PAU Collaborates with Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to Launch DS Rice Initiative

The initiative ‘Plant Direct- Dry Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) for the Indo-Gangetic Plains of India’ under the umbrella of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) was launched in collaboration with IRRI-ICAR (International Rice Research Institute, Philippines – Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi) at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, Friday.

This session noted the presence of PAU V-C Dr. Satbir Singh Gosal along with distinguished scientists including Dr. Hans Bhardwaj, platform leader (Rice Breeding Innovations Platform), IRRI; Dr. Jean Balie, director general, IRRI; Dr. Jeet Ram, director research, Haryana Agricultural University; Dr. Renee Lafitee, director, crops research and development, BMGF among others.

This technique was developed and recommended by PAU IN 2020. This helps reduce water footprints during the cultivation of rice. It involves pre-sowing irrigation and simultaneous application of primed seed in a Tar-Wattar field preferably using Lucky Seed Drill.

This was a massive shift from the conventional dry-DSR, delayed first irrigation where the first irrigation was applied three weeks after sowing (21 days), offering higher savings (15-20 percent) in irrigation water, lesser incidence of iron deficiency as roots go deeper, lesser weed germination, wider soil adaptability and provide yield/profit similar to puddle transplanted rice was noted according to him.

Dr. Renee Lafitte revealed the goals of the BMGF for agricultural development and said that the foundation is motivated by the conviction that every life has equal value and that everyone has the right to live a healthy, productive life. She underlined the necessity for farmers to increase their output while utilizing sustainable practices that respect resource constraints, the need to protect biodiversity, and the fragility of ecosystems. She thinks there is a lot of room for farmer-led development.

Dr. Gary Atlin spoke about why evolving water-efficient rice management systems balance the critical component of the declining water table in the Indian agricultural system. There are many benefits involved like saving money on irrigation water, reducing labor and drudgery, removal of seedlings via uprooting and transplanting, decreased cultivation time, energy, and cost, faster maturation, and lower greenhouse gas emissions.

Dr. Jean Balie spoke about the vulnerability of rice production, keeping in mind the negative impacts of climate change. Rice cultivation has also ended up becoming a huge contributor to the loss of habitat in wetlands and forests, using one-third of the world’s freshwater. It is responsible for 10 percent of man-made methane emissions globally. The initiatives include DSR, short-duration varieties to ensure water efficiency, reduction in labor requirement, reduction of pollution, increase in drought withstanding, and improvement of cropping intensity to increase the farmer’s income.