0506 Some New Ideas and Opportunities Offered by the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) Developed in Madagascar

Some New Ideas and Opportunities Offered by the

System of Rice Intensification (SRI) Developed in Madagascar

COHD, China Agriculture University

Beijing, August 4, 2005

Norman Uphoff, CIIFAD

Cornell University, USA

SRI Is the Most Remarkable Innovation I Have Seen in 40 Years

• SRI has been dismissed as “too good to be true” but with logical arguments only

• SRI has been passing the empirical tests• There has been considerable resistance within

scientific community, but this is now changing• I can understand any skepticism because it

took me 3 years to accept SRI as valid• I am not trying to ‘sell’ SRI: will share my ideas

and experience, only to ‘open door’

Basic Message: For Centuries, Even Millennia, We Have Been ABUSING, even MISTREATING the Rice Plant

• We have FLOODED it – drowning its roots• We have CROWDED it – inhibiting the

growth potential of its canopy and roots• Now we use fertilizers and agrochemicals

that adversely affect the soil biota which provide many services: P solubilization, biological N fixation, protection against diseases and abiotic stresses, etc.

SRI Achieves Results by Changing Standard Cultural Practices

• SRI alters the E in the GxE equation -- by improving the growing environment for rice with innovative management practices for:– Plants: young single seedlings, widely spaced– Soil and water: no continuous flooding, with active

soil aeration through ‘rotating hoe’– Nutrients: while fertilizer is okay, compost from

any decomposed biomass works better

• These practices give us more productive PHENOTYPES from any rice GENOTYPE

Cuba – Both plants are the same age(52 DAP) and same variety (VN 2084)

Ms. Im Sarim, Cambodia,with rice plant grownfrom a single seed,using SRI methods

and traditional variety-- yield of 6.72 t/ha

Roots of a single rice plant (MTU 1071) grown at Agricultural Research Station

Maruteru, AP, India, kharif 2003

India: Single SRI plant – Swarna cv. – normally ‘shy-tillering’

Plant Physical Structure and Light Intensity Distribution

at Heading Stage (Tao et al., CNRRI, 2002)

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6-J ul 16-J ul 26-J ul 5-Aug 15-Aug 25-Aug

Date

LAI

SRICK

Change of Leaf Area Index (LAI) during growth cycle (Zheng et al., SAAS, 2003)

Roots’ Oxygenation Ability with SRI vs. Conventionally-Grown Rice

Research done at Nanjing Agricultural University,Wuxianggeng 9 variety (Wang et al. 2002)

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N-n n-2 Heading Maturity

Development stage

Ox

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ati

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SRI Results are Remarkable -- butThey Have Been Replicated Widely

• Yield increases – 50-100% or more• No need to change varieties – all respond• No need for mineral fertilizers – these are

beneficial, but compost gives better yield• Little or no need for agrochemicals -- SRI

plants more resistant to pests/diseases• Reduction in seed requirement by 80+%• Reduction in water requirement by 25-50%• More labor is required initially -- but over

time, SRI can even become labor-saving

Additional Benefits• SRI is more accessible to the poor because it

has lower capital requirements• SRI increases farmers’ profits because the costs

of production are lower -- by about 20%• SRI reduces farmers’ risks because SRI plants

are more resistant to biotic and abiotic stresses• Shorter maturation cycle -- by up to 15 days• Higher milling outturn from paddy ~ +15%• Environmental benefits from reduced water,

fertilizer, and agrochemicals – get better water and soil quality, and fewer health hazards

• May also have some nutritional benefits?

Rice fields in Sri Lanka: same variety, same irrigation system, and same drought : conventional methods (left), SRI (right)

Rice in Tamil Nadu, India: normal crop is seen in foreground; SRI crop, behind it, resists lodging

Rice in Vietnam: normal methods on right; SRI with close spacing in middle; SRI with recommended spacing on left

MEASURED DIFFERENCES IN GRAIN QUALITY Characteristic SRI (3 spacings) Conventional Diff.

Chalky kernels (%)

23.62 - 32.47 39.89 - 41.07 - 30.7

General chalkiness (%)

1.02 - 4.04 6.74 - 7.17 - 65.7

Milled rice outturn (%)

53.58 - 54.41 41.54 - 51.46 + 16.1

Head milled rice (%)

41.81 - 50.84 38.87 - 39.99 + 17.5

Paper by Prof. Ma Jun, Sichuan Agricultural University,presented at 10th conference on Theory and Practice for

High-Quality, High-Yielding Rice in China, Haerbin, 8/2004

Too Good to Be True?• This reasoning has been a problem

for getting SRI accepted, even tried• But it should be a matter of empirical

evaluation; then finding explanations• SRI creates a new logic for rice

production – indeed, a new paradigm – different from the Green Revolution

• SRI concepts and practices are being extrapolated now to other crops

Different Paradigms of Production • The GREEN REVOLUTION paradigm:

(a) Changed the genetic potential of plants, and

(b) Increased the use of external inputs -- more water, fertilizer, insecticides, etc.

