Current Developments with SRI -- Other Methods,

Other Crops, Mechanization, etc.

in Global PerspectiveNational Workshop on Consolidation of

SRI Experiences in VietnamJanuary 21, 2010

Norman Uphoff, CIIFAD

SRI is not yet finished !• SRI is not a technology – insights and ideas; system of concepts and methods• SRI derives from the work of Fr. Henri de Laulanié, who spent 34 years working with farmers in Madagascar• SRI methods were synthesized in 1984-85, but they continue to evolve• Developed for small, poor farmers, but can be adapted more widely• SRI not a thing = [adjective > noun]

Interesting to see variations:

• In China, many various innovations:

• Triangular spacing, raised beds and no-till; now also plastic mulch

• In Myanmar, Cambodia, Philippines, India: rainfed/upland SRI - no irrigation

• In India, Thailand, Sri Lanka: direct-seeded SRI - no transplanting

• In Pakistan, Costa Rica, India: mechanized SRI - reduce labor-intensity

•In India, Mali, Ethiopia: other crops - wheat, sugar cane, millet, maize, etc.

Liu Zhibin, Meishan, Sichuan province, China, standing in raised-bed, zero-till SRI field; measured yield 13.4 t/ha;his SRI yield in 2001 (16 t/ha) set provincial yield record

Science and Technology Daily, Chengdu - 26 June 2009

“A New Technology Saves Millions in Paddy Fields in Drought Season in Sichuan Province” – Sheng Li

• Yield per mu in this drought-prone area is normally 300 kg (4.5 t/ha); with new methods it can exceed 500-600 kg/mu (7.7-9.0 t/ha), and can even reach 800 kg/mu (12 t/ha).

• Cost of mulching with new methods is 40 ¥/mu; but costs of weeding, land preparation, fertilizer and irrigation are decreased by 230 ¥/mu

• Net income can increase with higher yield by 460 ¥/mu ($1,015/hectare) – while using less water

Rainfed/upland SRI• Utilize monsoon or other

rains• Change WATER management

- no hoarding of rain water

• Change NURSERY management – plant several nurseries, expect to sacrifice all but one of them

• Increase soil organic matter for soil structure & water retention

INDIA: Cultivation costs & net profitsSubject SRI (Rs) Conv (Rs)

Land preparation 2,800 2,800

Seed 45 450

Labour (8) 400 750

DAP-75kg 750 750

Urea -50Kg 310 310

Weeding 600 1,000

Harvesting 420 420

Tractor hiring charges 450 450

Threshing 1,200 1,200

TOTAL COST 6,975 8,130

Irrigation - alternate (hrs) 3 7

Yield (bags) 39 32

Tons/ha 2.73 2.24

GROSS PROFIT 25,389 20,832

NET PROFIT 18,414 12,702

IWMI/India study: 67% more income per ha, with one field yielding 15

t/ha

Direct-seeding for SRI

• Sow pregerminated seed in geometric pattern – Cuba, India, Thailand

• Broadcast of pregerminated seed and thin out plants by weeding – Sri Lanka

• Parachute method – Iran, elsewhere? (spacing is not regular)

Seeder Developed in Cuba

Thailand: Farmers making direct-seeder

for SRI

India: Southern Andhra PradeshDirect-seeder at KVK

Mechanization of SRI

• Need to reduce labor requirements in many places

• Interesting developments in Costa Rica, Pakistan and other countries• Mechanical transplanting• Mechanical land preparation• Mechanical weeding

Mechanical transplanter in Costa Rica

8 t/ha yield vs. 4.2 t/ha before

Costa Rica – mechanized SRI crop

8 t/ha yield without fertilizer

IRAQ: Comparison trials at Al-Mishkhab Rice Research Station, Najaf

Mechanical transplanting with SRI spacing in Iraq

Pakistan, Punjab Province:

Dry raised beds formed on laser-leveled fields

Raised beds ready for transplanting

Nursery mats made from soil, compost and rice

hulls

Hole-making machine – makes holes at 9 inch spacing (22.5

cm)

