Methods of Rice Cultivation in India
I Dry or Semi-Dry Upland Cultivation
The dry and semi-dry systems of cultivation are mainly confined to tracts which depend on rains and do not have supplementary irrigation facilities.
The fields are ploughed and harrowed in summer for achieving the required-tilth. Farmyard manure is uniformly distributed 2-3 weeks before sowing. The seed is sown directly with the onset of the monsoon showers, either by
1. Broadcasting the seed
2. Sowing the seed behind the plough or drilling
Line-sowing is preferable, as it ensures an adequate stand establishment and facilitates easy weeding and inter culture. The reduced seed-rate requirement is another advantage. The row spacing may be suitably adjusted from 20 to 25 cm. Under the semi-dry system, the rain-water is impounded when the crop is about 1½-2 months old and thereafter it is converted into a wetland crop.
By that time, major operations, such as weeding, inter culturing and fertilizer application
might have been completed. 'Beushening' still prevalent in Orissa and Madhya Pradesh under this system helps to control weeds and adjust population. The latest thinking is to promote line-sowing using a higher seed-rate so as to have a uniformly higher population density for effective competition from weeds and to use effective methods of inter culture to solve the weed problem.
II Wet or Lowland Cultivation
The wet system is practiced in areas with assured and adequate supply of water, either by way of rainfall or by irrigation.
In Wet or Lowland Cultivation, the distinguishing factors are :
1. Transplanting in puddled fields
2. Broadcasting sprouted seeds in puddled fields
Under Wet or Lowland Cultivation, the land is ploughed thoroughly and puddled with 3-5 cm of standing water in the field. The optimum depth of puddling is found to be around 10 cm in the clay and clay-loam types of soils. The primary objective is to obtain a soft seedbed for the seedlings to establish themselves faster, to minimize the leaching losses of nutrients and thereby increase the availability of plant nutrients by achieving a reduced soil conditions which facilitates a better availability of nutrient elements, to incorporate the weeds and stubble into the soil and to minimize the weed problem. Puddling can be done with ploughs, tillers or tractors, depending upon their availability and soil conditions. The land is leveled after puddling to facilitate a uniform distribution of water and fertilizers.
Development of Hybrid Rice in India
Export of Rice from India
Factors Influencing the Price of Rice
Minimum Support Price of Rice in India
Origin and History of Rice in India
Problems of Rice Cultivation in India
Production of Rice in India
Rice Cultivation in India
Steps to Improve Production of Rice
Varieties of Rice in India