Success IFS model Farmer

Information on state wise IFS:

Rice variety VGD 1 a Boon to Nagapattinam Farmers:

Success Story on Demonstration of Swarna Sub1- Submergence Tolerance Rice Variety

Introduction:

In Tamil Nadu every year, out of the 15 lakh hectares of rice cultivated during samba season, an area of 3 to 5 lakh hectares rice crop gets affected by flood during the North East monsoon. In particular, the flood-prone tail-end areas of Nagapattinam districts are often affected due to flood and result in very low rice production and productivity. Rice is the Major crop of the Nagapattinam district and normally cultivated in 170000 ha during samba/thaladi season. The Samba rice cultivation mainly depends upon canal water supply and North East monsoon. Heavy down pour during North East Monsoon and flood affects the Samba crop especially in tail end area of Nagapattinam District.

Problems Faced by the Farmer 

• Crop loss or very poor yield due to heavy rain and flood (20-25%). 
• Lack of drainage facilities leading to submergence of crops and yield reductions.
• Non availability of flood tolerant rice varieties.

          To overcome this problem, TNAU has introduced the Swarna Sub1 rice variety in the year 2011-12 which can resist floods/submergence condition. This variety can tolerate 14-17 days of submergence during floods. It is ideal for growing under SRI conditions also.

KVK Interventions:

• Demonstration on Swarna Sub-1 variety was conducted in 50 locations with the support of Department of Rice, TNAU, Coimbatore during 2011-12. Field day was conducted in the flood prone villages namely Neduvasal, Palaiyanur and Sembanarkoil. During the field day, the District collector, JDA, DDs, ADAs from 5 blocks and 112 farmers were invited and showed the performance of the variety. Front Line Demonstration was conducted by KVK, Nagapattinam in 10 locations of flood affected area during 2012-13.
• KVK, Nagapattinam has produced 500 kg of Swarna-Sub-1 rice variety seeds during 2013-14 and distributed to the farmers. Area under Swarna Sub-1 was increased to 120 ha in 2013-14 from 20 ha in 2011-12.
• During 2014-15 and 2015-16 this technology was disseminated through Department of Agriculture by distributing the seeds to the farmers at subsidize price.

Economic advantage of the technology adopted

Swarna Sub 1 variety has recorded a yield of 5990 kg/ha even after 16 days of submergence. This was 22 percent high over the variety BPT 5204 (4902 kg/ha). Performance was better in water logged condition with a net return of Rs 33,000/ha and BC ratio of 1: 2.1.

The farmers feedback was

• Pest & Diseases incidence was less in this variety
• This variety was tolerant to lodging
• Swarna Sub-1 variety can withstand the flood upto 16 days and high yield under submerged conditions.
• Hence the Nagapattinam farmers were satisfied with the Swarna Sub-1 variety under submerged conditions.

Large Scale Adoption of Pink Pigmented Facultative Methylotrophs (PPFM) for Drought Mitigation for Rice in Nagapattinam District.

In Nagapattinam District around 73,600 ha of rice crop raised during samba and thaladi season (Rabi 2012-13) affected due to severe drought. Out of 11 blocks, Nagapattinam, Keelaiyur, Thirumarugal, Thalainayur and Kilvelur blocks are severely affected by the prevailing drought. About 56,000 ha of rice under water stress condition can be saved with supplemental irrigation. As part of the Samba package II announced by the Government of Tamil Nadu, Krishi Vigyan Kendra Sikkal, Nagapattinam is actively involved in taking up the mass spraying campaign cum demonstration programme of foliar spraying of Pink Pigmented Facultative Methylotrophs (PPFM) through mobile sprinkler and boom sprayer for mitigating drought in rice crop under the guidance of TNAU.

Around 7097 ha of rice fields was covered by using 3425 litres  of PPFM and 6503 farmers were benefitted in Nagapattinam district. District Collector, District Revenue Officer, Nagapattinam,  Director, Tamil Rice Research Institute, Director of Extension Education, TNAU,  Director, Water Technology Centre, TNAU, Dean, Agri. Engineering College and Res. Institute, TNAU, Coimbatore, Joint Director of Agriculture, Nagapattinam and other Extension Officials of the district were present in the demonstration programme and encourage the farmers to utilize the facility from KVK and extend the coverage by using this technique as quickly as possible.

          Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, TNAU inspected the demonstration at Seeravattam village, Keelaiyur block about the performance of the mass spraying campaign using PPFM on 04.01.2013 and discussed with farmers regarding the importance of mass spraying at this crop stage and also addressed to Jaya TV about the drought mitigation programme in the Cauvery Delta Zone.

The TNAU video team under Training Division, TNAU, Coimbatore has recorded direct live interview with farmer at Perungadambanur and Nangudi villages in Nagapattinam and Kilvelur blocks on 6.1.2013 about the feed back after spraying PPFM.

          On 10.01.2013 a high level committee under the Chairmanship of Hon’ble Finance Minister, Govt. of Tamil Nadu, accompanied with Agricultural Minster  with six state Ministers and 15 IAS officers including Agricultural Production Commissioner and Commissioner of Agriculture inspected the mass spraying campaign organized by KVK, Sikkal at Seeravattam village, Keelaiyur block and interacted with the farmers about the performance and feedback of PPFM to mitigate the drought in rice crop. During the occasion the Director, TRRI, Aduthurai along with Joint Director of Agriculture, Nagapattinam explained the results of PPFM spray to the high level committee.

  Impact analysis:

          The impact assessment on the performance foliar spray of PPFM on samba rice to mitigate water stress in Cauvery delta zone were taken in 12 farmers’ field of Nagapattinam District and reported to the professor & Head, Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore – 3.

Mass spraying of PPFM to Mitigate Water Stress in Samba Paddy 2013-14 in Nagapattinam District

In Nagapattinam District around 96000 ha of rice crop were raised during samba 2013-14. Out of 11 blocks, Nagapattinam, Keelaiyur, and Kilvelur blocks were affected by drought.  Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Sikkal, Nagapattinam was given foliar spraying of PPFM with boom sprayer and 135 liters of PPFM were distributed to the farmers through Assistant Director of Agriculture for mitigating drought in rice crop under the guidance of TNAU.  Around 82 farmers with 276 hectares of rice field were covered in Nagapattinam district

          Based on the effectiveness of PPFM in withstanding drought and favouring crop growth, this technology has been spreading large scale among the rice farmers due to its positive impact.