Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Validated Technologies
for Rice-based Systems of the
Churia and Middle Hills, Nepal
Managing Rice Landscapes in the Marginal
Uplands for Household Food Security
and Environmental Sustainability
(IFAD TAG 706)
IAAS NARC
Introduction
IFAD Technical Assistance Grant (TAG) No. 706 titled Managing Rice
Landscapes in the Marginal Uplands for Household Food Security and
Environmental Sustainability is an IRRI‐led research project implemented
in collaboration with national research organizations in four countries—
India, Lao PDR, Nepal, and Vietnam. One of the objectives of the project
is to test and validate upland agricultural technologies—lowland paddy
rice and upland rice in particular—appropriate for the poor and
marginal farmers living in uplands to improve their food security.
In congruence with the objective, this publication is a country brief on
agricultural technologies developed by TAG 706 with an aim to
communicate information on upland agricultural technology to
extension organizations and IFAD investment projects working in the
hills of Nepal.
The project follows a landscape management and farmer participatory
approach for testing and generating technologies for the upland
ecosystem. The project tests and validates agricultural technologies in
farmers’ fields with farmer participation in selected villages chosen as
field research sites. This brief reports on TAG 706‐validated rice‐system‐
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based agriculture technologies at its field research sites in the Churia or
Shiwalik Hills and in the middle hills of Nepal1.
General background information
The National Rice Research Program (NRRP), Hardinath, Dhanusha,
of the Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC), Kathmandu, and
the IAAS Lamjung Campus in Sundarbazar of the Institute of
Agricultural and Animal Sciences (IAAS), Rampur, are the collaborating
organizations in Nepal.
Geographic location of collaborating organizations and their field research sites.
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Nepal can be divided into five physiographic regions: the Terai (part of Indo‐Gangetic
Plains), the Shiwalik or Churia Hills, the middle hills, the higher hills or the mountains, and
the Himalayas, which parallel the entire length of the country from southeast to northwest.
Altitude and physiographic conditions largely determine agroecological conditions.
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NRRP Hardinath operates two field research sites, Bhabasi (242 m) and
Patu (260 m), located in Mahottari District, representing Shiwalik or
Churia Hill conditions. Patu village represents a village with both upland
and lowland conditions and Bhabasi represents a village with upland
conditions.
The Shiwalik Hills, also called the “Outer Himalayas,” are the
southernmost and geologically youngest mountain chain of the
Himalayan system. The elevation ranges from a few hundred to 1,200 m.
The Shiwalik Hills are primarily composed of sandstone and
conglomerate formations. The permeable sediments and poorly
developed and shallow soils are erodable and do not retain water well.
The majority of agricultural land is restricted to river terraces, alluvial
valleys, and upland plateaus or terraces. However, occasional hill slope
cultivation can be found. Despite the agro‐geophysical constraints, rice is
the most important food grain crop, followed by maize and wheat.
NRRP Hardinath also carries out rice variety research trials in
Amargadhi through the Agriculture Research Station (ARS) Doti
of NARC located in the IFAD’s Western Uplands Poverty Alleviation
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Project (WUPAP) target area in the far‐western development region of
Nepal.
IAAS Lamjung Campus, located in Sudarbazar, operates its field
research site in Sudarbazar in Lamjung District. The site represents
middle hill conditions in the western region of Nepal2. The middle hills
are part of the Mahabharat range or the “Lesser Himalayas.” Elevation in
the middle hills can range from a few hundred meters to 1,700 m, which
is also the primary rice‐growing zone in the hills. Rice is the most
important food grain crop in the middle hills, followed by maize and
millet. Rice accounts for about 50% of the area grown to food grain crops.
Rice is generally grown up to 1,400 m, although cold‐tolerant rice
varieties are grown in places as high as 3,050 m. The middle hill region
has a good mix and holding of both upland and lowland3 due to bunded
terrace lands for paddy rice culture.
2
Nepal is divided into five development regions: Eastern, Central, Western, Mid-Western, and Far-
Western.
3
Lowland includes valleys, foothills, and bunded terraces on hills where paddy rice can be
grown. Upland includes sloping land, plateau upland (tar in Nepali), and unbunded
terraces where upland rice (ghaiya in Nepali) and other upland crops are grown.
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There is no shifting or slash‐and‐burn agriculture in the hills of Nepal.
Upland rice is grown in unbunded terraces or tars (plateau uplands). The
population density is high, while the average landholding is low, with
high cropping intensity.
