Organic rice cultivation using the SRI method

Organic rice cultivation using the SRI method, harvest more!

On this occasion, we will review how to cultivate organic rice using the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) method. This method is an innovation in rice cultivation techniques. In some places, SRI has reportedly managed to double rice productivity.

SRI was first developed in Madagascar by Fr. Henri de Laulanie, SJ, a Jesuit Father from France. He published his discovery method in 1983. The inventor called this methodology called Ie Systme de Riziculture Intensive (French). In English popularly known as the System of Rice Intensification abbreviated as SRI.

In 1994 a non-governmental organization called Tefy Saina and Cornel International Institute for Food and Agriculture Development (CIIFAD) began collaborating in the development of SRI. With the help of CIIFAD, the SRI method spread to other countries. Nanjing Agricultural University in China and the Agency for Agriculture Research and Development (AARD) conducted their first experiment outside Madagascar in 1999.

What is the relationship between SRI and organic rice cultivation?

Several practices in various countries found that the SRI method succeeded in suppressing the lowest possible input of production. This is in line with the efforts of organic agriculture activists to cultivate land sustainably. As a result, the relationship between water conservation in the SRI rice cultivation system was found and the soil conservation efforts adopted for organic rice cultivation. At present, many organic farmers apply rice cultivation using the SRI method.

The pattern of organic SRI rice farming is a combination of SRI rice cultivation methods which were first developed in Madagascar, with organic rice cultivation methods in organic farming practices. This method will improve the function of the soil as a growing medium and source of plant nutrition. With an organic SRI system, the ecological cycle will run well because it utilizes soil microorganisms naturally. In turn, the balance of ecosystems and environmental sustainability will always be maintained. On the other hand, products produced from this method are healthier for consumers because they are free from exposure to hazardous chemicals.

Through this system, soil fertility is restored so that ecological cycles can resume well by utilizing soil microorganisms as providers of metabolite products for plant nutrition. Through this method, it is expected that environmental sustainability can be maintained well, as well as the final product produced, which is healthier for consumers because it is free from exposure to hazardous chemicals.

The choice of organic rice cultivation method by SRI can produce the final product in the form of high-quality organic rice as healthy rice, viewed from the following aspects:

• Environmental aspects, by eliminating the use of fertilizers and chemical drugs and management of regular water usage indirectly have helped to conserve the environment.
• Health aspects, for consumers, the products produced will be healthier and healthier, because it does not contain residues of hazardous chemicals that can cause various diseases in the human body.
• High productivity, for producers or farmers, the application of this method can increase yields which in turn produce maximum profits.
• High quality, the product produced has better quality compared to conventional products, so the price will undoubtedly be better.

The principles of SRI organic rice cultivation

• Young seedlings are aged less than 12 days after seedlings when the seeds are still leafy two strands
• Seedlings are planted one perforated tree with a minimum distance of 25 cm square.
• Transplanting should be as soon as possible (less than 30 minutes) and must be careful so that the roots do not break
• Planting rice with shallow roots
• Water management, water supply up to 2 cm and the soil is not watered continuously until it is submerged and full, but only moist (intermittent irrigation or interruption)
• Increased aeration of land by foaming or ploughing
• Weeding from the beginning about ten days and repeated 2-3 times at intervals of 10 days
• Maintaining the balance of soil biota by using organic fertilizer
• The advantages of SRI organic rice cultivation
• Water-saving plants, During growth from planting to harvesting, it gives water max 2 cm, it is best to shred around 5 mm, and there is a drying period until the soil cracks (irrigation is interrupted)
• Cost-effective, only requires 5 kg of seeds per hectare. Does not require the cost of seedling, does not require the cost of moving seedlings, lack of planting power, etc.
• Save time, plant young seeds 5-12 days after sowing, and harvest time will be earlier
• Production increased, in several places reaching 11 tons per hectare
• Environmentally friendly, does not use chemicals and is replaced by using organic fertilizers (compost, pens and local microorganisms), as well as the use of pesticides.

The steps of organic rice cultivation using the SRI method

There are two types of rice, lowland rice and upland rice. The difference is in the presence or absence of water. At this time we will discuss the cultivation of lowland rice. Rice can grow at an altitude of 0-1500 meters above sea level with temperatures of 19-27 degrees Celsius, requiring full sun exposure without shade. The wind affects pollination and fertilization. Rice requires fertile mud soils with a thickness of 18-22 cm and soil pH 4 - 7. Before starting organic rice cultivation, the earliest step is to prepare good seeds.

