When rice wont guzzle water

In the 90s,I would see farmers burning rice stubble in their fields,using weedicides to kill what was left,in order to sow potato in ridges. However,all these activities could not prevent sprouting of rice. I had begun thinking of the direct seeding method then only,but could come up with a full-fledged technique not before 2000, Dr Singh.

Eight years hence,Dr Singh practises this technique on 40,000 acres of land in Punjab and has also motivated well-known economist Dr S S Johl to grow paddy in his fields through the direct seeding method.

Dr Johl,who had visited Dr Singhs farm in 2002,had remarked,I could actually walk through the paddy fields without getting my feet wet.

Explaining the technique,Dr Singh adds,Ridges and furrows are made in the fields. While paddy seeds are sown on the sides of the ridges,the water is drained out through the furrows. This requires 50 per cent less water than what is used in the traditional method of puddling. It is also less time-consuming and requires less labour. Besides,a flooded field damages the soil quality.

The state department of agriculture,which had suspended its trials on the technique some time ago,has begun them once again this year.

Punjab Agricultural University,which is still to recommend the practice,too,has its trials in the advanced stages.

The Punjab Farmers Commission,meanwhile,has given 13 paddy transplanting machines to various district chief agriculture officers in the state for direct seeding of paddy.

Deputy Commissioner,Amritsar,K S Pannu,who is trying to popularise the technique in his district,says,Dr Singh was initially transplanting paddy on ridges and furrows,we went a step further and began direct seeding on the ridges. We have sown paddy in around 1,000 acres of land through the technique in our area and the results are very good.

Director,Agriculture,B S Sidhu says,The state department of agriculture begun its experiments way back in 2000,but was faced with a problem of a specific weed,and had no weedicide to tackle it. The Government of India has now released a weedicide to help solve this problem. Till date,we have sown paddy on 11,000 acres of land through direct seeding; our target is to cover 1,5000 acres.

On the delay on the part of PAU to recommend the technique,Sidhu said,PAU is conducting its trials,which are in the advanced stages. By next year,the varsity would offer some recommendations.