Rice cultivation

Seed Selection

Always use certified seed containing at least 98% purity, not less than 80% germination, admixture of other rice variety shall not exceed 0.5%.Use only well filled and heavy grains. Soak the seeds in salt solution (270gms in 10 litres water ) for about 10 minutes. Select heavier seeds that settles at the bottom after discarding the seeds that floats in the solution. Wash the seeds in clean water immediately after removing from the solution. Seed Treatment

Protect the crop from seed-borne diseases by treatment with solution of Carbendazim W.P @ 1gm/litre of water. Soak the seeds in the solution for 24 hours. This treatment offer protection against fungal diseases like blast, brown spot, root-rot, elongation etc. In areas where bacterial leaf blight is prevalent, treat the seeds by soaking in a solution of 0.5gms Streptocycline in 1litre water for 12hours. After treatment, dry the seeds under the shade before sowing. Planting season

Rice should be planted at an appropriate time depending on the variety. It is suggested to avoid unfavorable weather during plant development, for example, too warm or too cold weather during blooming stage, and heavy rain at harvesting. Mainly there are two seasons- Kharif and Boro for rice cultivation. Seed Rate

40 kgs/Ha. in case of High Yielding varieties (H.Y.V) 50 kgs/Ha. in case of Improved varieties for high altitude region

Soil Preparation and Planting Method

(1) Seedling nursery

  • The seedbed should be prepared by starting from first plowing in lengthwise of the field. The second plowing in crosswise should be done 7-10 days after. Water should be applied into the field subsequently after plowing to flood the muddy soil, then harrowing and paddling processes.
  • The prepared land should be partitioned into small seedbeds, 1-2 m. wide with the length along the field. A small furrow of 30 cm. wide is set between seedbeds for water drainage.
  • Rice seeds are sown uniformly on the seedbeds at the rate of 50-70 gm. per sq. m.
  • The seedbeds re maintained at saturated moisture for seed germination by draining out the flooding water. After the emergence of seedling, gradually increase the water level of the seedbeds according to the height of the seedling, but not exceeds 5 cm. from the soil surface.

(2) Transplanting

  • Planting field should be started from first plowing in lengthwise of the field. The second plowing in crosswise should be done 7-10 days after. Water should be applied into the field subsequently after plowing to flood the muddy soil, then harrowing and paddling processes. The water level should be maintained at approximately 5 cm. from the soil surface.
  • Transplanting is made by using approximately 25 day-old seedlings. Transplant the seedlings when they are at 3 to 4 leaf stage. Irrigate the nursery beds to facilitate easy uprooting of seedlings. Clip off the leaf tips before transplanting.
  • Spacing between rows is recommended at 20 cm and between hills at 20 cm with the number of 3 to 5 seedlings/hill.
  • Water level in the field should be maintained at 5-10 cm. that appropriate to the plants growth.
  • Water should be maintained all the plant growth duration, especially the period of panicle initiation to blooming
  • 15 to 20 days after 80% of plants bloomed; remaining water should be drained depending on soil type.

Sl. No. Duration of Variety Age of Seedlings for transplanting (In Days) 1. Short and Medium duration varieties (upto 120 days) 25 2. Medium to Long duration varieties (120-130 days) 30-35 3. Long duration varieties (130-160 days) 30-45

Wet seeded Practice should be done as follow:

  • Planting field should be started from first plowing in lengthwise of the field. The second plowing in crosswise should be done 7-10 days after. Water should be applied into the field subsequently after plowing to flood the muddy soil, then harrowing and puddling processes, then leveling the muddy surface.
  • Prepared field should be partitioned into small plots of 5-10 m. wide with the length along the field. A small furrow of 30 cm. wide should be set between the plots for water drainage.
  • Rice seeds should be sown or broadcasted uniformly on the plots at the rate of 10 to 20 kg./rai. (According to b.4.1.1.3)
  • Drain off flooding water after sowing and keep the soil saturated with moisture for seed germination, then gradually increase the water level according to the height of the plants, but not exceed 10 cm. from the soil surface.
    Water should be maintained all the plant growth duration, especially the period of panicle initiation to blooming
  • 15 to 20 days after 80% of plants bloomed; remaining water should be drained depending on soil type.

Dry seeded practice should be done as follow:

  • Planting field should be started from first plowing in lengthwise of the field. The second plowing in crosswise should be done 15-30 days after with hand weeding at the same time.
  • Rice seeds should be sown or broadcasted uniformly on the plots at the rate of 10 to 20 kg./rai.
  • Soil should be plowed to incorporate rice seed under it. The moisture will accelerate seed germination. If the seeds incorporated too deep under the soil, at heavy rain, the seed would not evenly germinate and rot.
  • After sowing, keep the field from being flooded but containing moisture sufficient for seed germination. Slowly increase water level according to plant height. Be careful that the plants are not submerged under water and not exceed to 10 cm. from soil surface.
  • Be sure that rice plants have sufficient water to grow , especially at the stage of panicle initiation and blooming.
  • 15 to 20 days after 80% of plants bloomed; remaining water should be drained depending on soil type.

Manures and Fertilizers

Judicious and balance fertilizers application are very important. Use of chemical fertilizers incorporated with organic fertilizers in rice cultivation, the organic fertilizer enhances an improvement in physical and biological properties of soil. It increase micro organism and contains more supplemental elements than chemical fertilizer. It also absorbs nutrients and slow down leaching of chemical fertilizer.

  • Plot size should be known for accurate fertilizer application
  • Dike around rice plot must not have any water leakage before fertilizer application. After applying fertilizer for three to five days, water can be flow normally.
  • Before fertilizer application, water level should be maintained at 5cm.
  • Eliminate any weed in rice before fertilizer application, especially when rice plants develop at early stage.
  • Apply fertilizer, its rate and time of application appropriate to rice variety and soil type.

