NEPAL SRI RESULTS - BANDANA

System of rice intensification (SRI) developed in Madagascar, has already been tested in several Asian countries. The results have shown doubling of production by changing certain management practices, e.g., transplanting two-leaf, single rice seedlings and widely spaced, with soil kept moist but not flooded, during the vegetative growth. The system does not need extra capital, input or new rice variety, but it is more labour-intensive during its growing period.

 

The system was tested in JKW, year 2002. The growth was much better in the SRI plot than in the traditionally managed (TM) plot.

 

Purpose

The main purpose of this study was to improve the livelihood of the farmers by maximizing the rice production. The study also aimed to record:

·        Differences in production and labour requirement between SRI and TM.

 

Method

·        Makawanpur 1 rice variety was used for the trial.

·        Seeds were soaked in lukewarm water for 24 hours and kept under soil over night, in a jute bag, before sowing.

·        Two identical plots, area 112 m² were prepared.

·        Single, two-leaf, 12-days-old seedlings were transplanted at a distance of 25x25 cm in SRI plot.

·        In TM plot, 1-month-old seedlings were transplanted, 3-4 seedlings per hill at a distance of approximately 10x10 cm.

·        The SRI plot was only kept wet, not flooded, during growth period and only at the flowering stage was a layer of water (about 2 cm) maintained up till grain maturity. The plot was drained out 20 days before harvest.

·        The TM plot was kept flooded throughout the crop growing period and  was drained out 20 days before harvest.

·        Basal fertilizer doses were not applied because the previous crop, potato, has residual effect. Only top dressing at the rate of N:50 kg, P:30, K:30 kg/ ha was applied in both treatments.

·        Weedings were carried out twice in SRI plot and once in TM plot.

·        40 randomly selected sample plants were monitored in both plots, intensively through out the growing period.

 

Results:

 

Table1: Comparison between SRI and TM

Treatments	No. of tillers		Height  (cm)		Dry bio-  mass (kg)	Grain wt (kg) (moist:12%)
	Max	Min	Max	Min
SRI	44	12	128	101	2.25	1.58
TM	26	7	102	84	1.74	1

Result based on 40 plants monitored randomly

 

·        Maximum tillers were recorded at the 14^th week in SRI and 10^th week in the TM plot.

·        Maximum height was recorded at the 17^th week in SRI and 13^th week in the TM plot

·        Grain yield recorded was 1.58 kg SRI and 1.00 kg TM.

·        Dry biomass recorded was 2.25 kg SRI and 1.74 kg TM.

·        Total dry biomass production in both the plots was 13.7 t/ ha.

·       Total grain yield was 10 t/ ha SRI and 8.25 TM plots.