• SRI changes certain management practices for plants, soil, water and nutrients, so as to:

(A) Promote the growth of root systems, and

(B) Increase the abundance and diversity of

soil organisms, and also (C) Reduce water use and costs of production

SRI RAGI (FINGER MILLET), Rabi 2004-0560 days after sowing – Varieties 762 and 708

VR 762

VR 708

10 15 21*

*Age at which seedlings weretransplanted from nursery

Results of trials beingbeing done by ANGRAU

Guli Vidhana Method (Millet)• Yields in Karnataka State, India:

500-600 kg/ha, maximum 1,500 kg/ha

• Guli Vidhana Method: average yield 1,800-2,000 kg/ha, up to 2,500 kg/ha

• Planting in square pattern (18 x 18 in.)

• Two seedlings per hill

• ‘Abuse’ young millet plants at 25 days – induce profuse tillering and root growth, with tripled yield (farmer innovation)

Sugar Cane Adaptation• Andhra Pradesh State, India: Farmer

adaptation based on SRI experience

• Instead of planting 8-12” sets in rows 3’ apart, ‘incubate’ 3” sets (with one bud) in plastic bags and compost, in warm, humid environment for 45 days; plant 1’ apart in rows 5-6’ apart; reduce material by 85%

• Save cost of 3 irrigations and 1 herbicide

• Yield of 100 tons/acre instead of 30 tons

Other Adaptations• UPLAND RICE – in Philippines, got

average of 7.2 t/ha unirrigated rice; in Madagascar have reached 4 t/ha

• COTTON starting, VEGETABLES too?

• Do whatever is necessary to promote ROOT GROWTH and also increase the abundance/diversity of SOIL BIOTA – often these are the same practices

• Induce different PHENOTYPICAL DEVELOPMENT – new strategy?

What Are Origins of SRI?It was developed in Madagascar 20 years ago by Pere Henri de Laulanié, S.J., who spent 34 years working with farmers, observing, experimenting, and having also some ‘good luck’• He was educated at Institut Nationale de Agriculture in Paris (Paris-Grignon), 1937-39, before attending Jesuit seminary, 1941-45; to Madagascar in 1961

– SRI practices were synthesized in 1983-84– Association Tefy Saina was established in 1990– CIIFAD started working with ATS in 1994

• SRI was first validated outside Madagascar in China and Indonesia, in 1999-2000• Now it has been validated in 22 countries and it is spreading – GOI recommendation 5/29/05

Fr. de Laulaniémaking field visit

Sebastien Rafaralahy andJustin Rabenandrasana,Association Tefy Saina

Phenotypical Differences Are Now Well-Documented

• Most of the scientific work on SRI has been done by Chinese scientists

• But still not enough work done on the associated soil microbiological factors

• SRI is not a technology -- not a fixed set of techniques – but rather a set of insights and associated practices that (a) enlarge roots, and (b) promote soil biota (micro and macro)

AZOSPIRILLUM POPULATIONS, TILLERING AND RICE YIELDS ASSOCIATED WITH DIFFERENT CULTIVATION PRACTICES

AND NUTRIENT AMENDMENTS Results of replicated trials at the Centre for Diffusion of Agricultural Intensification,

Beforona, Madagascar, 2000 (Raobelison, 2000)

Azospir. in CLAY SOIL Roots

(103/mg) Tillers/

plant Yield (t/ha)

Traditional cultivation,

no amendments 65 17 1.8

SRI cultivation, with no amendments

1,100 45 6.1

SRI cultivation, with NPK amendments

450 68 9.0

SRI cultivation, with compost

1,400 78 10.5

LOAM SOIL SRI cultivation, with no amendments

75 32 2.1

SRI cultivation,

with compost 2,000 47 6.6

Basic SRI Practices -- starting points• Transplant young seedlings (8-12 d old, and <15 d), quickly (15-30 min) and carefully• Plant with wider spacing than at present:

– 1 seedling per hill, or at most 2 seedlings– In square pattern, starting at 25x25 cm, but often get better results at even wider spacing as soil improves biologically, up to 50x50 cm

• Practice water control, keeping soil moist but not continuously saturated• Control weeds (and aerate soil) with rotary weeder; weed/aerate as often as possible• Apply as much organic matter as available

Benefits are observed from soil aeration during the

vegetative growth period

Just Good Agronomic Practice?• There is nothing ‘magic’ about SRI• Many of these practices have been used previously, often traditionally – according to Prof. Yuan Longping in China• These were often ‘BMP’ for prize-winning Japanese farmers in 1950s and 1960s -- according to Prof. T. Horie at U of Kyoto Why haven’t they become widespread?

