Dr.B.J.PandianDr.B.J.PandianProfessor (Agronomy)Professor (Agronomy)

Water Technology CentreWater Technology Centre

Tamil Nadu Agricultural UniversityTamil Nadu Agricultural University

CoimbatoreCoimbatore

Promotion and Spread of SRI in Tamil Nadu, INDIA

RIVER BASINS OF TAMIL NADU

Total river basinsTotal river basins 1717

Sub basinsSub basins 127127

TanksTanks 3980039800

WellsWells 3.70 millions3.70 millions

Net irrigated areaNet irrigated area 27.6 lakh ha27.6 lakh ha

Irrigation intensityIrrigation intensity 117%117%

TN-IAMWARM

Project 2007 – 2013

Total Outlay

Rs. 2,400 crores

TNAU share

Rs. 90 crores (3.75%)

Implementation

63 sub-basins

3 phases

Rice scenario in Tamil Nadu

Total areaTotal area 1.98 million ha1.98 million ha

Total production Total production 7.40 million tons7.40 million tons

ProductivityProductivity 3.75 t ha3.75 t ha-1-1

Water consumptionWater consumption 0.013 Mm0.013 Mm3 3 haha-1-1

Total water use per year in riceTotal water use per year in rice 25,400 Mm25,400 Mm33

Rice consumes 53 % of the state’s total water resources

Source : 2007-08 (Estimate) by Govt. of Tamil Nadu

System of Rice Intensification (SRI)System of Rice Intensification (SRI)

1. Improvements in productivity

Benefits

2. Reductions in cost of cultivation

Conventional

SRI

Saving

Rs. 2,369/ha

Reduction in seed cost, nursery area and duration; nursery costs reduced by 68%Reduction in seed cost, nursery area and duration; nursery costs reduced by 68%

Seedling-pulling cost reduced from Rs. 800 to Rs. 150Seedling-pulling cost reduced from Rs. 800 to Rs. 150

Labour requirement for planting reduced from 60 to 35 Labour requirement for planting reduced from 60 to 35

Labour requirement for weeding reduced by 50 %Labour requirement for weeding reduced by 50 %

No need for herbicide No need for herbicide

Saving in electricity for pumping and labour for irrigationSaving in electricity for pumping and labour for irrigation

Conventional methods(1,100 mm)

SRI methods (700 mm)

3.Water saving – 400 mm

Water saving irrigation

Root zone is not kept continuously saturated

36% saving in irrigation water

SRI

Conventional

4.4. Better functional root systemBetter functional root system

5.5. Non-lodging even during aberrant weatherNon-lodging even during aberrant weather

Th. Murugesan – s small farmer of Chinnar dub-basin who realized higher productivity of 12.5 t/ha has become

a spokesperson for SRI in the area Raised green manure dhaincha as pre-season crop.

Family labourers alone involved in the adoption of technology.

6. Scope for organic manures

Performance of Performance of SRI (2007-2010)SRI (2007-2010)

Year

Yield (kg ha-1)%

increase over

conven-tional

Area total (ha)

No. of benefi-ciariesSRI

Conventional

2007-08 5,709 4,465 28.3 1,311 5,446

2008-09 6,710 5,035 33.3 2,581 2,634

2009-10 7,058 5,139 37.3 4,000 5,245

Planting of younger seedlings

Growth rate in SRI plants is accelerated as these are able to complete more phyllochrons before entering into their reproductive phase (Nemoto et al., 1995; Berkelaar, 2001).

This leads to both higher number of tillers per hill and enhanced production of effective tillers.

Younger seedlings have improved root characteristics, like root length density and root weight, after transplanting compared to older seedlings (Mishra and Salokhe, 2008)

Wider spacing

Open plant structure of SRI rice covers more ground area and is able to intercept more light.

This results in higher LAI and greater leaf size that leads to vigorous root system which has more adequate room to grow.

At closer spacing between rice plants, the number of panicles per unit area increases, but the shorter panicles contain lesser grains, thereby resulting in the lower yield with conventional rice cultivation methods (Thakur et al., 2010).

Alternate wetting and drying Rice grown under conventional system encounters hypoxic soil conditions and its roots degenerate under flooding; plants lose three-fourth of their roots by the time they reach the flowering stage (Kar et al., 1974).

Alternate wetting and drying combined with mechanical weeding results in more air in the soil and in greater root growth which gives better access to nutrients as compared to conventional planting.

SRI plants have deeper and stronger root systems, supported by intermittent irrigation practiced on soils without physical barriers to root growth (Stoop et al., 2002).

CHALLENGESCHALLENGES

• Farmers’ traditional mindsetFarmers’ traditional mindset

• Lack of awareness of SRI opportunitiesLack of awareness of SRI opportunities

• Skill upgrading of labourersSkill upgrading of labourers

• Lack of regulated irrigation distributionLack of regulated irrigation distribution

• Timely availability of implements: markers & Timely availability of implements: markers & weedersweeders

Exposure visits to changeTraditional mindset

Workshop on SRI and NADP programmes at Coimbatore (25.07.08)

Workshop on SRI and NADP programmes at Madurai (11.08.08)

Awareness creationAwareness creation

Visit of the Secretary to the Hon. CM, Tamil Nadu, to a SRI field at Azhiyur,

Varaganadhi

VIPs’ participation in Field Days

Hon. Agricultural Minister’s visit to a SRI field at Pallathathanoor,

Upper Vellar

Legislative members of Estimate Committee visiting a SRI field at

Vikravandi

Newspaper publications on SRI techniques

Popularization of Technologies

Tamil Book on self-learning modeCD on SRI

SRI beneficiaries addressing the SRI Workshop organized at Thanjavore

SRI beneficiaries as resource persons

Capacity Building

RuralRural Artisan Artisan TrainingTraining

Motivating labourers for square planting Motivating labourers for square planting

INNOVATIONS

Nursery technique: Nursery technique: Community NurseriesCommunity Nurseries

SRI monitoring team visit for evaluation and up-scaling

SRI FARMERS’ ASSOCIATION

SWAFIA: “SAVE WATER FARMERS’ INTEREST ASSOCIATION”

SRI : SHG TRAINING OF WOMEN LABOURERS

Oru Nellu Oru Nathu (Single seed, single seedling)

SRI crop monitoring through cellphone in South Vellar subbasin - way2sms.com