Crop Production
Crop Protection
Crop Improvement
Sustainable Agriculture
Organic Farming
Indigenous Farming

Weather
Soil
Water
Seed
Farm Enterprises
Nutrition
Post Harvest Technology
Bio Technology
Bio-Fuels

Click here for Latest Success Stories

Drum Seeded Rice

Tiruvarur district is being the major partner of ‘Rice Granary’ region of Tamil Nadu. Nearly 35,000 Hectares area is being under Kurvai season rice cultivation. Of late, this region is facing several problems viz., uncertainty in availability of canal water, paucity of labour availability coupled with hike in labour wages leads to rice cropping becomes lack luster and less profitable.

By considering the above prevailing problems this KVK   introduced popularized TNAU improved drum seeder in Tiruvarur district. To step up the profitability in rice cultivation cost cutting technology is the only way despite of the productivity aspects. Hence several on-campus and off-campus training and demonstration programmes were organized by the KVK to make horizontal spread of the same to the end users. Off-campus training cum demonstration has been organized pulavarnatham and poonthalagudi on 10.8.07 and 8.10.07 respectively to make  easy reach of the technology to the out reach peoples. Apart on-campus training programme were organized on 23.6.2007 on ‘Need Farm mechanization in rice cultivation’. More than 6 FLD’S were conducted during kuravai-07 season. In consequent more than 300 farmers contacted this Kendra to know the technology and its limitation to different situations. Due to the concerted effort the different ways and means drum seeded rice cultivation is being in more than 1000 Acres in the district due to Rs.1500 to 10000  saving in this technologies since, it doesn’t need nursery, seedling pulling out, transplanting. Moreover, farmer’s can take up sowing with family laboour/ limited labour in event of peak.

System of Rice Intensification (SRI)
Status of rice cultivation in Thiruvarur district

About 10,000 ha is under cultivation in Thiruvarur district during kuruvai season. The productivity in this particular season is largely varies due to uncertainty in receipt of canal water from Mettur dam. So it is inevitable for the farmers to raise the paddy with less amount of irrigation water without compromising the yield. So, the new method popularly  known as SRI cultivation is one such innovative and integrated approach well suited in this situation. This method is very useful for not only increasing the yield with less amount of water, but also to reduce the considerable amount of inputs like seed, labor etc. Therefore, we decided to popularize the technology to all parts of Thiruvarur district.

Popularizing the SRI

Though this particular technology has been known in some pockets of Thiruvarur district most of the framers were reluctant to take up this technology, since they were not fully aware of technical know-how of this technology. Hence KVK had taken as challenge of popularizing this technology to every parts of this district. Initially it has been decided to popularize through FLD in villages where SRI was not adopted earlier. Accordingly ten FLDs were conducted viz., Amirthavalli, Vaduvur, Edamelaiyur, Vaiyakalathur ,Munnavalkottai, Vikravandi, Senthannipuram, Edamelaiyur, Pandaravadai and Ammaiappan duaing 2007-08 (kuruvai).  As a result of demonstration the FLD farmers were completely satisfied and they had taken the job of motivating the other farmers in those villages.

Demonstration plot at KVK

In addition to farmers field, we have also laid out SRI method of cultivation as demonstration plot in our KVK farm in all kuruvai seasons (2005-08) which is compared with the normal method of planting and direct sowing with using same variety sown on the same date. So the farmers visiting to our farm could actually realize the benefits this technology.

On campus and Off campus training

The KVK has conducted about 20 On campus and 8 Off campus trainings on SRI in which 814 farmers and farm women were participated. In addition, five on campus trainings were given to SRI farmers on how to raise PAI  nursery for SRI cultivation. Exercise were also made to know how many of them are actually cultivated the SRI and the results were encouraging (about 66%)