Multi-function transplanting machine: Laborers drop 10-day seedlings into

holes; machine sprays water into holes and bands compost and

fertilizer

Transplanting machine straddling raised beds as laborers drop seedlings

in holes

Weeder/soil aerator:removes weeds and

breaks soil crust for 9 inch (22.5cm) spacing

Mechanically transplanted and weeded rice crop, irrigated in furrows with siphon

supply

Growing crop – reached 90 tillers at 72 days

Mechanical weeder in Colombia

SRI Methods in DifferentAgroecosystems

• Tropical environment – Indonesia/Aceh

• Extreme mountain environment – Afghanistan

• Benign mountain environment – Bhutan

• Desert environment - Mali

‘Rice Aplenty in Aceh

(Indonesia)’

CARITAS NEWSSpring 2009

SRI methods were introduced in Aceh in 2005 by CARITAS Australia after tsunami had devastated the area – new methods raised local rice yields from 2 t/ha to 8.5

t/ha: “Using less rice seed, less water and organic compost, farmers in Aceh have

quadrupled their crop production.”

2009 Report from Aga Khan

Foundation: Baghlan Province,

Afghanistan

2008: 6 farmers got SRI yields of 10.1 t/ha vs. 5.4 t/ha regular2009: 42 farmers got SRI yields of 9.3 t/ha vs. 5.6 t/ha regular

2nd year SRI farmers got 13.3 t/ha vs. 5.6 t/ha1st year SRI farmers got 8.7 t/ha vs. 5.5 t/ha

AFGHANISTAN: SRI field in Baghlan Province, supported by Aga Khan Foundation Natural Resource Management

program

AKF technician making field visit in Baghlan Province

SRI field at 30 days

SRI plant with 133 tillers @

72 days after transplanting

11.56 t/ha

From Report on SRI in Deorali Geog, Bhutan, 2009

Sangay Dorji, Jr. Extension Agent, Deorali Georg, Dagana

SRI @ 25x25cm 9.5 t/ha SRI random spacing 6.0 t/ha

SRI @ 30x30cm 10.0 t/ha Standard practice 3.6 t/ha

SRI nursery in Timbuktu region of Mali – 8-day seedlings ready for transplanting

SRI transplanting in Timbuktu, Mali

MALI: Farmer working with

Africare in Timbuktu region

showing difference between regular

and SRI rice plants, SRI yield of 8.98

t/ha in 2007

  SRI ControlFarmer Practice

Yield t/ha* 9.1 5.49 4.86Standard Error (SE) 0.24 0.27 0.18% Change compared to Control + 66 100 - 11% Change compared to Farmer Practice

+ 87 + 13 100

Number of Farmers

53 53 60

• * adjusted to 14% grain moisture content

Rice grain yield for SRI plots, control plots and farmer-practice plots,

Goundam circle, Timbuktu region, Mali, 2008

Importance of Soil Aeration

• Stimulate aerobic soil organisms as they are critical for soil fertility• Nitrogen fixation• Phosphorus solubilization• Mycorrhyzal fungi• Nutrient cycling – protozoa, nematodes• Induced systemic resistance (ISR)

Soil-aerating hand weeder in Sri Lanka costing <$10

Effect of Active Soil Aeration

412 farmers in Morang district, Nepal, using SRI in monsoon season, 2005

SRI yield = 6.3 t/ha vs. control = 3.1 t/ha• Data show how WEEDINGS can raise yield

No. of No. of Average Rangeweedings farmers yield of yields

1 32 5.16 (3.6-7.6) 2 366 5.87 (3.5-11.0) 3 14 7.87 (5.85-10.4)

MechanicalWeedings

Farmers (N)

Area (ha)

Harvest(kg)

Yield (t/ha)

None 2 0.11 657 5.973One 8 0.62 3,741 7.723Two 27 3.54 26,102 7.373

Three 24 5.21 47,516 9.120Four 15 5.92 69,693 11.772

Impact of Weedings on Yield with SRI MethodsAmbatovaky, Madagascar, 1997-98

Why Is ‘Weeding’ So Important?

Not just to control weeds necessary

Promotion of beneficial soil organisms, both bacteria and fungi (mycorrhizae)

Not only in the soil but also in the plant• As symbiotic endophytes in ROOTS• Also as endophytes in the LEAVES• Even as endophytes in the seed coat!

