Overview of System of Rice Intensification in Cambodia

Chou CheythyrithNational FAO-IPM Project Coordinator, Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries, in collaboration with Regional FAO Vegetable IPM Program

Background of SRI

• SRI is a set of improved practices or methods in plant, water, soil and nutrient management being used to bring out rice natural growth potential

• SRI was introduced in 1999, with field tests by farmers beginning in 2000, supported by CEDAC

• MAFF supports SRI through an SRI Secretariat that implements activities in 24 provinces and municipalities

• 32 NGOs have implemented SRI with activities educating and assisting farmers

• Presently, more than 60,000 households are practicing SRI on the area about 16,385 ha

• IPM Program conducts SRI Participatory Action Research and educates farmers to grow healthy crops

Principles and practices of SRI

According to their natural potential, rice plants have ability for:

• More profuse tillering -- 50 tillers per plant, with some having many more tillers

• Larger and deeper root systems• Larger panicles• Higher quality grain, with fewer unfilled and fewer broken

grains, and often higher grain weight

Traditional/conventional practices inhibit crop growth and do not allow rice plants to achieve their full potential, while SRI methods create a conducive environment for rice plants to grow

Tillering potential of rice plant

Difference between traditional and SRI practices

Traditional• Rice field is continuously

flooded with high level of water during the vegetative stage

• Seedlings are raised with much water, and seedling density is high

• Transplanting with too many seedlings per clump, mixture of weak and thick seedlings

SRI• Only minimal water,

preferably keeping the soil only moist and in dry/wet condition

• Seedlings are raised in beds like vegetable bed, and the seed density is very low

• Young seedlings are used, preferably less than 15 days old (at 2-3 leaf stage)

Difference between traditional and SRI

Traditional• Seedling age is too old,

generally more than one month

• Seedling is uprooted with damage to root and stem, and is kept for one to two days before transplanting

• Seedlings are transplanted with close spacing and no equal spacing

SRI• Only 1 to 2 seedlings, but

preferably one seedling per clump, only vigorous seedlings

• Young seedling is uprooted and transplanted with care, transplanted immediately after uprooting

• Wide spacing and square pattern, or at least line transplanting

Difference between traditional and SRI practices

Traditional• Weeding is not early

enough, not frequent and regular

• Limited Use of farmyard manure, and dependence on use of chemical fertilizers

SRI• Early weeding and

frequent weeding to improve soil aeration

• Application of compost as much as possible

For SRI, the best result or the optimal yield is achieved only through the proper combination of the improved practices that create a synergy effect. The more good practices that farmers can apply, the more yield they will get.

To begin, if farmers just select only strong seedlings for transplanting, reduce the number of seedlings per clump, and do shallow transplanting, their yield can be increased by more than 30 % (at no extra cost !).

Highlights of the results in the wet season 2006:

Average SRI yield was 4.7 tons per ha, while the average yield of conventional practice is 1.92 tons per ha Around 20 % of farmers were able to harvest more than 4 tons per ha All SRI farmers were able to reduce the amount of rice seeds and fertilizer that they used be significant amount, thus reducing cost

SRI field

Better root and shoot growth with SRI

No. of farmers applying SRI in Cambodia

28 500 300010000

17092

40000

60000

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

70000

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Progress of SRI area in Cambodia (ha)

1.6 28.7900

4700 4788

11200

16385

02000400060008000

1000012000140001600018000

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Supported by Regional FAO Vegetable IPM Program

SRISRI

PAR-SRI Research, CambodiaPAR-SRI Research, Cambodia

Effect of different water regimes and planting densities on rice yield.

Treatment:

Three water regimes Alternate wet and dry

(AWD) Flooded field (FF), and Just moist (JM)

Three planting densities Single seedling with 15 x15

cm Single seedling with 30 x 30

cm Six seedlings with 15 x 15

cm

ResultResultRoot growthCriteria for healthy root

growth: More root volume More number of white and fine

roots More number of laterals More number of crown roots

Trend under different water regimes and planting densities:

Single seedlings with wider spacing had better root growth

More number of white and fine roots were seen under just moist (JM) condition.

EffectEffect onon yield-conyield-contributingtributing parametersparameters

A

1(30) 1(15) 6(15)

Gra

in n

umbe

r/ p

anic

le (

mea

n ±

SE)

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

Total grain Unfilled grain

a

B

a

C

AA

A

c

Grains/panicle

1000-grain weight

Tillers/m2

A

FL1 (30) FL1(15) FL6(15) WD1(30) WD1(15) WD6(15) JM1(30) JM1(15) JM6(15)

Mea

n G

rain

yie

ld (

t/ha)

1

2

3

4

5

Yield (t/ha)

AA A

AA

BB B

Grain yield (t/ha)

ImplicationsImplications Effect of root length density on rice yield

should be evaluated with different soil types (sandy, clay, loam)

Varietal evaluation is needed under different soil types

Location-specific research is needed for optimizing G x E (variety-environmental) interaction for better productivity using participatory action research

Farmers should be seen as active research partners in PAR trials

Concluding remarks SRI movement is growing very fast in Cambodia, with increasing number of farmers involved and support/implementing organizations/projects

There is need to reinforce this momentum by providing assistance to farmers in further developing and disseminating SRI to ensure that the maximal number of farmers can have sustainable benefit from SRI

Thank you for your attention