scientist on mission to popularise ‘direct paddy sowing’

Warangal: A senior agricultural scientist in Warangal district is making efforts to revive a longstanding and proven method of 'direct paddy sowing' to overcome vagaries of nature that would have ill effects on yield.

The coordinator at District Agricultural Advisory and Transfer of Technology Centre (DAATTC), Warangal, R Uma Reddy, has, for the past three years been working on popularizing the system of direct sowing of paddy among the farming community here.

He said because of delay in monsoon every time farmers are forced to transplant paddy seedlings either over aged or young seedlings. In both the situations there is a possibility in reduction of yields.

'This issue can be addressed by adopting direct seeding method in paddy cultivation,' he said speaking to The Hans India. The concept existed in olden days but due to non-availability of effective herbicides (chemicals used to control weeds) and high yielding varieties of paddy the results were not encouraging.

Therefore it was not widely adopted but due to recent introduction of effective herbicides and cultivation of high yielding varieties this method of paddy cultivation is giving not only good results but also proved cost effective and a great water saver, Uma Reddy explained.

In order to take the concept into farming community, he has been organizing frontline demonstrations in farmers' fields for the past three years and subsequently conducted field days to farmers to demonstrate the effectiveness of direct sowing in paddy.

He underlines that this practice would save seed, water, time and labour. In the direct sowing method there is a possibility of increased yields compared to normal and manual transplanting where plant stand is not exceeding 18-22 plants per square meter as against of 33.

"Moreover the crop sown in this method would come to harvest 10-15 days early compared to normal transplanting method and delay in season would not have any effect on yields," Uma Reddy asserted.

While explaining the method he said that land should be prepared as that of normal transplanting, and partially sprouted paddy seed 15 kg per acre should be sprinkled manually or using drum seeder in muddy soil. Water should not be given for two days.

Later light irrigation given and allowed to stand in the field for 3-5 days after sowing herbicide called 'Pyrazosulfuran ethyle' (80 grams) should be mixed in one litre of water and thoroughly mixed with 20 kg sand and sprinkled in an area of one acre and water should not be moved from one plot to other plot. Recommended dose of required fertilizers should be applied.

Normally in Telangana farmers are advised to raise paddy nurseries only up to July 31. Beyond this date if farmers intend to take up paddy cultivation this method is very useful.

All short duration varieties like MTU1010, Jagityal Sannalu, Tharamathi, IR64, Nellore Massuri, Jagityal Sambha, Ramappa and others could be used for this purpose, Uma Reddy informed.