Microbial populations in rice rhizosphere

Tamil Nadu Agricultural University research

Microorganisms

Conventional

SRI

Total bacteria 88 x 106 105 x 106

Azospirillum 8 x 105 31 x 105

Azotobacter 39 x 103 66 x 103

Phosphobacteria

33 x 103 59 x 103

T. M. Thiyagarajan, WRRC presentation, Tsukuba, Japan, 2004

Total bacteria Total diazotrophs

Microbial populations in rhizosphere soil in rice crop under different management at active tillering, panicle initiation and flowering (SRI = yellow; conventional = red)

[units are √ transformed values of population/gram of dry soil]

Phosphobacteria \ Azotobacter

Dehydrogenase activity (μg TPF) Urease activity (μg NH4-N))

Microbial activities in rhizosphere soil in rice crop under different management (SRI = yellow; conventional = red) at active tillering, panicle initiation and flowering

stages [units are √ transformed values of population/gram of dry soil per 24 h]

Acid phosphate activity (μg p-Nitrophenol) \

Nitrogenase activity (nano mol C2H4)

Total microbes and numbers of beneficial microbes (CFU g-1) under conventional and

SRI cultivation methods, Tanjung Sari, Bogor, Indonesia, Feb-Aug 2009 (Iswandi

et al., 2009)Cultivation

method and fertilization

Total microbes

(x105)

Azoto-bacter(x103)

Azospi-rillum(x103)

P-solubilizing bacteria

(x104)

Conventional crop mgmt with NPK

2.3a 1.9a 0.9a 3.3a

Inorganic SRI (NPK fertilizer)

2.7a 2.2a 1.7ab 4.0a

Organic SRI (compost)

3.8b 3.7b 2.8bc 5.9b

Inorganic SRI + biofertilizer

4.8c 4.4b 3.3c 6.4b

ENDOPHYTIC AZOSPIRILLUM, TI LLERING, AND RICE YIELDS WITH CULTIVATION PRACTICES AND NUTRIENT AMENDMENTS Replicated trials at Anjomakely, Madagascar, 2001 (Andriankaja, 2002)

Azospirillum No. of CLAY SOIL in roots

(103/mg) tillers/

plant Yield (t/ha)

Traditional cultivation, no amendments

65 17 1.8

SRI cultivation, with no amendments

1,100 45 6.1

SRI cultivation, with NPK amendments

450 68 9.0

SRI cultivation, with compost

1,400 78 10.5

LOAM SOIL SRI cultivation with no amendments

75 32 2.1

SRI cultivation, with compost

2,000 47 6.6

Ascending Migration of Endophytic Rhizobia, from Roots and Leaves, inside Rice Plants and Assessment of Benefits to

Rice Growth Physiology Feng Chi et al.,Applied and Envir. Microbiology 71 (2005),

7271-7278Rhizo-bium test strain

Total plant root

volume/pot (cm3)

Shoot dry weight/ pot (g)

Net photo-synthetic

rate (μmol-2 s-1)

Water utilization efficiency

Area (cm2) of flag leaf

Grain yield/ pot (g)

Ac-ORS571 210 ± 36A 63 ± 2A 16.42 ± 1.39A 3.62 ± 0.17BC 17.64 ± 4.94ABC 86 ± 5A

SM-1021 180 ± 26A 67 ± 5A 14.99 ± 1.64B 4.02 ± 0.19AB 20.03 ± 3.92A 86 ± 4A

SM-1002 168 ± 8AB 52 ± 4BC 13.70 ± 0.73B 4.15 ± 0.32A 19.58 ± 4.47AB 61 ± 4B

R1-2370 175 ± 23A 61 ± 8AB 13.85 ± 0.38B 3.36 ± 0.41C 18.98 ± 4.49AB 64 ± 9B

Mh-93 193 ± 16A 67 ± 4A 13.86 ± 0.76B 3.18 ± 0.25CD 16.79 ± 3.43BC 77 ± 5A

Control 130 ± 10B 47 ± 6C 10.23 ± 1.03C 2.77 ± 0.69D 15.24 ± 4.0C 51 ± 4C

Data are based on the average linear root and shoot growth of three symbiotic (dashed line) and three nonsymbiotic (solid line) plants.

Arrows indicate the times when root hair development started.

Ratio of root and shoot growth in symbiotic and nonsymbiotic rice plants -- symbiotic plant seeds were inoculated with Fusarium culmorum

Russell J. Rodriguez et al., ‘Symbiotic regulation of plant growth, development and reproduction,’

Communicative and Integrative Biology, 2:3 (2009).

Growth of nonsymbiotic (on left) and symbiotic (on right) rice seedlings. On growth of endophyte (F. culmorum) and plant

inoculation procedures, see Rodriguez et al., Communicative and Integrative Biology, 2:3 (2009).

