FARMER'S NOTEBOOK
Eco-friendly technologies for rice cultivation
By Our Agriculture Correspondent
A pioneer in organic farming, Mr.P. Gomathinayagam, is inspecting his healthy crop.
A SOUND package of eco-friendly technologies to grow rice is being successfully adopted by a few progressive farmers in Puliangudi village in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. "The technologies work well with indigenous rice varieties such as Kitchili Samba. The cost of cultivation is substantially reduced and the organic rice fetches a premium price in the market," says Mr. P. Gomathinayagam, a pioneer in organic farming in Puliangudi.
"I grew a medium-duration (140 days) Kitchili Samba rice in about 1.6 hectares. The seeds were treated with Panchakavya, and the nursery was treated with plenty of tank silt and a host of organic amendments.
Liberal quantities of tank silt were applied and green leaf manure was incorporated a few days ahead of the final ploughing. Biogas slurry was applied through irrigation when the seedlings were just establishing in the main field," he explained.
One round of spray with 3 per cent solution of Panchakavya was given 20 days after transplanting. On the 30th day, a combination of coconut milk and butter milk, mixed in equal volume, in ten times their volume of water was sprayed on the crop to promote active plant growth and tillering.
On the 40th day, another round of spray with Panchakavya (3 per cent solution in high volume spray) was given. A bio-insect repellent was sprayed on the 45th day of transplantation.
The crop was regularly irrigated, and a grain yield of about 6 tonnes was expected from the 1.6 hectare plot. He also was assured of high quality straw for his cattle.
The cost of cultivation worked out to Rs. 14,000 for 1.6 hectares. "I sell the output as organic rice at a rate of Rs. 30 per kg, and it makes organic rice cultivation more rewarding economically as well environmentally," pointed out Mr. Gomathinayagam. He is championing the cause of organic farming in the southern districts of Tamil Nadu. Several farmers are following his advice.
"I adopted the organic rice farming technologies and harvested about 9.25 tonnes of paddy a hectare from the bold grained Trichi-1 variety. I dumped liberal quantities of daincha in the field and allowed it to decompose well in the field ahead of planting.
There was no need for any plant protection also. The cost of cultivation worked out to Rs. 12,500 per hectare. I also harvested plenty of healthy straw for our animals," said Mr. V. Antonysamy, a progressive farmer of Puliangudi village.
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