Direct Seeded Rice: Potential and Constraints in Punjab

Abstract

Rice production contributes to global climate change through emissions of methane and nitrous oxide gases. Further water table is lowering at an alarming rate in Punjab due to excessive drawing of groundwater for rice cultivation. Water use in rice production, therefore, needs to be decreased by increasing water-use efficiency, decreasing seepage, percolation and evaporation losses. DSR (direct seeded rice) has got the potential to improve water use efficiency, reduce other losses besides significantly reducing the methane production by producing the aerobic conditions. The FLD on DSR were conducted during 2013–14 to 2015–16 in Bathinda district of Punjab to assess prospects and constraints of DSR over NTR (normal transplanted rice). DSR has saved labour worth 5250 per hectare, irrigations to the tune of 40 per cent and has also given 2.61 per cent additional yield worth 3298 per hectare over NTR. A successful transition of rice cultivation from normal transplanting system to DSR culture demands breeding of special rice varieties and developing appropriate management strategies. Despite threats of weed flora, NO2 emissions, lodging, nutrient deficiencies and blast attack the technique, thus, need to be popularized on heavy soils through suitable policy at the state level.