Direct Rice Seeding (DSR): A Water-Saving Rice Cultivation Method

The current southwest monsoon season in India has recorded a 37.2% rainfall deficit.
Paddy farming, a water-intensive crop, is hampered by a poor monsoon.
In the setting of low rainfall, this article investigates Direct Seeding of Rice (DSR) as a water-saving alternative to typical transplanting methods.

DSR is a method of directly sowing paddy in the field without the use of nursery equipment, puddling or floods.
Flooded fields are used in traditional transplanting procedures to reduce weed development and supply oxygen to the roots.
DSR replaces water with chemical herbicides to manage weeds.
DSR has the ability to save water and reduce irrigation dependency during the early crop stages.

Ploughing, laser levelling, and soil compaction to retain moisture are all part of the field preparation process.
Sowing: Direct sowing in the field with DSR equipment.
Weed Control: The use of pre-emergent herbicides to prevent weed germination.
Reduced Irrigation: The first irrigation was required 18-20 days after sowing, which reduced water consumption.

Water Savings: When compared to previous approaches, DSR reduces the overall number of irrigations.
Labour Savings: Because DSR devices cover more areas in less time, labour requirements and costs are reduced.
Herbicide Costs: Higher herbicide costs are mitigated by lower labour costs.

Subsidised or free electricity for irrigation: The availability of subsidised or free electricity for irrigation diminishes the incentives for DSR adoption.
Machine Design: The lack of readily available well-designed and efficient DSR machines impedes widespread implementation.
Plant Spacing: Achieving proper plant-to-plant distance is critical for DSR performance.
Policy Incentives: State governments, such as those in Haryana and Punjab, are providing financial incentives for DSR implementation.

Water Resource Conservation: DSR minimises water use and contributes to water conservation efforts.
DSR eliminates the need for flooding fields, resulting in lower methane emissions.
DSR supports soil health and erosion prevention by minimising soil disturbance and erosion hazards.

Government Initiatives: Promoting DSR through subsidies, public awareness campaigns, and financial assistance for efficient machine development.
Continuous research is being conducted to improve DSR procedures, herbicide efficiency, and machine design.
Farmer Education and Training: Improving knowledge and capacity-building programmes to promote greater DSR adoption.
Prospects for the Future: Increased DSR use can help to ensure sustainable agriculture and resilience to water constraint.

Direct Rice Seeding (DSR) is a promising water-saving alternative to standard transplanting procedures.
Adoption of DSR can help to alleviate the effects of low rainfall and water scarcity.
Development of efficient DSR machines, supportive policies, and continuous research are crucial for widespread adoption of this sustainable farming technique.

Source: https://dsrc.irri.org/our-work/what-is-dsr#:~:text=Direct%20seeding%20is%20a%20crop,then%20transplanting%20into%20flooded%20fields.