On-farm Evaluation of SRI in Tamiraparani Command Area, Tamil Nadu, India Slides from a powerpoint presentation made to workshop on SRI, World Rice Research Conference, Tsukuba, Japan, Nov. 7, 2004 T.M. Thiyagarajan Dean Agricultural College & Research Institute Killikulam, Vallanadu 628 252 Tamil Nadu, India

Labour Productivity ( US$ ) 3.91 4.64 SRI 3.85 4.71 Modified planting Conventional irrigation Mechanical weeding 3.39 3.55 Conventional planting Limited irrigation Conventional weeding 3.46 3.29 Conventional Dry season Wet season Management options

SRI resulted in higher LAI during grain filling period

SRI resulted in higher LAI during grain filling period

SRI method of planting resulted in higher root volume at panicle initiation, flowering and grain filling stages

SRI method of planting resulted in higher root volume at panicle initiation, flowering and grain filling stages

Mechanical weeding Conventional weeding Root growth

Microbial population in rice rhizosphere 59 x 10 3 33 x 10 3 Phosphobacteria 66 x 10 3 39 x 10 3 Azotobacter 31 x 10 5 8 x 10 5 Azospirillum 105 x 10 6 88 x 10 6 Total bacteria SRI Conventional Microorganism

Effect of SRI on crop physiology 72.47 56.77 - - Cytokinin (pmol g -1 ) 11.23 8.40 - - Root CEC (mg 100g -1 ) 16.70 11.74 18.11 12.42 Nitrate reductase (mg NO 2 g -1 h -1 ) 11.95 10.25 12.62 8.35 Soluble protein (mg g -1 ) 3.13 2.60 3.20 2.76 Total Chlorophyll (mg g -1 ) SRI Conventional SRI Conventional (ADTRH1) Dry season (CORH2) Wet season

Pest abundance in nursery Figures in parentheses are transformed values ** significant difference (P<0.001) 12.5** 9.3 ± 2.6 (9.1) 0.8 ± 0.2 (0.9) Whorl maggot (% damaged leaves per seedling) 11.5** 0.2 ± 0.0 (0.8) 0.0 ± 0.0 (0.0) BPH (per seedling) 14.8** 0.4 ± 0.1 (0.9) 0.1 ± 0.0 (0.8) Green leaf hopper (per seedling) 19.3** 6.1 ± 0.5 (2.5) 0.5 ± 0.2 (0.9) Thrips (per seedling) 16.1** 20.4 ± 4.8 (19.1) 0.0 ± 0.0 (0.0) Cut worm (% damaged leaves per seedling) t value Conventional cultivation (Mean ± SE) SRI cultivation (Mean ± SE) Insects and their damage / population

Pest abundance in main field Figures in parentheses are transformed values ** significant difference (P<0.001) 4.5** 8.8 ± 1.4 (9.1) 5.6 ± 1.8 (5.9) Whorl maggot (% truncated leaves per hill) 14.4** 2.7 ± 0.2 (1.8) 1.1 ± 0.2 (1.2) BPH (per hill) 10.7** 1.1 ± 0.2 (1.2) 0.6 ± 0.1 (1.0) Green leaf hopper (per hill) 12.2** 20.2 ± 2.0 (4.1) 6.6 ± 0.1 (2.2) Thrips (per hill) 6.6** 23.2 ± 2.0 (19.1) 17.9 ± 1.9 (18.0) Whorl maggot (% damaged leaves per hill) t value Conventional cultivation (Mean ± SE) SRI cultivation (Mean ± SE) Insects and their damage / population

Pest abundance in main field Figures in parentheses are transformed values ** significant difference (P<0.001) NS : not significant 0.4 NS 0.9 ± 0.1 (1.1) 0.9 ± 0.1 (1.1) Earhead bug (No. per hill) 15.4** 6.5 ± 1.0 (11.8) 20.3 ± 1.6 (21.7) Leaf folder (scraped leaves per hill) 10.1** 7.3 ± 1.0 (10.0) 11.7 ± 1.3 (15.5) Stem borers (deadheart/white ear per hill) 9.3** 11.0 ± 1.5 (19.1) 5.0 ± 1.2 (6.8) Gall midge (% silver shoot per hill) t value Conventional cultivation (Mean ± SE) SRI cultivation (Mean ± SE) Insects and their damage / population

