DSR technique

DSR technique

Subject: Science & Tech.

Why weedicides are essential for DSR technique to prosper?

Context: Punjab CM recently claimed that nearly 20 lakh acres of land will be used to grow rice using the DSR technique, the highest ever of any paddy sowing season in state history

What is Direct Seeding of Rice Technique?

Under the technique, paddy seeds are drilled into the field with the help of a machine that does seeding of rice and spray of herbicide simultaneously

The DSR needs far less water for irrigation, improves percolation, reduces dependence on farm labour and improves soil health, thus enhancing yield of both paddy and wheat by 5-10 per cent

Limitations:

The major flaw is an increase in the growth of weeds. This technique does not require flood irrigation during the sowing period and for three weeks after that, weeds grow easily and in large quantities.

The mandatory or pre-emergence weedicide is Pendimethalin while some post-emergence ones are Ricestar 6.7 EC, Almix 20 WP+ Metsulfron methyl, etc

It requires timely sowing needs for the crops to come out properly before monsoon rains

Seed requirement is high. In transplanting, it is 4 to 5 per acre and in DSR it is 8 to 10 kg per acre

Puddled transplantation method

While in the traditional method, young paddy plants are raised by farmers in nurseries first and then these plants are uprooted and transplanted in a puddled field.

In the traditional puddled transplantation method, fields are flooded at the time of transplantation and for 30-35 days after that, and the stagnant water prevents the growth of weeds to a large extent