Direct Seeding of Rice: Paddy and the price of water

Source: The post is based on the article “Paddy and the price of water” published in Indian Express on 19th June 2023

What is the News?

Most global weather agencies predicting El Niño — which typically suppresses rainfall in India. A weak monsoon can particularly impact paddy (rice with husk) cultivation as rice is a highly water-intensive crop.

This is where Direct seeding of rice (DSR) can be a better option as it cuts down the massive water consumption of paddy. 

What is Direct Seeding of Rice(DSR)?

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What is the difference between Direct Seeding of Rice(DSR) and conventional transplanting?

In DSR, Paddy here is sown directly in the field without any nursery preparation, puddling or flooding. In transplanting, the flooded fields basically deny oxygen to the weed seeds in the soil, preventing their germination. Water, thus, acts as a natural herbicide. In DSR, water is replaced with chemical herbicides.

What are the advantages of DSR?

1) No significant reduction of yield under optimal conditions, 2) Savings on irrigation water by 12-35% under efficient water management practices, 3) Reduces labor and drudgery by eliminating seedling uprooting and transplanting, 4) Reduces cultivation time, energy, and cost, 5) Faster maturation of crops and lower GHG emissions and 6) Increases total income by reducing cost of cultivation.

What are the current constraints related to DSR?

1) Seeds exposed to birds and pests, 2) Weed management, 3) Higher risk of lodging and 4) Risk of poor or non-uniform crop establishment.

Why hasn’t DSR picked up yet?

A key reason is subsidized or even free electricity for irrigation providing farmers little incentive to deploy water-saving technology. A second reason is the lack of good machines.