SRI EXPERIENCE IN PUNJAB Department of Agriculture Punjab

Would this be the future of Punjab?

TREND IN DECREASING WATER TABLE LEVEL IN PUNJAB Statistics of DOA Punjab 160 Whole of Punjab? 2023 70 30% 2005-06 30 3% 1973-74 Depth of water level (in feet) Affected area Year

Classification of Land Holdings (2000-01 Agricultural Census) Statistics of DOA Punjab 4022 997 Total 1096 72 10 & above 1731 301 4-10 876 328 2-4 242 173 1-2 77 123 Below 1 Area (000 ha) Number (000) Size Class (ha)

Need For SRI in Punjab Depletion of underground water table Degrading soil fertility Shrinkage of size of land holdings Rising cost of cultivation Deficiency of micronutrients in soil Developing pest resistance Decrease in production and productivity Dr Amrik Singh

Depletion of underground water table

Degrading soil fertility

Shrinkage of size of land holdings

Rising cost of cultivation

Deficiency of micronutrients in soil

Developing pest resistance

Decrease in production and productivity

AREA, PRODUCTION & AVERAGE YIELD OF RICE IN PUNJAB Statistics of DOA Punjab 9500 3696 2570 2006-07 (Estimated) 10193 3858 2642 2005-2006 10437 3943 2647 2004-2005 9656 3694 2614 2003-2004 8880 3510 2530 2002-2003 8816 3545 2487 2001-2002 9154 3506 2611 2000-2001 8716 3347 2604 1999-2000 6506 3229 2015 1990-1991 3233 2273 1183 1980-1981 688 1765 390 1970-71 229 1009 227 1960-61 Production (000 MT) Av.Yield (Kg/Ha.) Area (000 Ha.) Year

Punjab contribution of rice to the central pool Statistics of DOA Punjab

Report on SRI Cultivation Name of Farmer : Shri Gurdial Singh Address : Sallopur, Gurdaspur District Season : Kharif 2006-07 Area under SRI : 0.4 acre Variety : Sharbati Dr Amrik Singh 140 150 Duration (days) 8. 775 456 Yield per sq mt (grams) 7. 77.55 45.62 Grain yield (quintals/ha) 6. 20 24 Chaffy grain (%) 5. 18.68 17.65 1000 grain weight (grams) 4. 30.7 27.07 Length of panicle (cm) 3. 186 130 No. of grains/panicle 2. 315 185 No. of productive tillers/m2 1. SRI Farmer’s method Parameter S.No.

Report on SRI Cultivation Name of Farmer : Shri Kapil Behal Address : Hayatnagar, Sallopur, Gurdsapur Dist. Season : Kharif 2006-07 Area under SRI : 0.2 acre Variety : Sharbati Dr Amrik Singh 120 135 Duration (days) 8. 785 475 Yield per sq mt (grams) 7. 78.50 55 Grain yield (quintals/ha) 6. 20 24 Chaffy grain (%) 5. 18.65 17.65 1000 grain weight (grams) 4. 29.8 27.07 Length of panicle (cm) 3. 190 130 No. of grains/panicle 2. 435 188 No. of productive tillers/m2 1. SRI Farmer’s method Parameter S.No.

Report on SRI Cultivation Name of Farmer : Shri Navjot Singh Address : Sallopur, Gurdaspur Dist. Season : Kharif Season 2006-07 Area under SRI : 0.4 acre Variety : Sharbati Dr Amrik Singh 23 13 No. of irrigations 8. 713 416 Yield per sq mt (grams) 7. 71.36 41.6 Grain yield (quintals/ha) 6. 23 29 Chaffy grain (%) 5. 18.25 17.11 1000 grain weight (grams) 4. 28.2 26.56 Length of panicle (cm) 3. 179 145 No. of grains/panicle 2. 295 165 No. of productive tillers/m2 1. SRI Farmer’s method Parameter S.No.

Report on SRI Cultivation in Alkaline Soil Name of Farmer : Shri Harpal Singh Address : Ramdiwali, Gurdaspur District Season : Kharif 2006-07 Area under SRI : 0.4 acre Variety : Basmati 386 Dr Amrik Singh 112.5 135 Height of plant (cm) 5. 12 20 No. of irrigations 6. 23.75 33.75 Grain yield (quintals/ha) 4. 56 175 Chaffy grain (%) 3. 25 24 1000 grain weight (grams) 2. 24.8 25.4 No. of grains/panicle 1. SRI Farmer’s method Parameter S. No.

