Iraq
SRI Activities (2006)
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page)
Progress and Activities.
2006
ACTIVITIES
•Adaptations
of SRI Being Used in Iraq
Dr.
Khidir A. Hameed (left) has reported on adaptations of SRI being
evaluated
at the Al-Mishkhab Rice Research Station near Najaf in southern
Iraq during 2006 (see report).
Because labor scarcity has made transplanting difficult in this
country, a ‘parachute planting’ method
has been introduced, throwing young seedlings onto a shallow-puddled
field, where they establish themselves without being pushed into
the soil. (Click on
Dr Hameed's photo to enlarge). The
trials carried out in three provinces (Basrah, Messan and Thi-Qar)
were impressive enough that the Minister of Agriculture, when
visiting them, promised to support extension of the new methods.
The average increase across all trials was only slightly positive,
but this included trials where yields were reduced due to improper
nursery management, including no water control, and high water
salinity.
Where the SRI elements were conjoined effectively,
yield increases of 20-26% were achieved with reduction in water
requirements (important in this area). SRI
has gotten researchers to pay more attention to use of organic
matter instead of relying entirely on chemical fertilizer,
with
promising results. They have found that they can get cost-effective
results with just 10 t/ha of composted manure rather than 15
t/ha as was expected to be necessary. The research staff (click
on picture at right to enlarge) planned to establish committees
in all rice-growing provinces of Iraq for further trials and
demonstrations in 2007.
2005 Activities
After learning SRI at an international forum on hybrid rice in China in
2004, Dr. Khidir A. Hameed tried out SRI methods
for rice cultivation in Iraq. He describes some of the results of the 2005 rice
season in
Mahanawiya sub-district in a report.
SRI began in Iraq in 2005 on ¼ hectare with "parachute
method," early transplanting (12 day-old seedlings),
wide spacing (25x25cm), one variety and with
just 30kg of seeds per hectare. Using the variety Amber 33, SRI yields were 18% higher than with the usual dry method and resulted in 81% seed saving. The results convinced Dr. Hameed and his team to continue in 2006.
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