Climate Change-Resilient Rice Production Technology: A High Yielding, Water Efficient and Remunerative Option for South Asian Farmers

Abstract

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) production in South Asia is increasingly threatened by the erratic nature of onset of monsoon rain and climate change. Wide variance in rainfall pattern affects the timing of nursery raising and transplanting later in the main field. Existing rice cultivation practices such as direct seeded rice using drum seeder (DSR), system of rice intensification (SRI) and conventional transplanting (CT) are not able to address the production problems adequately. Therefore, we developed a package of practices - Climate Change-Resilient Rice Production Technology (CRRPT) - which allows keeping rice seedlings in the seedbed for an extended period to synchronize with the onset of monsoon rain. On-station trials during 2015-2016 comparing CRRPT with DSR, SRI and CT demonstrated that in CRRPT the seedlings can be maintained successfully in the seedbed for up to 55 days while achieving the equivalent yield of CT (30 days seedling) because of improved plant vigour. The CRRPT seedlings of 25 d and 35 d gave 22% and 11% more yield compared to CT (30 d seedling). Total water requirement in CRRPT was reduced by 20%, 14% and 13% in case of 55d, 45d and 35 d seedling, respectively, compared to that for CT (30 d seedling). In an on-farm study with 120 farmers’ fields in West Bengal during 2017-2018, average yield increased by 32% and net profit increased by 96%. Thus, CRRPT is remunerative, water efficient, climate change-resilient and can be easily adopted in the farmers’ fields. Results demonstrate that there is wide scope for its adoption for sustainable rice production in West Bengal and South Asia.

Evaluation of Rice Varieties under Different Systems of Cultivation for Central Telangana Zone

“…Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is the principle source of food for almost 60% population of India Biswas et al [1]. The area under rice cultivation in India is the largest among all the rice growing countries and is second in production.…”

Raising Climate-Resilient Embolden Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Seedlings during the Cool Season through Various Types of Nursery Bed Management

“…Low-temperature stress and foggy weather, along with traditional age-old nursery management, also seem to be major reasons for delayed transplantation of the main field. These result in fewergrowing degree days andless solar radiation, and they shorten the vegetative period with poor tiller formation in the main field [15]. The boro rice may adversely suffer from terminal heat stress and cyclonic storms, generally occurring from March onwards due to delayed transplanting.…”