Prospects SRI offers scope for considerable reduction in water use, seed requirements, labour for weeding, with concurrent increase in yield

SRI offers scope for considerable reduction in water use, seed requirements, labour for weeding, with concurrent increase in yield

Evaluation in Farmers’ Fields The Government of Tamil Nadu approved US$ 30,000 to conduct Adaptive Research Trials (ART) in 100 farmers’ fields in Tamiraparani River Command area in 2003-2004

The Government of Tamil Nadu approved US$ 30,000 to conduct Adaptive Research Trials (ART) in 100 farmers’ fields in Tamiraparani River Command area in 2003-2004

Locations of ARTs in Tamiraparani Basin LEGEND ANICUTS IN THAMBIRA BARANI RIVER BASIN 1.Kodaimalalagian 2.Nadhiyunni 3. Kannadian 4.Arianayakiapuram 5. Palavor 6. Suthamalli 7. Maruthur 8. Srivaigundam LOCATION OF ART’s KADAYANALLUR SANKARAN KOIL KALUGU MALAI KAYATHAR THENKASI SHENKOTAI COURTALLAM

Rotary weeder (3-4 times) Herbicide + hand weeding , or 2 hand weedings Weed control 2.5 cm depth (up to PI : after surface cracks develop in the soil; after PI : 1 day after disappearance of water) 5 cm depth 1 day after disappearance of ponded water Irrigation 20 x 20 cm 15 x 10 cm 20 x 10 cm Planting density 14 days Single seedling hill -1 21 – 30 days 2-3 seedlings hill -1 Seedling SRI Conventional rice cultivation Factors

SRI Training for Extension Personnel

SRI Training for Farmers

SRI Nursery SRI Nursery

Pulling out of seedlings Conventional SRI

Transport of seedlings Conventional SRI

SRI Planting

Rotary weeder use

Transplanted field Conventional SRI

Water-saving irrigation

Crop growth at different stages Just transplanted Tillering Maturity

SRI farmer showing the difference in no. of panicles to TNAU Vice- Chancellor

Grain yield assessment All panicles from 5 randomly chosen areas (1 m 2 ) were harvested from both conventional and SRI plots Panicle number and number of grains per panicle were counted Grains were separated, cleaned, weighed, and moisture % was estimated Yield is reported at 14 % moisture level

All panicles from 5 randomly chosen areas (1 m 2 ) were harvested from both conventional and SRI plots

Panicle number and number of grains per panicle were counted

Grains were separated, cleaned, weighed, and moisture % was estimated

Yield is reported at 14 % moisture level

Saving of irrigation water = 40 – 50 %

SRI crop resists lodging

Leaves remain green up to harvest

COSTS OF CULTIVATION PER HECTARE Saving in SRI system over conventional system – Rs. 2,369 (11 %) 19,060 21,429 167.5 222.5 85.5 52 2 2 8.5 9.5 Total 3500 3500 75 75 12.5 12.5 - - 1 1 Harvesting 8. 660 660 2 2 2 2 - - - - Plant Protection 7. 240 300 - - 6 7.5 - - - - Irrigation 6. 1520 3200 - 80 38 - - - - - Weeding 5. 3200 2400 75 55 5 5 - - - - Transplanting 4. 7254 7254 10 10 7 7 - - - - Manures & Fertilizers 3. 2005 2005 - - 12 12 2 2 7.5 7.5 Main Field Preparation 2. 681 2110 5.5 0.5 3 6 - - - 1 Nursery Preparation 1. SRI Con SRI Con SRI Con SRI Con SRI Con Cost (Rs.) Women’s Labour @ Rs. 40 / manday Men’s Labour @ Rs. 40 / manday Bullock pair @ Rs. 200 / hr Tractor hours @ Rs. 150 / hr Practices Sl. No.

Economics of Cultivation (ha -1 ) 2.25 1.52 B : C ratio 6. US$ 519 US$ 242 Net return 5. US$ 414 US$ 466 Cost of cultivation 4. US$ 933 US$ 708 Gross return 3. US$ 63 US$ 49 Income from straw (Rs. 0.25 / kg) 2. US$ 870 US$ 659 Income from grains (Rs. 5.00 / kg) 1. SRI practices Conventional practices Particulars Sl. No.

Joint Director of Agriculture (Thanjavur District) : Initially a strong critic of SRI in 2003 has laid out more than 2000 SRI demo trials in 2004.

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