Report on SRI Cultivation in Sticky Soil Name of the Farmer : Shri Amar Singh Address : Dibku, Gurdaspur District Season : Kharif 2006-07 Area under SRI : 1 acre Variety : PR 116 Dr Amrik Singh 145 150 Duration (days) 8. 785 475 Yield per sq mt 7. 78.50 47.50 Grain yield (quintals/ha) 6. 20 24 Chaffy grain (%) 5. 18.65 17.65 1000 grain weight (g) 4. 29.8 27.07 Length of panicle (cm) 3. 190 130 No. of grains/panicle 2. 435 188 No. of productive tillers/m2 1. SRI Farmers method’ Parameter S.No.

System of Rice Intensification (SRI)

Fr. Henri de Laulanié

Stronger Root System

Seed Treatment

Preparation of Nursery Bed

Covering the Nursery Bed with Rice Straw

PREPARATION OF SEED BED FOR NURSERY

BROADCASTING OF COMPOST

Application of Sprouted Seeds

APPLICATION OF COMPOST

COVERING THE SEED BED WITH STRAW

WATERING THE SEED BED

SEEDLINGS AFTER 9 DAYS

Uprooting of Seedlings

Stage of Seedling for Transplanting

Transfer of Seedlings for Transplanting

Preparation of Channels for Drainage of Excess Water

Flooding the Main Field

Leveling of Field for Marking

Marking the Field with Marker

Dr Gurdial Singh, JDA, Explaining the SRI Technique

Transplanting of Young Seedlings

Transplanting of Seedlings

Growth Under Minimum Irrigation

WEEDING WITH ROTARY CONO WEEDER

INITIAL GROWTH OF RICE PLANT WITH SRI METHOD

Profuse Tillering

Profuse Productive Tillers

Dr. Gurdial Singh., Joint Director of Agriculture (HYVP), and Dr B. S. Kahlon, Chief Agric. Officer, Interacting with Farmers

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GROWTH OF RICE CROP UNDER SRI AND NON SRI SRI NON-SRI

Non-SRI SRI Larger Panicle With Healthy Grains

Bumper Crop Under SRI

Improvement in Soil Health through Biological Activities Millipedes in SRI Field

F ield Visit

Field Day

Economics of Paddy Crop of Shri Kapil Behal (per acre) Dr Amrik Singh 1200/- - - - Farmyard Manure - - 89/- 20kg (d) Muriate of potash SRI Non SRI Value (Rs) Quantity Value (Rs) Quantity 24,335/- 31.40 17,050/- 22.00 Production (Quintals) - - VARIABLE COSTS 46/- 91/- 1. Seeds & seed treatment 30/- 2kg 75/- 5kg i. Seeds (Kg) 6/- 10/- 10gm 1gm 6/- 10/- 10 1 ii. Seed treatment (a) Emisan (gm) (b) Streptomycin (gm) 1322/- 1199/- 2. Manure and fertilizers 122/- 25kg 480/- 90kg (a) Urea 470/- 50kg (b) DAP 160/- 10kg (c) Zinc sulphate

Cont…. Dr Amrik Singh 347/- 334/- Interest@ 9% for half year 5790/- 5570/- Total Variable Costs 6137/- 5904/- Total Cost 18,198/- 11,146/- Total Return 450/- 1.5 1800/- 6 (6) Tractor (hrs) 900/- 600/- (7) Harvesting (per acre) 400/- 300/- (8) Marketing charges 180/- 3. Pesticides, fungicide & insecticides 180/- 1200 ml Butachlore 300/- 14 1200/- Diesel 26 4. Irrigation (turns) 2400/- per acre 1200/- per acre 5 . Labour for transplanting, spray, weeding, extra costs Value (Rs) Quantity Value (Rs) Quantity Item

SRI vs. Traditional Method Comparison Chart (Sharbati variety, 20x20cm) Dr Amrik Singh 144.5 17.34 19 24 475 171 130 27.07 NON- SRI 125 18.6 31.4 22 785 415 190 29.8 SRI Height of plant (cm) Wt of grains per 1000 grains (g) Yield per acre (qt) Total no. of chaffy grains (mean) Yield per sq mt ( gm) No. of fertile tillers per sq meter (mean) Total no. of grains (mean) Length of pani-cle (mean)

