Reduced seed rate in Paddy by Perumal

This is an innovation about reduced seed rate in Paddy crop developed by Mr Perumal in Alangudi village , Nagapattinam District Hand full seeds for Bountiful yield Mr.Perumal (56) is a farmer in Alangudi village , Nagapattinam district of Tamil Nadu cultivating 3 acres of land in the delta region known for paddy cultivation. . Story behind reducing the seed rate During 1975 when he raised nursery by sowing a seed rate of 50 kg per acre poor germination due to disease incidence. However he noticed very few seeds germinated in the edges of nursery . He decided that as he already prepared the main field for transplanting purpose with basal dose of manure etc. He therefore managed with available germinated seedlings but planted in a wider spacing of 30 cm or so . To his surprise he was able to harvest the same yield when planted with seedlings with good germination of 60kg seed rate per acre to 10kg , 5kg, 1kg. Lastly he satisfied with 50x50 cm spacing. He has calculated the number seedlings required for 4000 sq .M (1acre) as 4 sq Meter is sufficient to hold 4 seedlings. He calculated it as 16000 seedlings sufficient to cover 1 acre at 50x 50cm spacing ; then he counted the number of seeds in 250gm and it is 18,000 numbers which is more than sufficient to cover 1 acre he wonders. Finally he experimented with just 250 gm seed rate with quality seeds of ADT 47 paddy variety and raised nursery by direct sowing in a hovelled nursery bed in 1990 . He also become well versed in the number of tillers in each variety of paddy and optimum numbers he established by wider spacing especially with 50x50 cm . In each clump there are about 100 tillers (range 70 – 120) and majority of them are productive i.e. 70 – 110 . In each ear head he counts the number of grains and it is upto 400 and for each clump it totals up to 250 – 300gm. He specifies the advantages of maximum paddy yield of 3 tonnes in Kuruvai season compared to average yield of 2 tonnes obtained by other farmers ; in the Thaladi season he harvests maximum of 4 tonnes compared to 3 tonnes by average yield usually obtained using higher seed rates by other farmers during that time. He also claims that he obtains good straw and its quantity is higher (by 200kg extra )than conventional method. Weeding is easier with less laborers’ as it is more visible with wider spacing. In SRI method weeds grow profusely while in his method less number of weeds as water regulation is followed on unique way. In his method soil moisture is kept at good condition for the first 15 days of transplanting i.e. 1 cm standing water. Then on alternate days water can be irrigated depending up on the moisture. In SRI method they follow alternate drying and wetting and leads to profuse growth of weeds and it will reduce the productivity of tillers and number of tillers. Address of Innovator : R. Perumal S/o Rengaraj Main Road 34, Alangudi P.O Kuthalam Taluka Nagapattinam District Tamil Nadu Cell : 9486835547 , 9486525672 Documented by : P.Vivekanadan 27 March 2013.