1. Wheat
How SRI is Different from Conventional Rice Production
New Agronomy for Rice Production
Tested / adopted in 50+ countries
Conventional
Rice Production
Using 4 principles:
Early and careful
plant establishment
SRI helps farmers to: INCREASE
YIELDS by 30-
50% or more
REDUCE
SEED USE by
80-95%
REDUCE
CHEMICAL
USE by 30-100%
SAVE
WATER
30-50% less
Reduced plant
competition
Use of organic
matter
Reduced water use
(non-flooded soils)
The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) is an agroecological and climate-smart methodology that produces more grain, while
reducing, water, seed and agrochemical use. SRI helps farmers both adapt to and mitigate climate change.
Early and careful
transplanting
If transplanting, do so at
the 2-leaf stage, about 7-12
days after germination
Only 1 seedling per
‘hill’
Each plant is given space
for roots and shoots to
grow, resulting in reduced
competition
Wide spacing
Plants are transplanted or
direct seeded in a square
grid, with 25cm or more
between each plant
Non-flooded soils
Aerobic soils promote plant
health, larger roots, and
beneficial soil microbial
populations
Use of organic matter
Organic mater improves
plant nutrition, microbial
populations, soil structure
and healthy moisture levels
Mechanical weeding
and I.P.M.
Incorporates weeds back
into the soil and aerates the
surface soil
Transplanting older
seedlings
Plants are taken out of the
nursery at 25-45 days old,
limiting their ability to
grow and hurting yields
Multiple seedlings
per ‘hill’
Typically 3-5 seedlings are
planted per hill, resulting
in competition for
sunlight, air, and nutrients
Close hill spacing
Reduces weed pressure, but
increases competition
between rice plants for
sunlight, air and soil
nutrients
Continuous flooding
Minimizes weed growth,
but adversely affects soil
health and rice plant
growth, stunting
development
Use of Chemical
fertilizers
Chemical fertilizers
address immediate plant
needs, but not long-term
soil health
Herbicides and hand
weeding
Can be dangerous to
farmers and local water
supply, and can harm soil
health
SRI Methods
The System of Rice Intensification (SRI)
SRI creates more productive plants
And can be used with other crops
SRI Conv.
Larger roots
SRI Conv.
Finger Millet
More tillers
sririce.org
sririce@cornell.edu