SRI vs. Traditional Method Comparison Chart (Sharbati variety, 25x25cm ) Dr Amrik Singh 143 17.65 18.25 24 456 165 130 27.07 NON- SRI 126 18.25 31 20 775 304 186 30.7 SRI Height of plant (cm) Weight of grains per 1000 grains (g) Yield per acre (qt) Total no. of chaffy grains (mean) Yield per sq mt (g) No. of fertile tillers per sq meter (mean) Total no. of grain (mean) Length of panicle (mean)

Chemical Properties of Soil after Harvesting (tested from PAU ST Lab) Dr Amrik Singh Non- SRI SRI 0.9 11.9 33.0 0.98 (>55) 84 13.7 (9-20) 0.48 (0.4-0.75) 0.25 7.3 Sandy Loam 2.08 13.2 68.4 3.10 36 22.9 0.82 0.18 7.3 Sandy Loam Cu Mn Fe Zn K 2 O (<55) P (>20) Organic carbon (>0.75) Salt (<0.8 m .mhos /cm) Acidic (6.5-8.7) Soil type

Saving of Water for Irrigation with SRI Dr Amrik Singh If we apply SRI method of cultivation on 26 lakh hectares of rice area in Punjab, then it is estimated that 50% of water can be saved. 2 hours 13 SRI 50-55 % 4 hours 25 Conven-tional methods Saving of water under SRI Time to irrigate one acre (4” delivery pipe) No. of irrigations per acre Method of Cultivation

If we apply SRI method of cultivation on 26 lakh hectares of rice area in Punjab, then it is estimated that 50% of water can be saved.

NON-SRI SRI

VIEW OF MATURED BASMATI CROP UNDER SRI

FARMERS’ OBSERVATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT Require GM /compost & good land preparation Reduce the duration of longer-duration varieties Transplanting at 10-12 days age of seedlings Drain field before transplanting to get thicker mud Experiment with different planting distances Do mechanical weeding for soil aeration Better water management is necessary Need research on chemical methods of weed control due to shortage of labour Dr Amrik Singh

Require GM /compost & good land preparation

Reduce the duration of longer-duration varieties

Transplanting at 10-12 days age of seedlings

Drain field before transplanting to get thicker mud

Experiment with different planting distances

Do mechanical weeding for soil aeration

Better water management is necessary

Need research on chemical methods of weed control due to shortage of labour

CONSTRAINTS Psychology and attitude – main constraint Transplanting can be difficult Water management is needed Raised bed nursery is new concept Lack of labour for transplanting & weeding Scooping of seedlings can be difficult Lack of equipment for marking & weeding Sometimes the cono weeder is not working Non-availability of enough organic manures More labor intensity with SRI, at least to start Dr Amrik Singh

Psychology and attitude – main constraint

Transplanting can be difficult

Water management is needed

Raised bed nursery is new concept

Lack of labour for transplanting & weeding

Scooping of seedlings can be difficult

Lack of equipment for marking & weeding

Sometimes the cono weeder is not working

Non-availability of enough organic manures

More labor intensity with SRI, at least to start

LEARNING Irrigating field up to the flowering stage to a depth of 2cm after surface cracks developed Afterwards, conventional irrigation will give a similar yield with a 50-55% saving of water Incorporation of weeds is more beneficial for increasing the grain yield than removing them from the field SRI could reduce seed cost especially for hybrid seed Dr Amrik Singh

Irrigating field up to the flowering stage to a depth of 2cm after surface cracks developed

Afterwards, conventional irrigation will give a similar yield with a 50-55% saving of water

Incorporation of weeds is more beneficial for increasing the grain yield than removing them from the field

SRI could reduce seed cost especially for hybrid seed

PROSPECTS Modified SRI methods offer scope for considerable reduction in the water requirements and in seed requirements for rice production -- with an increase in yield attributable in large part to the incorporation of weeds in the soil & to soil aeration along with different plant management practices Dr Amrik Singh

Modified SRI methods offer scope for considerable reduction in the water requirements and in seed requirements for rice production -- with an increase in yield attributable in large part to the incorporation of weeds in the soil & to soil aeration along with different plant management practices

For kind Attention THANKS

Contribution of Rice to central pool Rice Crop Year Rice Crop Year 42 99-2000 - 1960-61 33 20-2001 16 1970-71 33 2001-02 45 1980-81 49 2002-03 41 1990-91 39 2003-04 35 1995-96 37 2004-05 38 1996-97 33 2005-06 42 1997-98 - 2006 - 07 37 1998-99