Rice cultivation
Rice is cultivated under varying saline situations during Kharif in an area of nearly 12,000 ha in the State. Varieties like Korgut, Azgo are predominantly cultivated in this area.
Land preparation manuring
Ploughing during summer preferably to a depth of of20 -30 cm is ideal. Apply well-decomposed FYM at the rate of 10 tonnes per hectare. Alternatively, green leaves manuring from the vegetation surrounding
the area preferably before the flowering of weeds is suggested. Further, incorporate FYM I green manure 15 days before sowmg.
Variety
Varieties with a duration of 105-115 days are suitable for this situation. Improved salt tolerant varieties like CSR-4 (3.53 tl ha), CSR-10 (4.10 tl ha), CSR- 27 (4.20 t I ha), are recommended for this situation.
Seed treatment
Select well filled, matured seed of desired variety. Immerse the seed in salt water (1. 65 kg common salt in 10 litres water). Remove chaffy and half filled grains that float on water surface. Collect heavy settled grains and wash thoroughly with fresh water and soak the seed for 24 hrs. Dry the soaked seed for 24 hours in shade for inducing stress in the plant.
Treat the seed with Carbendazim
(Bavistin, Topsin, etc.,) @ 2 g per kg of seed so as to get uniform seed coating (Preferably using seed drum).
Seed rate
80-100kg/hectare
Time of sowing
Seeds can either be broadcasted or Seeds can either be broadcasted or transplanted by raising a nursery. However, it is essential to ensure sowing with a regular onset of monsoon after ensuring flushing of salts.
Planting
Maintain a plant population of 50-60 hills I Sq.m by uniform sowing or transplanting. Pre-germinated seed can be broadcasted. Thinning and Gap filling is essential for maintaining optimum plant population.
Weed management
Although the intensity of weed infestation is relatively low in saline soil, initial weed free situation for 30-45 days helps in enhancing the yield potential.
Water management
Management of water is critical and needs to be monitored considering the salinity status of water especially at the time of certain breaches in the protective bunds.
Harvesting & threshing
Since local verities like Korgut / Azgo lodges at grain filling stage, timely harvesting and threshing are suggested. Drying of grains to less than 12 % moisture level is recommended for better storage. Store the paddy in proper storage structures with precaution for infestation by stored grain pests and fungal
infection.
Marketing
As this rice crop is mostly cultivated without application of any fertilizer/chemical by default, it can be sold as organic rice to fetch the maximum price in the market. This help to exploit the potential of a niche market with proper certification.
Mechanization of rice cultivation
Considering the labour intensiveness of the paddy crop, it is essential to adopt farm implements/machinery as per the availability and situations. Vast scope exists for reducing the labour cost by interventions of farm machinery right from ploughing to harvesting/threshing. Suitable implements/machines such as Seed dressing drum, Drum seeder, Power tiller, Rotavator, Cono weeder, Transplanters, Reapers, Combine (harvesting, threshing, winnowing and bagging), Thresher (manual/power operated) can be adopted especially on a community basis to reduce the cost of production.
Source-
- Central Coastal Agricultural Research Institute, Ela, Old Goa, Goa
