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SRI method a boon to paddy farmers
SRI method a boon to paddy farmers. System of Rice Intensification (SRI), a new way of cultivating rice has gained prominence among the farmers of Mulugu and neighbouring villages in Medak district.
Sangareddy: System of Rice Intensification (SRI), a new way of cultivating rice has gained prominence among the farmers of Mulugu and neighbouring villages in Medak district. The new form of cultivation is not just cost-effective, but also yields more than traditional form of rice cultivation.
- With the new method, it takes only 2 kg of seeds to sow an acre whereas in traditional method it takes 30 kg
- In SRI method, the farmers are able to produce 27-28 quintals of rice per acre whereas in traditional method, they produce only 18-19 quintals
SRI paddy cultivation was first invented by a priest named Father Henry De, in Madagascar, who experimented and came up with the new technique of cultivating rice. Right from sowing the seed till the harvest, the techniques employed in SRI are in strike contrast with traditional paddy cultivation. For sowing, it takes just 2 kg of seeds per acre for SRI while it takes 30 kg seeds per acre in traditional cultivation.
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The main differentiating factor is the way the seedlings are planted. In SRI method, the seedlings would be spaced 10x10 inches apart, in perfect rows and columns, so as to give the seedling maximum opportunity of absorbing nutrients from its surroundings. Due to the spacing, there would be very less chance of pest infestation or diseases.
Even water used in SRI method is very less when compared to traditional method. The water used to irrigate an acre in traditional way can irrigate one and half acres of land where SRI is used. In traditional method, the weed which grows between the plants will be removed and thrown outside the field.
However, in SRI, Cono weeders are used to remove weeds and mixed with the soil so that they become green manure for the crop. Only organic manure and vermin compost is used instead of chemical fertilisers. Because of the care taken in SRI method, the number of tillers which grow out of the seed are more.
It is 50-60 tillers in SRI whereas it is 10-15 in traditional method. This means more panicles with grains come out in case of SRI cultivation. This is the reason for a higher yield. The farmers claim that while using traditional methods, 18-19 quintals of rice can be produced per acre whereas using SRI method, 27-28 quintals can be produced.
Babu Miya, a small farmer in Adavi Maseed village near Mulugu, has been farming using SRI paddy cultivation and getting higher yields. He was awarded the best farmer award in the recent Telangana Formation Day celebrations. He reuses the water from his paddy field to irrigate his vegetable field as well. He also cultivates green manure to make his soil more fertile.
By Vivek bhoomi
