1. On-farm Evaluation of SRI in Tamiraparani Command Area, Tamil Nadu, India T.M. Thiyagarajan Dean Agricultural College & Research Institute Killikulam, Vallanadu 628 252 Tamil Nadu, India

2. Tamil Nadu INDIA

3. Tamil Nadu 7.5 m t 3.42 t/ha Annual rice production Average yield 2.19 m ha Gross rice area 5.79 m ha Net area sown 13.0 m ha Total geographical area

4. Water demand and supply in 2025 for Tamil Nadu (million ha m) 3.57 - 4.55 15.5-47.9% Demand for agricultural purposes Excess demand over supply 3.09 Available for agricultural purposes 1.65 Demand for non-agricultural purposes 4.74 Total water supply

5. System of Rice Intensification Young seedling Soft handling Wider spacing Weed incorporation Limited water

6. Experimental Results SRI evaluations were begun in 2001 by TNAU, preceding first extension to farmers in 2002

7. Two field experiments on SRI conducted in India in Tamil Nadu Location : Wetland experimental areas at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore Experiment I : Wet season (Sept. 2001- Jan. 2002) hybrid rice CORH-2 (125 d) Experiment II : Dry season (Feb. - June 2002) hybrid rice ADTRH-1 (115 d)

8. Crop establishment factors Modified SRI planting: in the wet season, 14-day-old single seedling per hill; in dry season, direct wet seeding, 2-3 seeds manually sown, but later thinned to single seedling per hill. P2 Conventional planting: 24-day-old seedlings; single seedling per hill. P1

9. Irrigation factors Limited irrigation after crop establishment: irrigating to 2 cm depth after development of surface cracks; in the wet season, limited irrigation up to flowering stage, followed by conventional irrigation during grain filling; in dry season, limited irrigation till maturity. I2 Conventional irrigation: irrigating to 5 cm depth one day after disappearance of surface water. I1

10. Weed management factors Weeds mechanically incorporated with a rotary weeder, used crisscross (five times) during the growing season. W2 Conventional weeding: in the wet season, weeds were removed by manual weeding (three times); in the dry season, pre-emergence application of herbicide Butachlor , followed by manual weeding (two times). W1

11. Nutrient management factors The same as N1, plus green manure (fresh weight 6.25 t ha -1 ). N2 Recommended amount of N (150 kg ha-1), P 2 O (60 kg ha-1), K 2 O (90 kg ha-1) and Zn in splits applied. N1

12. Water used for the rice hybrid CORH2 (wet season) 10259 3560 11 6699 Limited irrigation 8765 3560 9 5205 Limited irrigation Conventional irrigation Conventional irrigation 16907 15143 Total water used (m 3 ha -1 ) 3560 3560 Cumulative rainfall during the crop period (m 3 ha -1 ) 16 14 Total number of irrigations 13347 11853 Total water irrigated (m 3 ha -1 ) Modified planting Conventional planting

13. Water used for the rice hybrid ADTRH1 (dry season) 8979 560 18 8419 Limited irrigation 6773 560 15 6213 Limited irrigation Conventional irrigation Conventional irrigation 17194 13966 Total water used (m 3 ha -1 ) 560 560 Cumulative rainfall during the crop period (m 3 ha -1 ) 25 21 Total number of irrigations 16634 13406 Total water irrigated (m 3 ha -1 ) Modified SRI planting Conventional planting

14. Grain yield (kg ha -1 ) of rice hybrid CORH 2 under conventional and SRI 6290 7126 6707 5059 6268 Water saving irrigation 6413 6543 6269 Mean 6349 6908 6195 6199 Water saving irrigation 6858 7612 6343 5787 5893 6000 6737 6076 Mean N2 N2 N1 N1 Conventional irrigation Conventional irrigation 6796 6126 Mean 6615 6838 6008 Weeds incorporated 6365 6841 6151 Weeds removed Mean Younger seedlings Conventional seedlings Factors

15. Grain yield (kg ha -1 ) of rice hybrid ADTRH 1 under conventional and SRI 6442 6612 6400 6391 6366 Water saving irrigation 5899 6610 6052 Mean 6080 6014 5809 5694 Water saving irrigation 6486 6941 6311 6265 6600 6261 6436 6226 Mean N2 N2 N1 N1 Conventional irrigation Conventional irrigation 6778 6205 Mean 6386 6890 6240 Weeds incorporated 6187 6682 6009 Weeds removed Mean Direct Seeded Conventional seedlings Factors

17. 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

20. Mechanical weeding Conventional weeding Root growth

21. 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

22. 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

23. 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

24. 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

25. 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

28. 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

29. 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

30. SRI Training for Extension Personnel

31. SRI Training for Farmers

32. SRI Training for Farmers

33. SRI Nursery SRI Nursery

34. SRI Planting

35. Rotary weeder use

36. SRI nursery

37. Conventional nursery

38. Pulling out of seedlings Conventional SRI

39. Transport of seedlings Conventional SRI

40. Conventional planting

41. SRI planting

42. Transplanted field Conventional SRI

43. Conventional weeding

44. Using rotary weeder

45. Using cono weeder

46. Rotary weeder

47. Cono weeder

48. Conventionally weeded Mechanically weeded

49. Conventional irrigation

50. Water-saving irrigation

51. Crop growth at different stages Just transplanted Tillering Maturity

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

58. Benefits of SRI

59. Nursery is smaller and simpler Wet land Garden land

60. Seed requirement is reduced Conventional : 60 – 75 kg ha -1 SRI : 7.5 kg ha -1

61. Higher tillering in a reportedly shy-tillering variety (ASD16)

63. Saving of irrigation water = 40 – 50 %

64. SRI crop resists lodging

65. Leaves remain green up to harvest

66. 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.

67. 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.

68. 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.

69. Thank You