Development of SRI for Rice Production in China Zhu Defeng China National Rice Research Institute

Zhu Defeng

China National Rice Research Institute

Status of rice production in China Problems in rice production Trends of rice production technology Basic principles and opportunity of SRI in China Factors in rice growth and yield in SRI SRI practice and demonstration

Status of rice production in China

Problems in rice production

Trends of rice production technology

Basic principles and opportunity of SRI in China

Factors in rice growth and yield in SRI

SRI practice and demonstration

1. Status of Rice Production in China

Rice in China: Staple food in China for about 60 % of the population Less than 30 % of the grain crop area, but 40% of grain production China in World: 23% of rice area 37% of rice production

Rice in China:

Staple food in China for about 60 % of the population

Less than 30 % of the grain crop area, but 40% of grain production

China in World:

23% of rice area

37% of rice production

Percentage of grain crop area

Percentage of grain crop production

Trend of rice production in China

Percentage of planting area of different types of rice and average planting area for types of variety Type Percentage of planting area (%) Indica inbred 17.3 Japonica inbred 27.6 Two-line hybrid 5.4 Three-line hybrid 49.8

Percentage of hybrid planting area to national rice area

2. Problems in Rice Production

Limitations to rice production in China Low profitability at present Transfer of agricultural labor to industrial sector and urban centers Low resource-use efficiency Small-scale farm management

Low profitability at present

Transfer of agricultural labor to

industrial sector and urban centers

Low resource-use efficiency

Small-scale farm management

Costs of rice production Items Percentage(%) Labour 45.9 Fertilizers 17.9 Pesticides 4.9 Machine/animal power 5.8 Irrigation /drainage 12.9

Nitrogen 180kg/ha ave. -- only 25-30% efficiency Pesticide 5-6 times of application for E/L rice 6-8 times of application for single rice Water Irrigation of 8000-1200M 3 /ha Low resource-use efficiency

~ 120M farms are planting rice at present Average area per farm -- 0.2-0.4 ha Small-scale of production

3. Trends in Rice Production Technology

Changes in main traits of dominant varieties Period 60s -80s After 90s Plant height (cm) 80-100 100-125 Tillering capacity Medium Strong Panicle size Medium Large

Changes of cultivation practice S: shallow water layer, M: moisture, D: dry Period 50s-60s 70s-80s 90s After 90s Plant density Sparse Dense Sparse More sparse Irrigation Deep Deep-Shallow S-M-D S-M-D

4. Basic Principles and Opportunity of SRI in China

Basic principles of SRI and functions Basic principle Function Younger seedling Tiller growth Sparse planting Tiller growth, large panicle S-M-D irrigation Water saving, root growth, and fertilizer use efficiency Organic/chemical fertilizer Soil fertility

Contributions of SRI Practice Contribution Sparse planting with younger seedling Labor-saving S-M-D irrigation Water-saving Organic/chemical fertilizer Sustainable soil fertility

5. Factors in Rice Growth and Yield with SRI

1) Comparison of yield in SRI and check (Jiayou 99 variety, 2003) TR Panicle (No./m 2 ) Grains (No./ panicle Fertility (%) Grain weight (g /1000) Yield (t/hm 2 ) Relative yield(%) SRI 215.7 222.8 91.2 25.3 11.1 119.4 CK 209.6 191 92.6 25.1 9.3 100.0

Analysis of factors of yield increase in SRI compared with check Item Yield (t/hm 2 ) Contribution (%) Panicle no. 0.27 15.7 Grain no. 1.38 80.1 Grain weight 0.07 4.3 Total 1.73 100.0

2) Pattern of tiller growth in SRI and check

3) Light penetration

4) Effect of planting type on angle of tiller at 45 DAS

Experiment of water saving in CNRRI 5) Water saving

Experiment of water saving in CNRRI

Comparison of water consumption in SRI and check Treatment Water consumption (m3/ha) Rate of saved water (%) CK 6289.8 0.0 S1 4879.9 22.4 S2 3806.7 39.5 S3 3477.0 44.7

5. SRI Practice and Demonstration

1) SRI demonstrations in Zhejiang

Yield and location of SRI demonstrations in Zhejiang province (2004) Location Variety Area (ha) Yield (t/ha) Tiantai Nei2you 6 6.8 12.1 Tiantai Liangyoupeijiu 10.0 11.7 Chengzhou Zhongzheyou 1 7.5 12.3 Lingan Zhongzheyou 1 7.6 10.7 Kaihua Zhongzheyou 1 7.2 12.2

SRI practice in South China (hybrid) 1) Transplant seedlings with 4-5 leaves 2) Sparse planting, 12-15 hills/m 2 with 1 plant/hill for large panicle/strong tillering CV; or 15-18hills/m 2 with 1 plant for medium panicle/tillering CV 3) Shallow-moisture-dry irrigation system

1) Transplant seedlings with 4-5 leaves

2) Sparse planting, 12-15 hills/m 2 with 1 plant/hill for large panicle/strong tillering CV; or 15-18hills/m 2 with 1 plant for medium panicle/tillering CV

3) Shallow-moisture-dry irrigation system

Seedling raising in tray

3 DAS

16 DAS

Land preparation in moist soil

Transplanting in shallow water layer

25 DAS After rainfall or irrigation

33 DAS

45 DAS Without water layer

65 DAS 53 DAS

Heavy panicle

2) SRI Demonstrations in Northeast Region

SRI (3-S) practice in Northeast China (Japonica) 1) 5-leaf seedling (about 45 days age) because of cold conditions at planting time 2) Sparse planting, 14-18 hills/m 2 with 1-2 plants for large panicle/strong tillering CV 3) Shallow-moisture-dry irrigation system

1) 5-leaf seedling (about 45 days age) because of cold conditions at planting time

2) Sparse planting, 14-18 hills/m 2 with 1-2 plants for large panicle/strong tillering CV

3) Shallow-moisture-dry irrigation system

Normal 3-S

Seedling raising in tray

Seedling raising in upland seedbed

Seedlings are started at the end of winter in plastic greenhouses

Sparse sowing check

Wide row planting

Moist soil

Conclusions Rice management technology that matches new varieties/hybrids is needed to further increase yield SRI principles match the current trends in the advance of rice cultivation technology Site-specific SRI technology is needed to for raising the yields of Super-Rice and for greater water productivity

Rice management technology that matches new varieties/hybrids is needed to further increase yield

SRI principles match the current trends in the advance of rice cultivation technology

Site-specific SRI technology is needed to for raising the yields of Super-Rice and for greater water productivity

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