Mechanized Systems of Crop Intensification

(MSCI)

1 KM Defence Road, Bhobatian Chowk, Raiwind Road, Lahore, Pakistan

Tel: +92 (042) 532 2205 Fax: +92 (042) 532 1509

info@farmalltechnology.comwww.farmalltechnology.com

Solutions Provider in Farm Sector

Pakistan: Private-sector applications of SRI principles; mechanized rice production (8 ha) was 13 t/ha;

applications being made to wheat, sugar cane, potatoes, onions, etc.

Wheat Plantation on Raised Beds

• Direct seeding on raised beds

• 5 rows planted on a 42-inch bed at 9-inch spacing

• Seed rate is lowered to 25 to 30 kg per acre compared to 60 to 80 kg

• 350 kg/ha compost is banded, also 250 kg of NPK per ha is banded

Wheat Plantation on Raised Beds

Wheat Plantation on Raised Bedsas of December 22, 2009

Wheat Plantation on Raised Beds

as of January 18, 2010

True Potato Seed (TPS) Transplantation

True Potato Seed (TPS) Transplantation

as of December 22, 2009

True Potato Seed (TPS) Transplantation

as of January 18, 2010

PERFORMANCE OF SCI PERFORMANCE OF SCI CROPS DURING DROUGHT CROPS DURING DROUGHT

SEASON 2009SEASON 2009 Experiences from Himachal Pradesh & Experiences from Himachal Pradesh & UttarakhandUttarakhand

PEOPLE’S SCIENCE INSTITUTE, DEHRADUNPEOPLE’S SCIENCE INSTITUTE, DEHRADUN

Up-scaling of SRI in Himachal Up-scaling of SRI in Himachal Pradesh & Uttarakhand, 2006-08Pradesh & Uttarakhand, 2006-08

Particulars 2006 2007 2008

Conv. SRI Conv. SRI Conv. SRINo. of farmers (villages)

40 (25) 591 (133) 12,214 (496)

Area (ha) - 0.95 - 15.00 252.98Average grain yield (Q/ha)

31.5 52.5 28.5 54.0 39.5 60.5

% increase in grain yield

- 67 - 89 - 53

Average straw yield (Q/ha)

58 72.5 55 73.5 110.5 145

% increase in straw yield

- 25 - 34 - 31

Average SRI increase in grain yield has been about 70 per cent --Average SRI increase in grain yield has been about 70 per cent --SRI concepts and methods now being applied to OTHER CROPSSRI concepts and methods now being applied to OTHER CROPS

Recommended Practices

Normal Year

Drought Year(2009)

Young seedlings 8-12 days 10-25 daysWider spacing(cm)

25 x 25 P/P : 15-25 R/R : 15-20

Single seedling / hill

1 / hill 1-3/ hill

Alternative wetting & drying

YesWater not

under control

Inter-cultivation 2+ mechanical weedings

1+ mechanical and manual

weeding

Organic matter PAM* PAM*

Alterations in SRI Practices in Alterations in SRI Practices in Drought Year Drought Year

*PAM: Panchgavya, Amritghol, Matkakhad*PAM: Panchgavya, Amritghol, Matkakhad

SRI Comparative Crop-Cut Results, SRI Comparative Crop-Cut Results, 20092009Normal (2006-2008) Drought (2009)

Conv. SRI Conv. SRI

No. of effective tillers/ plant 7 21 5 18Average plant height (cm) 99 122 88 102Average panicle length (cm) 18 24 19 25Average no. of grains/panicle 93 177 90 174Grain yield (t/ha) 3.6 5.5 2.5 4.8Straw yield (t/ha) 11.1 14.5 5.1 8.5

** In this drought year, grain yields of conventional crop decreased by 31%, as compared to a reduction of only 13% in the SRI crop** Conventional yields stood close to 2.5 tons per ha while SRI yields were 4.8 tons per ha -- 92% higher

