The document reports on a trial of the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) method in Gambia. It describes various rice plots planted with different spacings of 20, 30, and 40 cm between transplants and compares their growth to a conventionally planted farmer's field two weeks after transplanting. By four weeks, weed growth was observed in the 30 and 40 cm spaced plots. Roto-weeding was used for weed control. The early transplanted SRI plots appeared more spectacular than the conventional method with older seedlings and permanent flooding.

1. System of Rice Intensification (SRI) Mustapha Ceesay NARI Sapu Research Station. Gambia. 2000.

2. The early transplanted 20 cm spaced plot, 2 weeks after transplanting

3. The early transplanted 30 cm spaced plot, 2 weeks after transplanting

4. The early transplanted 40 cm spaced plot, 2 weeks after transplanting

5. A farmer’s field in the location, transplanted the same day as the SRI trial at 2 weeks after transplanting.

6. The 30 and 40 cm spacing had enough gap to allow weed growth in the inter-rows at 4 weeks after transplanting

7. Weeding is done using a roto-weeder

8. Roto-weeder

9. The early transplanted 20 cm spaced plot, 4 weeks after transplanting

10. The conventional method, transplanted with older seedlings under permanent flooding, 2 weeks after transplanting

11. The conventional method in the forefront and the SRI in the background

12. The early transplanted seedlings had a single and thick-layered crown root, whereas the late transplanted ones had 2 or 3 layered crown roots.

13. The SRI plots looking very spectacular at 4 weeks after transplanting. The choice of variety does not seem to have any impact, likewise the wider spacing.