BY MICHAEL FISHER | NT
PANAJI: Encouraged by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s pitch for field trials for new paddy crops, farm scientists of the directorate of agriculture jointly with the Krishi Vigyan Kendra have successfully cultivated 11 paddy varieties, which are otherwise heavily imported for local consumption.
The booming demand for rice in Goa has fuelled imports from neighbouring states by merchants, as state farmers have been going out of business because the traditional Goan varieties they grow give poor yields, and are not liked by consumers, said zonal officers.
The paddy demonstration trials had been taken up by farm manager Shariff Furtado under the supervision of Ulhas Pai Kakode of the KVK programme coordinator and Sandeep Kesarkar (SMS Agronomy).
The agriculture department has almost completed trials of the 11 new paddy varieties in the government farm. Following extensive field testing, it was at the start of this year’s monsoon that the state’s seed sub-committee gave clearance for the project.
“The 11 crop varieties may prove to be a boon for thousands of farmers in the region,” Furtado told The Navhind Times at the government farm located in the outskirts of Margao.
There are signs that the crops are healthy. The varieties of Vaishaka, Samyuktha and Aishwarya are suited for Goan climate, and can be used as fodder for dairy animals as the length of the crop is more than one metre.
However, the harvesting should be done by conventional method using labourers without using the paddy combine harvester.
The variety of Kanchana is seen as high yielding among the 11 varieties as more grains are seen on the panicle. However, the actual yield will be seen only after the crop is harvested.
The varieties of Vaishaka and Prathyasa have exhibited good panicle length. The variety of Prathyasa has shown highest tillering at a hill.
All the above varieties were sown through the system of rice intensification method, which is the result-oriented technology currently introduced by the directorate of agriculture. In this method, the spacing adopted is 25cm X 25 cm, and nine to 12 days old single seedling is transplanted at one point.
Good aeration for roots and less competition for soil nutrients by the roots result in better uptake of nutrients and good yield.
The conventional method of sowing gives a yield of 35 quintals per hectare, while the SRI method of paddy cultivation gives around 70 quintals per hectare.
Furtado said some of the varieties have the potential to replace the traditional Goan varieties like Jaya and Jyothi which only Goan consumers prefer.