Particulars Rainfed Irrigated

UKD HP UKD HP

Conv SRI Conv SRI Conv SRI Conv SRI

No. of effective tillers/ hill 3 12 4 18 5 18 8 23

Average plant height (cm) 70 86 86 98 95 108 96 112

Average panicle length (cm) 14 19 18 26 20 26 22 28

Average no. of grains /panicle 64 102 79 230 113 170 109 189

Grain yield (t/ha) 1.1 1.9 3.4 6.3 2.6 4.6 2.9 5.9

Straw yield (t/ha) 1.9 2.7 5.8 10.1 5.9 9.7 9.1 12.8

% increase in grain yield - 73 - 74 - 77 - 103

% increase in straw yield - 42 - 78 - 64 - 41

SRI Crop Performance during SRI Crop Performance during Kharif 2009Kharif 2009

Experiments on System of Crop Experiments on System of Crop Intensification (SCI), 2009Intensification (SCI), 2009

Crops Total Farmers

Area(in Ha)

Maize 183 10.34

Kidney bean (Rajma) 679 14.01Sesame (Til) 22 0.41Finger millet (Mandwa) 340 8.04Black gram (Urad) 314 2.00Soyabean 77 2.47Tomato 45 4.36French bean 44 0.35

1,704 41.98

Practice Conventional SWI

Young seedling

Broadcasting Direct seed sowing /

transplantingWider spacing

- P to P : 20 - 25cm R to R: 20 – 25 cm

Single seedling / hill

- 1-2 seed/seedling per hill

Inter- cultivation

1+ manual weeding

2+ manual weeding

and weeder Organic matter

Compost+chemical fertilizer

Compost + PAM*

SCI Adaptations Made for WheatSCI Adaptations Made for Wheat

*PAM: Panchgavya, Amritghol, Matkakhad*PAM: Panchgavya, Amritghol, Matkakhad

Extensions of SRI to Other Crops (SCI)Extensions of SRI to Other Crops (SCI)Crop No. of

FarmersArea (ha)

Grain Yield (t/ha)

%Incr.

2006 Conv. SRI

Wheat Research Farm

5.0 1.6 2.2 38

Rajma 5 0.4 1.4 2.0 43Manduwa 5 0.4 1.8 2.4 332007

Wheat (Irrigated)

25 0.23 2.2 4.3 95

Wheat (Unirrig.)

25 0.09 1.6 2.6 63

Rajma 113 2.26 1.8 3.0 67Manduwa 43 0.8 1.5 2.4 60

Rajma (kidney beans)

Manduwa (millet)

SCI Adaptations Made for Finger SCI Adaptations Made for Finger Millet & MaizeMillet & Maize

Practice Finger Millet MaizeConv. SCI Conv. SCI

Young Seedling

Broad-Casting

Transplanting @ 15-20 days or

direct line sowing

Direct seed sowing

Direct seed sowing

Spacing Thinning out P to P : 20 cm R to R: 20 cm

Broadcasting P to P : 30 cmR to R : 30 cm

Single seedling/hill - 1 plant/hill or line sowing

- 1-2 seeds/hill

Inter-cultivation(manual weedings)

2+ 2+ 1+ 2+

Organic matter Compost Matka Khad, Vermi-compost,

PAM*

Compost Cow dung, Matka Khad, PAM*

*PAM: Panchgavya, Amritghol, Matkakhad*PAM: Panchgavya, Amritghol, Matkakhad

Finger Millet: 340 farmers = 8.04 ha Maize: 183 farmers = 10.34 ha

Finger Millet Maize

Conv. SCI Conv. SCIAve. ears/plant (cobs/plant) 3 5 2 3Average plant height (cm) 69.5 88.5 149.4 173.7Ave. no. of grains /ear (kernels/cob)

290 428 225 248

Grain yield (T/ha) 1.2 1.8 17.1 22.9% increase in grain yield - 50% - 34%

Results of SCI with Finger Millet & Maize, Results of SCI with Finger Millet & Maize, Kharif 2009Kharif 2009

System of Finger Millet I ntensificationon lef t; regular management of improved

variety and of traditional variety on right

ICRISAT-WWF Sugarcane

Initiative: at least 20% more cane

yield, with: • 30% reduction in water, and • 25% reduction in chemical inputs

‘The inspiration for putting this package together is from the successful approach of SRI – System of Rice Intensification.’

Comparison of SRI and usual rice plants –

Miyatty Jannah, Crawuk village,

Ngawi, E. Java

Single-seed SRI rice plantVariety: CiherangFertile tillers: 223Sampoerna CSR Program, Malang, E. Java, 2009

THANK YOU

• Check out SRI website: http://ciifad.cornell.edu/sri/

• Email: ciifad@cornell.edu

• or ntu1@cornell.edu