This document summarizes the System of Rice Intensification (SRI), an innovative rice farming method that can increase yields while reducing water usage, costs, and environmental impacts. SRI involves transplanting young seedlings with wide spacing, intermittent wetting and drying of soils, and mechanical weeding. Trials in India found SRI increased yields by 30-100% with 25-50% less water. The document discusses SRI principles and results from various studies demonstrating its benefits over conventional rice farming.

1. System of Rice Intensification (SRI) An innovative technology to produce ‘ More crop per drop’ Dr. A. SATYANARAYANA Director of Extension Acharya N. G.Ranga Agricultural University Rajendranagar, Hyderabad -30

2. Rice in India Major food crop: Normal area: 45 million ha Normal production: 90 million tons Rice production: 75.72 m.tons (2002-2003 (lowest in last 10 years) Reasons: * Irrigation water crisis * Diminishing returns to chemical inputs (fertilizer, agrochemicals)

4. Irrigation Status of Andhra Pradesh Total geographical area : 274.40 lakh ha Total cultivable area : 93.0 lakh ha Area under irrigation : 57.76 lakh ha 4.00 Waterlogged Area 8.00 Salt Affected Area 57.76 Total 2.54 Other sources 11.53 Other wells 14.42 Tube wells 7.19 Tanks 22.08 Canals Area (lakh ha) Source of Irrigation

6. RICE WATER CONSUMPTION - Irrigated rice is the leading consumer of water - Rice is the most widely consumed staple crop - Finding ways to reduce the demand for water to grow irrigated rice in the necessity . - If rice production can be increased while water consumption is reduced, this is the need of the hour

9. The growth and performance of rice are achieved with substantial reduction in water applications using SRI methods: China up to 65% Yuan Longping (2001) achieve 16 t/ha Philippines by 67% Lazaro et al. (2004) with yield increase 3.66 -> 7.33 t/ha China by 43.2% Li et al. (2004) village study in Sichuan Province # of irrigations reduced Sri Lanka (IWMI) 32 -> 24 Dry season (Namara et al., 2004) 29 -> 22 Wet season 90% increase in water productivity (kg rice/water issue) 33% fewer hours spent in irrigation activity

10. SRI has had the disadvantage of sounding “too good to be true” – but can get: “ More crop per drop” SRI is a set of principles and insights about how rice plants can be induced to become more productive An understanding of soil ecology reinforces the idea that water application should be optimised rather than maximised.

13. The basic ideas of SRI Rice plants do best when their roots can grow large because - young seedlings are transplanted carefully, - given wider spacing and - grown in soil that is kept well aerated- with abundant and diverse soil microorganisms

15. On-farm evaluation of SRI in A.P. ANGRAU DOA Kharif 2003-04 200 500 Rabi 2003-04 >2000 Volunteer farmers with larger areas Kharif 2004-05 250 800 Rabi 2004-05 250 + Thousands of volunteer farmers

25. Conventional system with more water

26. Intermittent wetting and drying with soil aeration

35. Diagram of possible stalks of a rice shoot stalks grow following a regular cycle (phyllochron)

40. Crop residues

41. Green Manure crop (Sunhemp)

42. Crop residues

44. PADDY YIELDS UNDER SRI IN COASTAL AREA Kharif 2003-04 YIELD( Kg/ha)

45. PADDY YIELDS UNDER SRI IN TELANGANA AREA Kharif 2003-04 YIELD( Kg/ha)

46. PADDY YIELDS UNDER SRI IN RAYALASEEMA Kharif 2003-04 YIELD( Kg/ha)

47. Performance of SRI in AP-Kharif 2004 (ANGRAU) No. of trials 194 SRI 7.6 t/ha Conventional 5.9 t/ha Advantage 1.7 t/ha

48. PADDY YIELDS UNDER SRI IN KHARIF 2004-05 IN A.P. (ANGRAU) YIELD( Kg/ha)

49. Performance of SRI in AP- Kharif 2003-04 (Trials organized by State DOA) No. of trials - 476 Average SRI yield (t/ha) - 7.92 Control (t/ha) - 5.48 State average productivity (t/ha) - 3.01 2 districts averaged over 10 t/ha 6 districts averaged over 9 t/ha

