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Recently, The Punjab government has decided to bring one million hectares under the Direct Seeding of Rice (DSR) technique for the crop this year.
- Punjab farmers had planted paddy using the DSR technique during the Kharif season last year too.
Need & Objective
- The government is promoting DSR during the Kharif season this year to conserve 10 to 15 per cent of irrigation water as compared to the puddle transplanted rice.
- The promotion of DSR will lead to the conservation of groundwater, therefore, reduced power consumption and save farmers from a labour shortage.
Direct Seeding of Rice (DSR)
- Direct seeding is a method under which pre-germinated seeds are directly drilled into the field by a tractor-powered machine.
- There is no nursery preparation or transplantation involved in this method.
- In this water is replaced by real chemical herbicides and farmers have to only level their land and give one pre-sowing irrigation.
- The Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) in Ludhiana has developed a ‘Lucky Seed Drill’ that can both sow seeds and simultaneously spray herbicides to control weeds.
- In this water is replaced by real chemical herbicides and farmers have to only level their land and give one pre-sowing irrigation.
Advantages
- Water savings because the first irrigation (apart from the pre-sowing rain) under DSR is necessary only 21 days after sowing.
- Less requirement of labour.
- Reduction in methane emissions and global warming potential
- Little disturbance to soil structure
- Enhanced system productivity
Disadvantage
- The main issue is the availability of herbicides.
- The seed requirement for DSR is also higher than transplanting.
- Land levelling is compulsory in DSR, therefore, increases the cost.
- In the DSR technique plants have to come out properly before the monsoon rains arrive, early sowing is required.
- The DSR method is not suitable on certain types of soil and in such fields only transplanting methods work.
Difference Between DSR & Normal Transplantation
- In transplanting, farmers prepare nurseries where the 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.
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About Kharif Crops
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