedu mandal and
the results were encouraging. ARKVK popularized the technology on a large s=
cale
in the district in about 55 mandals through var=
ious
extension efforts like interactive lectures, video shows, demonstrations, f=
ield
days, exposure visits, radio talks, articles in Newspapers etc.
ARKVK
organized SRI demonstrations in about 150 acres in the district as on date =
and
the results varied from field to field depending upon the focus of the farm=
er,
variety, season and the practices followed by the stakeholder. The increase=
in
productivity varied fro 4 to 56% and this variation is due to the factors l=
ike
quantity of organic matter incorporated in to the
soil, potential of the soil, timely weeding operations etc. Grain yields in=
all
the SRI plots varied from 5.250t/ha to 9.187t/ha whereas the yields under
traditional cultivation ranged from 4.687t/ha to 6.470t/ha. The average cos=
t of
cultivation in SRI method was Rs21525/ha and a Benefit cost ratio of 2.07 i=
s recorded.
The
expected potential productivity with SRI is not yet achieved in the district
due to lack of knowledge and skills in farmers on SRI operations, lack of
adequate organic content in soils and inability to add it in requisite
quantity, labour intensiveness especially for w=
eeding
operations. About 30-40% of farmers who practiced SRI for one to two times
didn’t come forward to take up it in the next season due to intensive=
labour requirement and difficulty in weeding operatio=
ns.
Two villages namely Madibaka of Yerpedu
mandal and Dasukuppam of Satyavedu mandal are still
continuing SRI technology as they find it more advantageous over traditional
system. Majority of the farmers expressed that they are ready to take up SR=
I if
they get any motorized conoweeder that makes we=
eding
easy.
There
is an ample scope of improving the productivity of Rice through proper
combination and utilization of locally available resources especially in the
drought prone districts like Chittoor.
****