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News: Due to labour shortage, Punjab farmers are turning towards direct seeding of rice(DSR) moving away from the traditional practice — of sowing nursery and then transplanting it.
Facts:
Direct Seeding of Rice:
- DSR refers to the process of establishing a rice crop from seeds sown in the field rather than by transplanting seedlings from nursery.
- In transplanting, farmers prepare nurseries where paddy seeds are first sown and raised into young plants.These seedlings are then uprooted and replanted 25-35 days later in the main field with standing water.
- In DSR, as flooding of fields is not done during sowing, chemical herbicides are used to kill weeds.
- In transplanting, standing water acts as herbicide and prevents growth of weeds by denying them oxygen in the submerged stage.
- Advantage of DSR:
- Water savings
- less numbers of labourers required,
- saves labour cost and
- reduce methane emissions
- Disadvantage of DSR:
- Seeds are exposed to birds, rats, and snails.
- High weeds infestation
- Non-availability of herbicides.
- High requirement of seeds when compared to transplanting.
