Influence of System of Rice Intensification (SRI) on the Incidence of Insect Pests T. Ratna Sudhakar and P. Narsimha Reddy Principal Scientist (Entom.) and Senior Scientist (Br.) Rice Section, Agricultural Research Institute Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University Rajendranagar, Hyderabad Andhra Pradesh
Southern Telangana Zone Districts: 3 Ranga Reddy Ranga Reddy Nalgonda Nalgonda Mahaboobnagar Mahaboobnagar Irrigation source: Wells, bore wells, tanks, and minor irrigation projects Wells, bore wells, tanks, and minor irrigation projects Cropping situation: Rice – rice; Rice-fallow; Rice-vegetables Rice – oil seeds; Rice-maize Soils: black clay soils, red loamy soils, chelka soils Rainfall : 700 mm
Materials and Methods Irrigation Source: Open well Variety: RNR during Kharif 2006 Tellahamsa during Rabi Tellahamsa during Rabi Spacing: 25 x 25 cm for SRI 15 x 15 cm for normal method 15 x 15 cm for normal method Insect pests: Whorl maggot, hispa, thrips, stem borer, and gall midge Replications: 7 in Kharif and 6 in Rabi Yield attributes: Number of healthy grains/panicles Number of chaffy grains/panicles Number of chaffy grains/panicles Grain yield (t/ha) Grain yield (t/ha)
RESULTS Occurrence of insect pests with SRI & normal methods StageNormalSRI NurseryThripsThrips Hispa Stem borer Gall midge Whorl maggot Total:51 Contd…
StageNormalSRI Main field Whorl maggot HispaHispa ThripsThrips Stem borer Gall midge Leaf folder Cut worms Rodents (veg. stage) - Rodents (reproductive stage) Rodents (reproduc- tive stage) 98 Total149
Incidence of early-stage insect pests ParticularsDATNormalSRI Whorl maggot-damaged leaves (%) Hispa-damaged leaves (%) Thrips-damaged leaves (%)
Incidence of stem borer SeasonParticularsDATNormalSRI Kharif – 2006 Dead hearts (%) do - - do do White ears (%) Total Mean Rabi Dead hearts (%) White ears (%) Total Mean
Incidence of gall midge (%) SeasonParticularsTimeNormalSRI Kharif – 2006 Silver shoots do - - do - - do Total Mean0.40.8
Grain yield (t/ha) SeasonNormalSRI Kharif 2006 * Rabi * Low yield due to cold injury
Meteorological data & sowing time particulars. ParticularsNormalSRI Date of sowing Date of planting Date of harvesting Meteorological dataPeriod Mean max. 0 C Mean min. 0 C No. of sunshine hours 1 st – 15 th Nov th – 30 th Nov st – 15 th Dec th – 31 st Dec Sudden drop in min. temp. between 16 th – 21 st Dec.-06 (9.2 to C for 5 days)
Conclusions Less number of insect pests were associated from seed to seed with SRI than with normal methods Damage of whorl maggot was high in SRI. Hispa and thrips incidence was less Stem borer and gall midge incidence was more with SRI at vegetative phase while occurrence of white ears was low Grain yield was more in SRI SRI escaped partially from cold snap and is the best alternative for at-risk locations to escape cold (during November – December) under late-planted conditions, e.g., August, for medium-duration varieties.
Future research requirements to generate crop-protection technologies for SRI ► Nursery protection technologies to protect crop until days in main field from early-stage insects ► Need-based protection against stem borer and gall midge during days after transplanting and at reproductive phase ► Schedule for release of Trichogramma Sp. to manage stem borer at vegetative phase ► Develop non-pesticide methods for the management of insect pests under SRI ► Provide low-cost & safe IPM package for SRI
Acknowledgements ► ANGRAU university officers ► Rice Section staff ► WWF - for financial support ► Farmers – for SRI adoption/promotion
Thank you