State sponsored ICDP-SRI

Our efforts were made easy through State Government sponsored ICDP programme. Totally 193 demonstrations were successfully conducted throughout the district for which critical inputs includes polythene sheet, conoweeder, nursery frame, rope, rose can and LCC were demonstrated and distributed to the beneficiaries. They realized the benefits of SRI on saving of 8-10 women labours for planting, 12-16 for weeding, 3-4 irrigations and 15-45 kg of N/ha. It has also been realized by farmers that there is reduction in input costs upto Rs.2000/ha and increased net profit of Rs.10000-11000/ ha . All the farmers were reported that they are highly satisfied with this method of cultivation.
The farmers in these villages are very much enthusiastic on realizing the benefit of SRI especially on the production of more tillers, lengthy panicle, increased grain weight and characters like non lodging and early harvest. Based on the request from the SRI experienced farmers, an Interactive Workshop on SRI cultivation was convened at KVK, Needamangalam. The extension functionaries of both Thiruvarur and Nagapatttinam districts and the scientists involved in this new method accounting more than 75 SRI farmers participated and got clarified their practical problems on this method.

Status of rice cultivation after inception of KVK, Needamangalam

It was only 600 ha. under SRI cultivation out of 9500 hectares and now it has been increased to 3500 ha. under SRI during kuruvai season. This remarkable task has been achieved through efforts of KVK scientists as well as extension functionaries from State Government.

Now the SRI method becomes a profitable and alternate method of rice cultivation in the CDZ during this water scarcity period and more than 90 per   cent of farmers in vaduvoor, Ammaiappan, Senthannipuram, Pandaravadai.,Pullavarayankudikadu, Alangudi, Pulavarnatham, Amirthavalli, Edamelaiyur, Munavalkottai and Melanagai villages are adopting this technology during kuruvai season.(2007).

A Paradigm Shift towards Drum Seeded Rice in
Thiruvarur District

Thiruvarur district is being the major partner of ‘Rice Granary’ region of Tamil Nadu. Nearly 35,000 hectares are being under rice cultivation during Kharif season. Of late, this region is facing several problems viz., uncertainty in availability of canal water and paucity of labour availability coupled with enhanced labour wages which led to rice cropping less profitable.

To step up the profitability in rice cultivation, cost cutting technology is the only way despite of the productivity aspects. By considering the above constraints, the KVK Thiruvarur district has initiated to popularize TNAU improved drum seeder in Thiruvarur district from 2007 onwards.. Hence several on-campus and off-campus training and demonstration programmes were organized by the KVK to make horizontal spread of the technology to the end users. Off-campus training cum demonstrations and on-campus training programme were also organized on ‘Need of Farm mechanization in rice cultivation’. In consequent, more than 360 farmers contacted this Kendra to know the technology and its utilization to different situations. Front Line Demonstrations were conducted during 2007-09 in key stake holders at different blocks for two years during kharif season. Due to the concerted effort through different ways and means, drum seeded rice cultivation has been expanded to more than 2620 acres in the district during 2008-09. On an average, an amount of Rs.1500 to Rs.2000 is saved from this technology, as it doesn’t need nursery, seedling pulling out and transplanting. Moreover, the farmers can take up sowing with family labour or limited labour in the peak season.  Because of the meticulous and timely demonstrations and trainings coupled with Government subsidy scheme for drum seeder, more than 60 seeders were sold in Thiruvarur district during 2008-09 which shows a greater success of drum seeder in rice cultivation.

A farmer speaks….

I, Th.S.Balaguru, a leading rice farmer, have started direct seeding by broad casting of 50 kg seed acre during 2006 due to severe labour scarcity and escalated wages and faced huge yield loss due to weed menace and poor population maintenance. I have seen a advertisement in a daily news paper on direct drum seeder demonstration at KVK Thiruvarur. In pursuance, I have attended on-campus training cum demonstration on rice drum seeder at KVK, Needamangalam of Thiruvarur district and expressed interest to conduct FLD on drum seeder in my village Vettaithidal which is 10 kms away from Needamangalam in one hectare extent to find alternate solution for direct broad casting. To minimize the weed menace integrated weed management practices such as stale seed bed technique followed by application of pre emergence herbicide was demonstrated by the KVK scientists for effective early weed free condition.  They also advised to operate rotary weeder on 25 and 40 days after sowing for intercultural operation. I have followed remaining practices as per the recommendation of KVK scientists. I accrued the wonderful crop stand with bountiful yield as equal to transplanted crop. Since I have seen the benefits from learning by doing, now I am using direct drum seeder in an extent of 26 acre with least dependence on labour for the crop establishment.