The major constraints to agricultural improvement in the area are lack
of irrigation, insect and rodent pests, crop diseases, weeds, lack of
quality seeds of improved crop varieties, limited access to public services
and advanced crop management technologies, poorly developed
transport infrastructure, poor market infrastructure and access, and
inadequate extension services.
The project has validated the following technologies through farmer
participatory trials. These technologies can be disseminated to areas with
agroecological systems similar to those of the validation sites.
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Validated technologies for uplands in the hills of Nepal
Upland rice varieties for the middle hills of West Nepal
Three years of farmer participatory research by IAAS Sundarbazar has
identified three high‐yielding improved upland rice varieties Radha32
(3.5 t/ha), Ghaiya2 (3.5 t/ha), and IR55435‐5 (3.4 t/ha), and two superior
traditional varieties Pakhejhinuwa ((3.4 t/ha) and Lahari (3.0 t/ha)
suitable for upland fields in the middle hills of West Nepal.
Ghaiya2
Upland rice varieties for Churia hills
Four farmer‐preferred upland rice varieties, namely, WAB272‐B‐B1‐H2
(3.10 t/ha), RR166‐645 (2.96 t/ha), IR55435‐5 (3.10 t/ha) and Radha32
(2.83 t/ha) have been identified suitable for uplands conditions in the
Churia Hills.
Radha32
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Radha 32
Upland rice varieties for the far‐western hills of Nepal
Improved upland rice varieties WAB272‐B‐B1‐H2 (2.43 t/ha), B6144F‐
MR‐6 (2.26 t/ha), IR55435‐5 (2.1 t/ha), and B6149F‐MR‐7 (1.95 t/ha) were
found to perform better under upland conditions in the far‐western hill
region of Nepal.
Integrated weed management in upland rice for Churia Hills
The weed control treatment
consisting of Butachlor
spray at 1 kg ai/ha + one
hand weeding at 30 days
after seeding was found
effective in controlling
weed. This treatment gave
the highest yield (2.66 t/ha)
and highest return over
treatment cost ($425/ha)
among the treatments
tested.
Intercrops for upland rice in Churia Hills
Of the four crops grown as
intercrop with upland rice,
peanut gave the highest rice
equivalent yield (8.67 t/ha),
followed by maize (1.55
t/ha), cowpea (1.11 t/ha),
and soybean (0.98 t/ha).
Farmers preferred cowpea
and peanut as intercrops
because they tolerate
drought, improve soil
rice‐peanut
fertility, and could be easily
sold for cash in the local market.
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Early off‐season vegetable for cash generation in the middle Hills
of West Nepal
Cucurbits (cucumber, sponge gourd, bottle gourd, and bitter gourd) and
chili tested in farmers’ upland fields were found suitable for off‐season
vegetable production for cash. Cucumber (variety Bhaktapur Local and
Beli Hybrid) gave the highest net economic return ($5,802/ha), followed
by sponge gourd (variety Gita and Sita; net return ‐ $3,832/ha), bottle
gourd (variety BSS333; net return ‐ $2,595/ha), chili (variety NS1701; net
return ‐ $2,290/ha), and bitter gourd (variety Chaman and NS White; net
return ‐ $1,695/ha).
bitter gourd
cucumber
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Validated technologies for upland paddies
Rice varieties for upland paddies in the middle hills of Nepal
IAAS Sundarbazar has identified 11 rice varieties suitable for paddy
lands in the middle hills of West Nepal. The varieties are Barkhe1027
(5.89 t/ha), Barkhe2014
(5.41 t/ha), Barkhe2024
(5.1 t/ha), Barkhe3017
(4.97 t/ha), BF6149‐MR‐7
(4 t/ha), NR1824‐21‐1‐1‐
2‐1‐2 (5.06 t/ha), Radha4
(4.86 t/ha), Ram Dhan
(5.34 t/ha), fine‐grain
varieties Barkhe3004
(4.62 t/ha) and Khumal4
(3.92 t/ha), and aromatic
variety Sunaolo
Sugandha (4.19 t/ha).
Rice varieties for lowlands in Churia Hills
Farmer participatory researches have identified 10 farmer‐preferred rice
varieties suitable for the lowland conditions in Churia Hills: BM9855
(4.5 t/ha), BR4684‐13‐
1‐1‐6‐3 (4.32 t/ha),
Hardinath‐1 (3.9
t/ha), IR58115‐103‐3‐
1‐1‐1 (3.41 t/ha),
Loktantra (3.9 t/ha),
Mithila (4.2 t/ha),
NR‐601‐5 (4.3 t/ha),
Pusa‐834 (3.2 t/ha),
Radha4 (4.2 t/ha),
and RHS379‐25CX‐
1CX‐2CX‐OZA
Hardinath‐1
(4.23 t/ha).
