Paddy is the major source of carbs for millions of people around the world. It is inexpensive and among the most flavourful grains. Whether served at home with regular curry or eaten as Biryani at weddings, rice adds colour to every meal. Rice is made daily in almost every household from India to Turkey. Asian cuisine is incomplete without rice. Asia accounts for about 90% of the world's rice production. Around thousands of rice varieties are grown in Asian regions, and all belong to Oryza Sativa.
Basmati rice and Jasmine rice are the 2 tastiest rice you will find in Asia. Jasmine rice is cultivated in Southeast Asia, whereas Basmati is grown in South Asia. Jasmine rice is available in two varieties: white Jasmine rice and brown Jasmine rice. On the other hand, you will find myriad varieties of Basmati rice. Some of them are creamy Sella rice, Pusa Basmati, Kasturi Basmati, and Mahi Sugandha Basmati.
Read next: Step By Step Guide On How To Start Rice Farming In Nigeria.
Rice consumption is increasing year by year. In 2010, rice demand was around 676 MLT, while in 2020, it increased to 763 MLT. The rice is cultivated in wetlands and requires plenty of water. Increased demand for rice is directly related to higher water consumption. In this article, we will discuss 4 ways that will help you to grow more paddy and also save water.
• Use AWD System
AWD is defined as an alternative wetting and drying system for rice cultivation. It is a water-saving technology that farmers can use to reduce water for rice cultivation and irrigation. The AWD technology saves around 15% to 25% water. In AWD systems, the rice fields are first filled with water and then left to dry for many days. When the water level falls 15 cm beneath the soil surface, the field is again filled with water. That's why it's called an alternative wetting and drying system. The number of days for which fields are allowed to dry depends on the condition of the soil. The farmers use a field water tube to measure the water levels under the soil surface. The AWD technique can increase the rice yield and save millions of gallons. It also improves the quality of paddy and decreases the As (arsenic) accumulation in it.
• Aerobic Rice System
The cultivation of Aerobic rice instead of plain rice can also increase the rice yield and reduce water usage by up to 60%. According to statistics, the same amount of water we use to grow normal rice in one acre is used to grow aerobic rice in 4 acres. Normal rice irrigation requires water on a daily basis, while Aerobic rice requires you to water the fields once a week. The best feature of Aerobic rice is that it can be grown on any type of land. It requires less investment and increases your profits.
• Practice DDR (Dry Direct Seeding)
Dry seeding technology allows rice grains to be sown in dry soil and thereby increases the yield of paddy grains. Generally, this method of cultivation required a machine called a power tiller operated seeder. DDR requires less water, labour, time, and money. Not just that, crops cultivated with dry direct seeding matures 10 days earlier than those rice, which is cultivated with traditional technique. DDR saves 15% to 30% water for planting rice. It's important to note that direct seeding increases the number of weeds. Therefore weed management is necessary for such a type of cultivation.
• Use SRI Methodology
SRI is defined as a system of rice intensification and used to elevate rice yield in less water. It originated from the Republic of Madagascar in 1980. This type of rice is cultivated in non-flooded rice fields and uses manure in lieu of synthetic fertilizers to increase soil fertility and nutrient values.
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