Cultivation practice

Farmers practice

Improved practice

1) Seed rate

150 - 200 kg/ha

45 - 50 kg/ha

2) Seed treatment

Nil

1) Selecting viable seeds using salt water soaking method

2) Azospirillum and Phosphobacterium seed treatment

3) Nursery beds

Raised flat bed nurseries

Raised beds of 10 cm height for every 2 kg of seed

4) Fertilizer in nursery

Nil

DAP application 2 kg/4 m² of land

5) Transplanting space

Nil

20 × 10 cm between row and plant

6) No of plants/hill

5 - 6

2 - 3

7) Fertilizer in main field

Complex fertilizer/green leaves

Split dose of fertilizer application: green leaves + 10:10:10 NPK at basal,

5:0:0 @ tillering and 5:0:0 at booting stages using urea, superphosphate and potash

8) Weeding

Manual

Manual + kono weeder

9) Water management

Nil

Controlled water management. Plots of 25 m² with handmade water drainage passage between plots

10) Pest management

Chemical or

no pesticides

Vasambu (Acorus calamus) + ash (1:9) application for Earhead bug, Neem oil

soap solution as a pest repellent, and use of pheromone trap.