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Rice varieties for upland paddies in Churia Hills
Farmer participatory research by NRRP Hardinath has identified three
rice varieties—WAB272‐B‐B1‐H2 (3.69 t/ha), IR55435‐5 (4.04 t/ha), and
BF6149F‐MR‐9 (3.64 t/ha)—suitable for upland paddies in Churia Hills.
IR55435‐5
Rice varieties for upland paddies in the far western hills of Nepal
Participatory research has identified five high yielding rice genotypes for
upland paddies for hill conditions in the Far‐West Nepal. The varieties
are: Judi572 (4.69 t/ha), NR1824‐21‐1‐1‐1‐2‐1‐2 (4.53 t/ha), Radha4
(4.46 t/ha), IET3137 (4.38 t/ha), and IR55539‐2 (3.97 t/ha).
Rice varieties for spring season in Churia Hills
Two paddy rice varieties, namely, Hardinath1 (4.04 t/ha) and WAT307
(3.67 t/ha) were found high‐yielding and suitable for growing in the
lowland fields in the spring season in Churia Hills.
Aromatic rice for Churia Hills
Three high‐yielding farmer‐preferred aromatic paddy rice varieties—
CNTLR85033 (4.3 t/ha), FRX29F3B‐5F6BF7 (4.04 t/ha), and Pusa834
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(3.83 t/ha)—have been identified as suitable for growing in the wet
season in Churia Hills.
Lentil crop after paddy rice for soil and human nutrition improvement
Lentil, a leguminous pulse crop, is a good source of protein (25%) and
carbohydrate (60%) and also a source of nitrogen for soil. IAAS
Sundarbazar tested Rhizobium‐inoculated and non‐inoculated lentil seeds
in upland paddies after the harvest of paddy rice. Rhizobium‐inoculated
seeds gave a higher grain yield (1.18 t/ha) than non‐inoculated seeds
(1.02 t/ha). The inoculated seeds also gave a higher dried plant matter
yield (1.89 vs 1.82 t/ha), a source of livestock feed.
Sesbania for green manuring in the western mid‐hills of Nepal
Dhaincha (Sesbania canabaena) was intro‐duced for green manuring of
rice fields. Green manure–treated fields gave higher grain (5.12 vs 4.13
t/ha) and straw (18.13 vs 16.54 t/ha) yield than non‐green manure–
treated fields. This fertilization practice is appropriate for farmers with
low income and/or cash availability and in areas with no market for
modern inputs.
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Off‐season and in‐season winter vegetables after paddy rice
for the western mid‐hills
Participatory research at Sundarbazar has shown that winter vegetable
crops—cauliflower, cabbage, radish, broadleaf mustard, and tomato—
can be grown as off‐season and in‐season crops for cash generation after
harvest of rice. Estimates show that farmers can earn higher net income
per hectare by growing tomato ($4,079), broadleaf mustard ($3,344),
cauliflower ($3,603), cabbage ($3,032), and radish ($1,301) after paddy
rice than by growing traditional crops such as wheat ($534) and rapeseed
mustard ($611).
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Contact persons
Mr. B.B. Adhikari
Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science
Lamjung Campus
Sundarbazar, Lamjung
Nepal
Mobile: +977‐984‐506‐2569
E‐mail: bishnu_adhi@yahoo.com
Mr. R.B. Yadav
National Rice Research Program
Hardinath, Dhanusha
Nepal
Tel: +977‐41‐523‐000
E‐mail: rbaran_9@yahoo.com
Dr. Hari Gurung
International Research Fellow
Social Sciences Division
International Rice Research Institute
DAPO Box 7777
Makati City, The Philippines
Tel: +63‐2‐580‐5600, Ext. 2713
Fax: +63‐2‐580‐5699
E‐mail: h.gurung@cgiar.org
Dr. Sushil Pandey
Senior Scientist and Project Leader
Social Sciences Division
International Rice Research Institute
DAPO Box 7777
Makati City, The Philippines
Tel: +63‐2‐580‐5600 ext. 2774
Fax: +63‐2‐580‐5699
E‐mail: sushil.pandey@cgiar.org
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