Inter-Cultural Operation

Re-planting of dead hills should be done within 7-10 days of transplanting with seedlings of the same age. Pre-emergence herbicides like Butachlor @ 25kgs/Ha can be atop dressed after transplanting to check emergence of weed. Perform hand weeding at tillering stage, i.e. 20-25 days after transplanting, before application of first atop dressing of fertilizers. Maintaining 5cms depth of water continuously from rooting stage till 15-20 days before harvesting will keep in check weed growth.

Water management

Water should be maintained up to a depth of 5cms right from one week after transplanting till 2 to 3 weeks before harvest.
It should be noted that if irrigation facilities are available, water may be drained out from the field before broadcasting of fertilizers during atop dressing. This is done to avoid undue loss of fertilizer due to runoff. The field may again be irrigated 2 to 3 days after atop dressing.
Water should be maintained up to a depth of 5cms right from one week after transplanting till 2 to 3 weeks before harvest.
It should be noted that if irrigation facilities are available, water may be drained out from the field before broadcasting of fertilizers during a top dressing. This is done to avoid undue loss of fertilizer due to runoff. The field may again be irrigated 2 to 3 days after a top dressing.

Cultivation of Potato

INTRODUCTION

The Potato belongs to the family Solanaceae. Potatoes are an important staple food crop. Annual world production of potatoes surpasses that of all other vegetables and ranks with wheat and rice. Introduced into Europe from Bolivia and Andes foothills in the 16th century by Spanish explorers, it is cultivated throughout the world including the Indo-Pakistan subcontinent. The potato is rich in starch and contains protein, minerals, & a fair amount of vitamins, particularly Vitamin - C.

Climate:

It is a cool season crop and is moderately frost - tolerant Temperature during the growing season has long been recognized as one of the most important factors influencing yield. Young plants grow best at a temperature of 240C; later growth is favored at 180C. Tuber production reaches a maximum at 200C, decreases with rise in temperature, and at about 300C tuber production stops entirely. Short days are beneficial for tuber production.

Soil& land preparation:

The potato develops best on deep, fertile, sandy lo clay loams with good water retention capacity. Because the potato has a relatively weak, shallow root system, impermeable layers in the soil limit rooting depth, which restricts water availability to the plant in dry. periods. Thus soil compaction can greatly reduce potato yields. Aeration of the soil has a great effect on the set and development of tubers.

Potato requires fine tilled light soil for proper growth of tubers. To obtain fine tilth for potato we should undertake one deep ploughing with soil turning plough followed by two cross harrowings or five to six ploughing with local plough. Planking should be done to make the field smooth and clod-free. If the soil did not have sufficient moisture during land preparation then fields are prepared after giving a pre-irrigation.

Manures and Fertilizers:

Potato has a high nutrient requirement; a yield of 25 tones of tubers/ha depletes the soil of 119 kg of N, 50 kg of P and 225 kg of K. In light soils and places where organic manures are not easily available, green manure is beneficial. Well rotted FYM at 30 t/ha should be incorporated into the soil three to four weeks before planting. Research on fertilizer requirements conducted in the Punjab and Sindh suggests that 100 kg N, 80-100 kg of P2O5, and 50 kg K2O per hectare are sufficient- to obtain good yields.

Spacing:

In hilly areas, potatoes are spaced at 60 x 30 cm and the tubers are planted in furrows. In the plains, however, they are planted on ridges spaced 30 cm apart; the distance between ridges is kept at 45-60 cm.

Seed Rate & Seed treatment

Potatoes are propagated by tubers, planted either whole or cut into pieces. . Whole potatoes with 3-5 cm diameter and at least 2-3 eyes, a weight of 20 grams or the same weight of cut potatoes to be used as seed To obtain maximum yields, healthy, disease-free tubers, free from mixture of other varieties, should he use. Seed rate depends on tuber size. The cut pieces should be cured at 10-150C and 85-95% relative humidity for 4-6 days. Before sowing seed should be properly treated with 1% thiourea (to break dormancy), light treatment (for sprouting of tubers) and suitable fungicide treatment.

Irrigation:

Irrigation is required within 7 days of planting. Then irrigation should be given at intervals of 3-4 days until first earthing up. After that irrigation should be given at intervals of 7-10 days until second earthing up. After second earthing up irrigation should be given in same way at intervals of 7-10 days. It should be very careful that irrigation water at any time should not more than 3/4th of the ridges. Irrigation should never heavy. In medium to heavy soil 3-4 irrigations shall be sufficient. In the other hand sandy soil having low water table, even 8-12 irrigations may be necessary. Time and number of irrigation may vary with the soil moisture status. Irrigation must be stopped 10-15 days before harvesting.

Weeding

Critical crop weed competition period is 25-50 DAS. The field should be free from weeds during this period. Manual, mechanical or different cultural weed control practices should be adopted. 2-3 hand hoeing help to suppress the weeds as well as loose the soil, increase soil aeration and enhance the growth of potatoes. Different botanical or myco-herbicides can also be used instead of synthetic chemical herbicides.

Important Diseases of Potato in West Bengal(ppt)
Harvesting

Crop becomes ready for harvesting when 50-70 % potato stems and leaves turn yellow colour. Potatoes should be harvested when the vines will be die. At least 15 days before harvesting green haulms of potato at the top of ground should be cut to allow the thickening of tuber skin, to increase the potato weight and to completely mature the tubers. Then mature tubers are harvested with the help of spade or country plough.

Post Harvest Management

After harvesting cut, rotted, diseased tubers should be discarded before sending it to the warehouse or cold storage. Clean and selected potato tubers should be stored in warehouse or cold storage for future use.