Know Your Farming – Paddy

Importance of Paddy Industry in India

Rice, is the staple food for more than half of the world’s population (Food and Agricultural Organization [FAO], 2013), is an autogenous plant. India is the second largest rice producer in the world and the largest rice exporter in the world. Production increased from 53.6 million tonnes in 1980 to 120 million tonnes in 2020-21. India has the largest area under rice cultivation.

Rice is an essential Kharif crop in India, as it is cultivated primarily in rainwater areas where heavy rainfall occurs each year. Paddy fields are cultivated once, twice or three times in almost every state, depending on the availability of irrigation. Irrigation has also made it possible to grow rice in Punjab and Haryana, which are known for their freshly baked climate. They even export the surplus to other countries currently Punjab and Haryana grow valuable rice for export.

In Reality, farmers are plagued by crop failures due to various reasons, here mentioned below are various conditions in which Paddy fields grow:

Myth: Rice is widely believed to be an aquatic plant that grows best in standing water. Rice is not an aquatic plant; it can survive in water but does not thrive under reduced oxygen (hypoxic) levels. Rice plants spend a lot of their energy developing air pockets (aerenchyma tissue) in their roots under continuous inundation. Nearly 70% of rice root tips get degenerated by the flowering period.

Soil: Rice is cultivated in almost all types of soils with varying productivity. The major soil groups where rice is grown are riverine alluvium, red-yellow, red loamy, hill, and sub-montane, Terai, laterite, coastal alluvium, red sandy, mixed red, black, medium, and shallow black soils. Soils with good water retention capacity with a high amount of clay and organic matter are ideal for rice cultivation. Clay or clay loams are most suited for rice cultivation. Such soils are capable of holding water for long and sustaining crops.

Note: Rice grows well in soils having a pH range between 5.5 and 6.5.

Harvest at the right time with the right moisture content.

Correct timing is crucial to prevent losses and ensure good grain quality and high market value. Grain losses may be caused by rats, birds, insects, lodging, and shattering.

Note:

• Harvesting too early results in a larger percentage of unfilled or immature grains, which lowers yield and causes higher grain breakage during milling.
• Harvesting too late leads to excessive losses and increased breakage in rice.
• Harvest time also affects the germination potential of the seed.

Depending on the growth duration of the variety, harvesting time should be around 110−120 DAS for direct seeded rice, and 100−110 DAT for transplanted rice.

Moisture content

Grain moisture content ideally is between 20 and 25% (wet basis). Grains should be firm but not brittle when squeezed between the teeth. Harvest at minimal surface moisture (e.g. from previous rainfall or early morning dew).

Note: Avoid delays in threshing after harvesting. Threshing should be done as soon as possible after cutting to avoid rewetting and to reduce grain breakage. Use proper machine settings when using a threshing machine. Clean the grains properly after threshing. Dry the grains immediately after threshing.

Necessary steps to be taken for paddy weed management.

Weeds reduce rice yields by competing with the plants for soil nutrients, moisture, and sunlight. Fertilizer application may not increase yield in weedy fields because weeds absorb nutrients more effectively than the rice plants. Weeds are also harmful because they may be alternate hosts for insects and diseases of rice, and provide shelter for rats.

Note: Weed control measures that you can use are the preventive, mechanical, cultural, and chemical methods.

• The preventive method includes the use of good seeds (without weed seeds), control of weeds before flowering, and keeping bund and canals free of weeds.
• The mechanical method involves hand weeding and the use of rotary weeder.
• The cultural method involves good land preparation, closer crop spacing, and flooding. Most weed seeds or rhizome cannot germinate or grow without air under the surface of puddled soil.
• Chemical control involves the use of appropriate herbicides. A herbicide is a chemical used to kill or prevent the growth of weeds.