– This is a very good question– Maybe some synergistic factors?

SRI Guidelines are Evolving• Age of seedling is important because of phyllochron effect -- but best age can vary• Direct seeding is being tried out to save labor; can sow germinated seed and ‘weed’• Permanent raised beds are promising• Optimum spacing changes over time -- in poorer soils, two plants/hill are better• Starting to recommend continuation of alternate wetting and drying throughout the crop cycle -- not shallow flooding after PI• Definite advantages of applying compost

SRI rice field, hybrid variety, Yunnan province, 2004 – 18 t/ha

Madagascar SRI field, 2003

Tillering with SRI practices: single rice plant grown by Dr. Musliar Kasim (Andalas Univ. West Sumatra, Indonesia)

SRI farmer in Chibal village, Srey Santhor district,Kampong Cham province, Cambodia

SRI field in Cuba – 12 t/ha – Los Palacios 9 cv. -- 2003

The Gambia: Sapu Research Station

The Gambia: Sapu Research Station (Mustapha Ceesay)

Guinea: Chinese hybrid (GY032) with SRI methods – 9.2 t/ha

SRI is still controversial for several reasons

1. SRI is counterintuitive – LESS gives MORE -- but this can be explained in scientific terms

2. SRI results are quite variable, between and within countries – because more is involved than genetic potential and external inputs

– Soil biological resources are the key to SRI performance – not industrial operation

3. SRI results often higher on farmers’ fields than on research stations – scientists often cannot replicate farmers’ results, which is the reverse of the usual situation

SRI Shows LINKS between Processes Above-Ground and Below-Ground

• Importance of soil aeration and provision of organic matter to promote abundance and diversity of organisms in/on/around roots

• Effects of N fixation, phosphorus solubilization, mycorrhizal fungi, protozoan cycling of N, induced systemic resistance, phytohormones

Soil microbial activity is critical for plant nutrition

and SRI performance

“The microbial flora causes a large number of biochemical changes in the soil that largely determine the fertility of the soil.” (DeDatta, 1981, p. 60, emphasis added)

SRI R 2 =

0.6159 Conv

R

2 =

0.3144

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N uptake (kg/ha)

Grain yield (kg/ha)

Grain yield SRI (kg/ha)

Grain yield Conv

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Poly.:Grain yield

SRI (kg/ha)

Poly.: Grain yield

Conv. (kg/ha)

Rice grain yield response to N uptake

Figure 8: Linear regression relationship between N uptake and grain yield for SRI and conventional methods, using QUEFTS modeling (from Barison, 2002) Results are from on-farm comparisons (N = 108)

LESS CAN PRODUCE MOREby utilizing biological potentials & processes• Smaller, younger seedlings become larger,

more productive mature plants• Fewer plants per hill and per m2 will give

higher yield if used with other SRI practices• Half as much water produces more rice

because aerobic soil conditions are better• Greater output is possible with use of fewer or even no external/chemical inputs

There is nothing magical about SRI – not ‘voodoo science’ (Cassman & Sinclair, 2004)

How to account for vigorous growth of young transplants?

• More TILLERING/ROOT GROWTH

• This can be explained in terms of ‘phyllochrons’ -- interval of plant growth found in all “grass” species

• Discovered by Japanese scientist Katayama in 1920s-30s

• Tillering pattern follows sequence of ‘Fibonacci series’ --1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13...

What speeds up the biological clock?

(adapted from Nemoto et al. 1995)

Shorter phyllochrons Longer phyllochrons• Higher temperature > cold temperature• Wider spacing > crowding of roots/canopy• More illumination > shading of plants• Ample nutrients in soil > nutrient deficits• Soil penetrability > compaction of soil• Sufficient moisture > drought conditions• Sufficient oxygen > hypoxic soil

Roller-marker devised by Lakshmana Reddy, East Godavari,AP, India, to save time in transplanting operations; his yield

in 2003-04 rabi season was 17.25 t/ha paddy (dry weight)

4-row weeder designedby Gopal Swaminathan,

Thanjavur, TN, India

Aerate soil at same time that weeds are removed/incorporated

Motorizedweeder

developed byS. Ariyaratna

Sri Lanka

Seeder Developed in Cuba

Direct seeding will probably replace transplanting in futureEssential principle is to avoid trauma to the young roots

Liu Zhibin, Meishan Inst. of Science & Technology, in

raised-bed,no-till SRI field with certified yield of 13.4 t/ha

Seedlings are started at the end of winter in plastic greenhouses

Normal 3-S

THANK YOU

• Web page: http://ciifad.cornell.edu/sri/

• Email: [email protected] or [email protected] or

• [email protected]