1614 new directions for the system of rice intensification (sri) in nepal: mechanization and...
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Outline Nepal : Overview SRI in Nepal:
Historical perspectives
New directions in SRI Mechanization
options in SRI Problems Ways forward
Nepal: Overview
Area: 14.7 M ha (147,181 km2) -- 93rd in the world Population: 26.6 M (2011) Pop. growth: 1.4% (2011) Density: 199/km2 -- 62nd
Mountains: 3000-8,848 masl, 35% of area, 2% arable
Hills: 800-2,400 masl, 43% of area, only 10% arable
Terai: 60-300 masl, 23% of area, 50% arable
Rice: 1.53 M ha; production 5.0 M mt; average yield 3.3 mt/ha
Agriculture: 33% GDP, with rice contributing 23% in Agric GDPSeasons: Spring (March-May), Summer (June-August), Autumn (Sept.-Nov.), Winter ( Dec-Feb).Rice seasons : Main (rainy), boro (winter) and early
(spring)
1999• First SRI trial (NARC-Cornell
University)
2001• Trials on variety, spacing, water
management (CIMMYT- NWRP, Appropriate Tech. Asia(ATA)
2002
• FFS set up in the Sunsari-Morang Irrig Project, yield: 8 t/ha
• SRI-Nepal Discussion Group formed
2005
• SRI project won 2nd place in the World Bank’s Nepal Development Marketplace competition
• National SRI workshop in Kathmandu (ICIMOD hosted)
2008
• SRI had started in more than 20 districts by GOs/NGOs (reaching 2500 farmers)
• Success at 2500 m altitude in southern Humla (ATA)
2010
• EU-funded Food Facility project launched in 10 districts- 100s of SRI FFSs developed, trials and demon in FFSs
2012-16
• NARC started systematic research, GON has launched mega rice project-SRI an important element
• SRI reached more than 50 districts (out of 75)
SRI in Nepal: Historical perspectives
New Directions
Organic SRI SRI Conventional Wet DSR Dry DSR0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7 6.6
4.98
3.52
Pr (f)>= 0.003, LSD =1.39
Yiel
d (m
t/ha)
Yield affected by cultivation methods
Khadka, unpublished, 2014
Performance of FAR landraces in SRI Landraces have 3-4 fold
higher price in market, due to their premium quality
Well-adapted to conditions Problems: low yield, high
disease, unresponsive with fertilizer, lodging
Khadka, et. al. 2014
Scale value0= no lodging, 5 =100 % lodging1= no disease9 - highest disease
LSD=0.92**LSD=0.62*
*
SRI: Biotic and Abiotic stresses
Performance of drought-tolerant rice varieties under SRI management
Sukh-3 Radha-4 Sukha-5 Sukha-4 Sukha-1 Sukha-60.00
1.00
2.00
3.00
4.00
5.00
6.00
7.00
8.00
9.00
6.54
7.597.87
6.31 6.07 5.96
Grain weight (mt/ha)Straw yeild (mt/ha)
Unpublished Khadka et. al. 2015.
Yiel
d (m
t/ha)
Modern varieties with SRI
Org. SRI-Tricho
Role of Trichoderma used with methods of cultivation
4.27
5.48
Con.
Interaction between variety andTrichoderma applications
Ratooning in SRI: New interventionWhy ratooning in SRI? Save time to establish crop Save cost for seed,
seedlings and crop establishment (more than 60% cost saving)
Reduce the drudgery to prepare field (due to deep rooted SRI)
Get higher benefits
Ways forward:Varietal selection -- for
high tillering and ratooning
Better water and fertilizer management
Cost-benefit analysis
3.92
3.25
2.50
How is ratooning developing? As a Salibu method in Indonesia
-- up to 7.4 mt/ha (Setiawan & Panuju, 2015).
In Nepal, first ratooning experiment in farmer’s field in 2010.
2015: Three different heights of stubbles, 0-3 cm, 10 cm ,and 15 cm were tested -- highest yield achieved was up to 3.9 mt/ha
Integration of SRI in Seed System As SRI increase the seed efficiency by more than 80%
(means 4-6 Kg seed is sufficient for 1 ha in SRI while it required 50-60 Kg in conventional)
The seed flow is very slow from research to farmers field (takes around 5-6 years after varietal recommendation) due to scarcity of nucleus seed
Nucleus Res. St. (1
yr)
Breeder( Res. St.
1 yr)
Foundation(Res.
St./seed producers)
Certified(seed
producer/Farmers)
Fig: Seed flow System from Research to Farmer’s field It is possible to shorten the seed cycle by integrating
SRI principlesThe adoption of new variety can be accelerated by
using SRI principles in prevailed seed system
Mechanization Options in SRI
Crop establishment Weeding
Crop EstablishmentPlanting in grid is always a challenge in SRI
Earlier, rope was used for marking Wooden rake was then used: not suitable
Drum seeder is promising Roller type marker Rice crank transplanter is recent
introduction
Development of mechanical weeder for SRI in Nepal
Initially wooden ‘rakes’ with iron pins were used as weeders for SRI (cost as little as 25 cents)
Locally-fabricated rotary weeder was developed by NARC
USHA weeder (India) was introduced for SRI promotion in Nepal
Effect of different methods of weeding for SRI
Methods of weed control
Yield advantage cf. herbicides
Rotary weeder (ha) 21%
Hand weeding (ha) 1.65%
Herbicides 0%
Methods of weed control
Time saving cf. hand weeding
Rotary weeder (ha) 73%Hand weeding (ha) 0
Herbicides 92%
Problems Monsoon-dependent rice farming is
the norm Lack of assured sources of irrigation
water during crop establishment and weeding
Lack of extra-early rice varieties for spring-season rice farming
Low priority in research and extension is given to SRI
Lack of sufficient technical know-how to provide to farmers
Provision of simple weeding machines/tools is needed
Organic matter levels in the soil are decreasing
Way Forward Demarcate most suitable areas
for SRI Rigorous training is needed Mechanization for crop
establishment and weeding Focus on seed/seedling priming
with Trichoderma and effective modes of application
Organic production of premium- quality rice landraces with SRI
Increase soil organic matter -- green manuring, legume incorporation, etc.
Document the role of SRI in climate-change resiliency
Summary1. Integration of SRI with drought tolerance rice varieties
and beneficial microbes could be successfully utilized to address the emerging challenge of climate change in rice production system
2. The productivity of high value rice landraces can be significantly increased by SRI, which can have the great contribution in reducing poverty in remote part of the country
3. Ratooning in SRI can help to increase the cropping intensity by enhancing area of spring season rice
4. Increase of soil organic matter is most essential in SRI5. Large plot demonstrations of SRI with Trichoderma
integration, use of roller type markers and motorized SRI weeder in rice super zones would be helpful to increase the national rice productivity by acceleration of SRI adoption in Nepal
Thank You
Thank you for your attention