Direct Seeding Method

Direct Seeding Method

News: Farmers in several leading rice-growing States are shifting to the direct-seeding method with rains getting delayed and the availability of labour becoming a challenge.

What is Direct Seeding Method?
 Direct Seeded Rice (DSR), also known as the ‘broadcasting seed technique,’ is a water-saving method of sowing paddy.
 In this method, seeds are directly drilled into the fields, eliminating the need for nursery preparation and transplantation.

What are advantages of Direct-seeding method?
 By eliminating the need for nursery cultivation, farmers save approximately 30 days in the crop cycle. Further, this will also help farmer to start Rabi crops early.
 Using drum seeders, two labourers can complete sowing on one acre in a day. In the traditional method of sowing seedlings, farmers will need at least 25-30 labourers.
 The yield under this method is one to two quintals per acre higher than puddled transplanted rice.
 The method can help reduce water consumption over traditional method of transplanting rice seedlings.
 Eliminates methane pollution by using shorter flooding cycle and less soil disruption than transplanting rice seedlings.
 Improved soil conditions and more profitability under assured irrigation facilities.

Challenges:
 The government has also not been able to tackle the issue of weeds and rodents, which has been a problem in the DSR method.
 Weed management plays a big role in harvesting a successful crop in DSR. This is because the technique doesn’t require flood irrigation for three weeks after sowing, and weeds tend to grow easily, unlike the conventional method.
 Sudden rain immediately after immediately after seeding may hurt crop establishment.
 The DSR method gained traction in 2020 during the lockdown period as availability of labour was an issue, it will require additional effort by the government on ground to succeed every year.
 High temperatures and deficient rainfall can affect seed germination and crop growth.
 Transition to DSR is not easy and many farmers continue to rely on traditional method of transplantation.
Source – Times Agriculture