Stage 1. Seeding

The first thing to do in organic rice cultivation is to sow seeds. The first activity is to conduct seed selection. This seed selection is intended so that we plant excellent seeds. Rice seeds used for an area of 200 square meters are as much as half a kilogram. To check whether the seeds are good or not can be done by testing the seeds in water, good seeds are seeds that sink, while seeds that float are seeds that are not good, usually seeds that float is a hollow seed or a seed that has grown.

To make sure the sinking seeds are excellent, then re-test the seeds by putting them in water that has been given salt. A saltwater solution that is sufficient to test the seeds is a solution which, if inserted eggs, the eggs will float. Good seeds to be used as seeds are seeds that sink into the solution. The seeds that have been tested are then soaked in plain water for 24 hours and then drained and aged 2-3 days in a damp place until the prospective shoots come out and then planted in soil media and then compost about 10 kg of compost. After the age of seedlings 7-12 days, the rice seeds are ready to be planted.

Stage 2. Land management

Land management for planting rice is done by ploughing and hoeing. Usually, a minimum of 2 times of ploughing is rough and fine ploughing followed by ploughing: The total tillage can take up to 2-3 days. After finishing, run it and soak it with the paddy field water for one day. Make sure the next day the seed that has been sown is ready to be planted, i.e. it reaches the age of 7-12 daily. Keep in mind, try to sow seedlings that do not exceed 12 days of age.  Since if it is too old, then the plant will find it difficult to adapt and grow in a new place (rice field) because of its roots already too big.

Stage 3. Planting

Before planting, do sampling (making spacing), good spacing is spacing according to the SRI method that is not too tight, usually 25 x 25 cm or 30 x 30 cm. Plant it by inserting one seed in one planting hole. Planting should not be too deep so the roots can freely move.

Stage 4. Treatment

In planting organic rice cultivation with the SRI method, the most important thing is to maintain the flow of water so that the rice fields are not flooded continuously but more on water flowing. For this reason, everyday farmers usually control and close and open flood gates regularly. The following guide SRI irrigation:

• Shallow planting, without flooding, muddy, until tillers about 10-14 days.
• Fill the land with water to inhibit the growth of grass and to soften the soil. The soil is flooded until sun rays cannot reach the ground. After that, few waters is needed.
• About a week if there is no significant growth, add some fertilizer, do it when the soil is dried, and the canned is closed.
• When it starts to flower, at the age of 2 months, it must be flooded again, and when it is dried

Fertilization is usually done 20 days after stocking, the fertilizer used is compost around 175-200 kg. When fertilizing the fields are dried, and the floodgates are closed. After 27 days after stocking, run the rice fields in rotation between dry and wet.

Some pests that often attack rice plants include birds, stinking bugs, leafhoppers and yellowing leaves or yellowing disease.

How to handle it is usually done manually—making a scarecrow for bird pests, spraying with biological pesticides such as pineapple, garlic and yam, and for diseases usually by pulling and burning plants that have been exposed to yellowing leaves. For prevention, planting must be carried out simultaneously so that pests and diseases do not come, the use of healthy seeds, proper water regulation, and by conducting a healthy plant cultivation system that is sufficient nutrition and vitamins so that the immunity is high.

Other pests that often attack are white pests, thrips, planthopper, stinky rice pest, green ladybugs, rice stem borer, rats and birds. Meanwhile, the disease is brown leaf spot disease, blast disease, leaf midrib rot, fusarium, crackle or leaf blight disease and tungro disease.

Stage 5. Harvesting

Rice starts to flower at the age of 2-3 months and can be harvested on average at around 3.5 to 6 months, depending on the type and variety. On an area of 200 square meters, for short rice (3.5 months), two quintals of wet rice are usually obtained, equivalent to 1.5 quintals of dry rice or 90 kg of rice. After being harvested, rice can be sold directly, or also dried in the sun for about 1-2 days and then sold. After being dried in the ground, it is sold in the form of rice or for consumption.

Organic rice cultivation using the SRI method Video