SRI EXPERIENCES IN TRIPURA DR. G.S.G. AYYANGAR COMMISSIONER & SECRETARY, AGRICULTURE GOVERNMENT OF TRIPURA
AGRICULTURE IN TRIPURA Agriculture with its allied sectors is the backbone of the State s economy. Rice is the staple food of this State. There are two parallel farming systems upland (including jhum) and wet rice cultivation situation. At present, the State is running deficit in foodgrains production.
Perspective Plan for Self-Sufficiency The State Government formulated in 1999-2000 a Perspective Plan for achieving self-sufficiency in foodgrains.
REQUIREMENT OF FOODGRAINS BY 2010 Year Projected population (in lakhs) Foodgrains requirement (in lakhs tons) 2007-08 35.40 7.98 2008-09 35.92 8.09 2009-10 36.44 8.22
STRATEGY FOR ENHANCEMENT OF CROP PRODUCTION Supply of certified seeds to the farmers Balanced use of fertilizers Improvement in irrigation water use efficiency Improvement of cultural practices (SRI, hybrid varieties)
STRATEGY (contd..) Adequate flow of credit Gearing up of extension activities Ensuring people s participation through Panchayati Raj institutions
AGRICULTURAL MECHANIZATION Encouraging farmers for more use of agriculture implements
SEEDS SEED PLAN: Thrust given for certified seed production through Seed Village concept. SRR increased from 2.8% in 1999-00 to an optimum level of 33% in 2006-07. Hybrid paddy seed production in farmers fields and Govt. farms.
SEEDS ( CONTD..) Self-sufficient in certified seeds for HYV paddy, rape & mustard. Surplus paddy seeds are marketed through NSC. Pulse & Oilseed seed production in farmers fields through Seed Village concept is progressing.
FERTILIZERS Per-hectare use of NPK has been increased from 25 kg (1990-00) to 47 kg (2006-07).
Why SRI? In spite of all efforts, however, productivity of rice hovers around 2.5 tons/ha. To achieve the goal of self-sufficiency, we need to increase the productivity to at least the level of 3 ton/ha. To attain a breakthrough and increase in rice productivity significantly, SRI method are being tried in farmers fields.
Research activities on SRI Initiated in the year 1999-00 in boro season Evaluated the adaptability under Tripura conditions for 5 seasons, until 2001-02, covering both kharif (aman) and rabi (boro). Results were encouraging, prompting the Government to extend its support.
Large-scale SRI Demonstration The Department initiated a large-scale SRI demonstration programme in farmers field during 2005-06 with a target of 16,000 hectares, of which 14,876 hectares was achieved, covering more than 74,000 farmers of Tripura state. The Department provided assistance to farmers @ Rs.4,500/ha for popularization of SRI.
Demonstration and Training Demonstration in farmers fields was taken up from the crop year 2002-03 Kharif 2002-03 44 farmers @ 0.2 ha 2003-04 88 farmers @ 0.2 ha 2004-05 440 farmers @ 0.4 ha 2005-06 880 farmers @ 0.4 ha 2006-07 > 74,000 farmers @ 0.2 ha
Farmers training Extensive training on SRI techniques was organized for farmers at village level and up to the district level throughout the state.
Uprooting of young seedling without any trauma and transplanting them into the main field within 30 minutes Method-I
Uprooting of young seedling without any trauma and transplanting them into the main field within 30 minutes (another method) Method-II
Method-III Uprooting of young seedling without any trauma and transplanting them into the main field within 30 minutes (still another method)
ONE SEEDLING PER HILL
SPACING MAINTAINED THROUGH LOW-COST DEVICE DEVELOPED BY FARMERS THEMSELVES
WATER MANAGEMENT SRI success is possible under rainfed as well as irrigated conditions
No standing water at the time of transplantation. In muddy soil, spacing of the drainage left as it is, and a drain is then created during the first weeding at 10-12 DAT
Drainage channel in the main fields
12 days after irrigation / watering
Drainage channel of 25 cm. width and 25 cm depth
60 DAT 65 tillers per hill / per plant (MTU 7029)
75 DAT 80 tillers per hill / per plant (MTU 7029) No standing water near the base of the plant, so no hindrance in the aeration
WEED MANAGEMENT Minimizes weed - crop competition Maximizes aerobic condition in the field
Weeding schedule: 3 weedings at intervals of 10-12 days, 1 st weeding should be 10-12 DAT
YIELD On an average 2 ton/ha more harvested than the conventional system of farmers practice produces in the farmers fields.
Variety : Pooja
Variety-wise yields HYV Ave. yield: conventional methods (t/ha) Ave. yield: SRI methods (t/ha) No. of demos in farmers fields (0.4 ha) Joya 3.4-3.8 5.5-6.2 37 Krishna Hamsha 3.8-4.5 6.4-6.8 134 Satabdi 3.0-3.5 4.8-5.4 46 Swati 3.75-4.25 5.8-6.25 30 (contd.)
Variety-wise yields HYV Ave. yield: conventional methods (t/ha) Ave. yield: SRI methods (t/ha) No. of demos in farmers fields (0.4 ha) IR 64 4.5-5.0 7.2-7.6 192 MTU7029 4.5-5.5 7.2-8.5 183 NDR 359 4.3-5.2 6.5-7.2 73 NDR 97 2.5-3.0 4.6-5.0 64 POOJA 4.8-5.2 7.4-8.2 124
Variety : Pooja
Hybrid paddy with SRI HYBRID Ave. yield: conventional methods (t/ha) Ave. yield: SRI methods (t/ha) No. of demos in farmers fields (0.4 ha) DRRH-1 6.0-6.5 7.6-8.1 19 KRH-2 6.5-7.0 8.2-8.7 35 PHB 71 6.5-7.0 8.1-8.5 28 SHEYADRI 6.2-6.8 7.2-7.8 15
Local varieties with SRI Ave. yield: conventional methods (t/ha) Ave. yield: SRI methods (t/ha) No. of demos in farmers fields (0.4 ha) Local varieties Local scented varieties 2.0-3.0 3.8-4.3 37 1.5-2.0 3.1-3.4 12
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