News Update
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Bed Planted Rice produces 9 tons per hectare in Haryana, India.
Rice planted on raised beds yields 9 tons per hectare
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Consortium scientists initiated farmer field trials in collaboration with RK Naresh and others during the kharif (summer) season in Ghaziabad District in Uttar Pradesh (just outside Delhi) and in Karnal and Kurukshetra Districts of Haryana, with Mrs Shakuntla Mehla and JS Mann (both Farmers) and Dr. Samar Singh from HAU, Hisar.
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In all the fields where rice was grown on beds, the results were good. Yields data is yet to be collated but even more important, farmers indicated that they saved 50% or more water with this system, due to irrigation of furrows only and irrigating less frequently.
Farmers did have weed problems, but using herbicides and hand weeding these were controlled. Termites were a problem in some fields and zinc and iron deficiency were suspected in others. Obviously the chemistry of the “aerobic rice” conditions is different and will be addressed. The major difference was that the trials were taken straight to the farmers with this technology rather than testing first at the experiment station. Some of the farmers have planted wheat on the same beds with minimal disturbance. Farmers also insisted that the bed maker be kept in the area and used it to make beds for vegetable growing (Carrots, Brinjal, Okra and Radish). This helps increase diversity in the area.
In Karnal District Mr. Mann, a very progressive farmer, planted rice on beds. He obtained 8.3 tons/ha on one field with the same 50% savings in water. He used hybrid rice cultivar and normal rice. He transplanted at 3-4 leaf stage; 21 days old single seedlings 7 cm. inside the 37 wide raised beds. This farmer combine harvests all his rice. Excessive residue is left after this, but he has pledged to not burn the residues but instead experiment with alternate ways to manage. He has tried incorporating and mulching and retention strategies. Residues management is a problem that needs attention in the coming years. He will be experimenting further on 0-till wheat and wheat on new beds this season. He had excellent fields with these techniques last year.
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Mrs Shakuntla Mehla, a woman farmer from Village Jaduala took this technology as a challenge and planted rice in her farm in Kaithal District. She is also the prime mover of zero-till technology, which has caught on in Haryana like wild fire in the previous rabi (winter) season.
She has a 40-acre farm and experimented with rice on beds, direct seeded hybrid and High Yielding Varieties (HYV). In her case, the crop got an initial set back due to submergence of one-week old seedlings for more than 48 hours due to heavy rains (220 mm. in one day), yellowing due to iron and zinc chlorosis, some brown plant-hopper damage in the hybrid plots. She was not as successful as Mr. Mann but got nearly 6 tons/ha with the same water saving. She is planning to plant wheat into the same beds. 
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Mr Daler Singh, a farmer had planted 6 acres of land with rice on beds in Amritsar District of Punjab. The rice was transplanted on the sides of the bed. He obtained almost 9 tons/ha and also saved water.
He intends to grow wheat on the same beds and then relay transplant mentha plants in the furrows before wheat harvest.
The mentha does very well under this system and is better than waiting for the wheat to be harvested. This extra crop provides a very good income for the farmer. In the next few years, it seems that bed planting will become a common practice for farmers in North-west India and we plan to extend this technology to other countries in the forthcoming season so as to ensure minimal field preparation for both rice and wheat.