Beyond DSR, farmers adopt bed-sowing rice for water saving

Time of India

4 days ago

CHANDIGARH: For the upcoming paddy season, while the state government is promoting Direct Seeding of Rice (DSR), some farmers are, for the second consecutive season, opting for a different method: Seeding of Rice on Beds (SRB), a variant which is also believed to be effective in saving underground water.
Being propagated by former bureaucrat Kahan Singh Pannu, who served as secretary, agriculture and is an alumnus of the
Punjab
Agricultural University (PAU), the SRB technique for paddy cultivation involves direct sowing of paddy seeds on raised beds of 18-22 inch width in two rows, and water is applied in furrows of 12 inch width. Farmers in some parts of the state adopted this method last season, and even more are exploring it this time.
"Punjab faces an environmental disaster with its rapidly depleting groundwater table," Pannu said, adding, "Experts predict the state's groundwater will be completely gone up to 1,000 feet deep in the next 14 years. The main cause of this crisis is the cultivation of water-guzzling paddy during summer, a practice that has the potential to annihilate the Punjab civilization in the foreseeable future."
GS Dhillon, a farmer from Dhanansu village in Ludhiana, said, "With seed companies now introducing paddy varieties that work well with weedicides and herbicides, SRB is emerging as a viable option.
We faced some initial challenges last time, but we hope to use that experience to achieve a better yield this season. I like to experiment on my farm and the biggest advantage of this method is that it helps save underground water.
"
With the Seeding of Rice on Beds (SRB) method, paddy plants meet their water needs primarily through moisture, rather than relying on standing water. Seeds are sown with a row-to-row spacing of 10-12 inches, allowing plants ample natural air, moisture, light, and space to reach their full genetic potential.
This method significantly reduces water consumption, requiring only about 25% of the water used in traditional paddy cultivation.
Traditional paddy cultivation, which involves creating artificial ponds of water during hot summer months when evapotranspiration is highest, requires approximately 5,000 litres of water to produce just one kilogram of rice.
Pannu added that since rice is sown and grown on beds without requiring standing water, there's no emission of dangerous methane greenhouse gas into the environment. This method also keeps soil pores open, aiding in better rainwater recharging and fostering superior conditions for beneficial microbes in the root zone, thus promoting natural environmental activity. Furthermore, plants absorb less water, making them sturdier and less succulent, and consequently, more resistant to insect, pest, and pathogen attacks, he said.