50. Report on SRI Cultivation Name of the Farmer : Mr.A.Jayasurya Reddy Address : Tarimala Village, Singanamala Mandal Anantapur district, Andhra Pradesh Season : Rainy season 2003 Area under SRI : 0.2 ha Variety : BPT 5204 140 150 Duration(days) 8 12600 7110 Straw yield (kg/ha) 7 13297 5850 Grain yield (kg/ha) 6 3.2 19.2 Chaffy grain (%) 5 14.4 13.3 1000 grain weight (g) 4 14.2 15.5 Length of panicle (cm) 3 152 87 No. of grains/panicle 2 706 503 No. of productive tillers/m2 1. SRI Farmers method Parameter S.No.

51. Report on SRI Cultivation Name of the Farmer : Mr.K.Venka Subba Reddy Address : Konidedu Village, Panyam Mandal Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh Season : Rainy season 2003 Area under SRI : 840 m 2 Variety : BPT 5204 18000 16250 Cost of cultivation (Rs/ha) 9 15774 5625 Grain yield kg/ha 8 21.1 18.8 1000 grain weight(g) 7 202 105 No. of grains/panicle 6 20.2 17.2 Panicle length (cm) 5 1040 510 Productive tillers/m 2 4 10-12-2003 10-12-2003 Date of harvesting 3 28-7-2003 31-7-2003 Date of Transplanting 2 19-7-2003 22-6-2003 Date of sowing 1. SRI Farmers method Parameter S.No.

52. Report on SRI Cultivation Name of the Farmer : Mr.Rakesh Address : EdulapalliVillage, Kotturu Mandal Mahabubnagar district, Andhra Pradesh Variety : BPT 5204 Area under SRI : 0.8 ha (*) Only organic manures were applied 8.9 4.7 Grain yield t/ha 7 210 150 No. of grains/panicle 6 20 14 Length of the panicle (cm) 5 40 20 No. of productive tillers/hill 4 5-12-2003 6-11-2003 Date of harvesting 3 17-7-2003 28-6-2003 Date of Transplanting 2 7-7-2003 6-6-2003 Date of sowing 1. SRI (*) Farmers method Parameter S.No.

53. Report on SRI Cultivation Name of the Farmer : Mr.T.Sambi Reddy Address : Bhadirajupalem Village, ThotlavallurMandal Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh Area under SRI : 0.2 ha Variety : BPT 5204 17,500 15,000 Cost of cultivation per ha 8 12576 8036 Grain yield (kg/ha) 7 357 254 No. of grains/panicle 6 30 22 Length of the panicle(cm) 5 42 13 No. of productive tillers/hill 4 13-12-2003 13-12-2003 Date of harvesting 3 1-8-2003 17-8-2003 Date of Transplanting 2 20-7-2003 20-7-2003 Date of sowing 1. SRI Farmers method Parameter S.No.

54. Performance of Rice under SRI during Rabi 2003-04 No. of trials (data reported so far) - 94 Average SRI yield (kg/ha) - 9,669 Average conventional yield (kg/ha) - 7,125 Yield advantage (kg/ha) - 2,554 Highest yield recorded under SRI (kg/ha) - 17,250

55. SRI is Counterintuitive Less can produce more Younger seedlings becomes larger and more productive Fewer plants/hill and per m 2 give more yield Less water can give greater yield Less chemical fertilizers can result in higher yields Less pesticides to control pests

57. Benefits of SRI 1. Higher yields – Both grain and straw 2. Reduced duration (by 10 days) 3. Lesser chemical inputs 4. Less water requirement 5. Less chaffy grain % 6. Grain weight increased without change in grain size 7. Higher head rice recovery 8. Withstood cyclonic gales 9. Cold tolerance 10. Soil health improves through biological activity 11. Drought tolerance

60. Swarna under SRI

62. THANK YOU