CHAPTER-I

LAND PREPARATION
Rice is adaptable to all kinds of soils practically clay loams. The semi aquatic nature,
necessitates a heavy soil through which the irrigation or rain water will not be easily drained
away because the demands of rice are more precise for water than soil conditions. Sandy soils to
heavy soils are most preferable with a pH of 5.5 to 6.5. Red, black and laterite soils are also
suitable.
Tillage Practices followed for Rice
The primary tillage – ploughing performed to cut, break and invert the soil partially or
fully is suitable for sowing the seeds. It helps in deep seed bed, improve water holding capacity,
aeration and destroy weeds and insects.
The secondary tillage – Harrowing which smoothens and pulverizes the soil followed by
puddling is carried out to a depth of 5 to 10cms. Puddling reduces water loss by reducing
leaching percolation and hydraulic conductivity, weed decomposition and finally levelling to
bring the land uniform by modifying the existing contours.
Main field preparation of transplanted rice
Plough the land during summer to economize the water requirement for initial
preparation of land. Field is ploughed once or twice to obtain a good tilth. Flood the field 1 or 2
days before ploughing and allow water to soak in. Keep the surface of the field covered with
water. Keep water to a depth of 2.5cm at the time of puddling. Apply 12.5 t of FYM or compost
or green leaf manure @ 6.25 t/ha. If green manure is raised @ 20 kg/ha in situ, incorporate it to a
depth of 15 cm using a green manure trampler or tractor. Apply 22 kg urea/ha at the time of first
puddling while incorporating the stubbles of previous crop to compensate immobilization of N
by the stubbles. This may be done at least 10 days prior to planting of subsequent crop. For SRI,
4-5 ploughing is required for preparing the land & in the last ploughing, we need to ensure it is
upto a depth of 6 inches. Perfect levelling is a pre requisite for the water management in SRI.
Direct Seeded Rice
Wet seeded rice
On receipt of showers during the month of May-July repeated ploughing should be
carried out so as to conserve the moisture, destroy the weeds and break the clods. After
inundation puddling is to be done as per transplanting. More care should be taken to level the
field to zero level. Stagnation of water in patches during germination and early establishment of
the crop leads to uneven crop stand. Land leveling helps in efficient weed and water management
practices. Provision of shallow trenches (15cm width) at an interval of 3m all along the field will
facilitate the draining of excess water at the early growth stage.
Dry seeded rice
Dry plough to get fine tilth taking advantage of rains and soil moisture availability. Apply
gypsum @ 1t/ha basally where soil crusting and soil hardening problem exist. Perfect land
leveling for efficient weed and water management practices. Provision of shallow trenches
(15cm width) at an interval of 3m all along the field will facilitate the draining of excess water at
the early growth stage.

Ploughing Puddling

Leveling
 CHAPTER-II
SOWING
Nursery Sowing
The nursery should be sown 4 weeks before the time of transplanting. 7-8 kg of seed is required
to Plant 1ha. Prepare raised bed of 1X 5m (20 beds), spread polythene sheets and fill the soil
evenly over the polythene sheets upto 4 cm. Uniformly spread 375 g of seeds in each 5 sq.m.
nursery bed. Cover the seed bed using mulching materials and water it using rose can.
Types of nursery
 Required nursery area 100m2/ha
Wet nursery
Ensure adequate water supply in the field area

Dry ploughed twice and apply 1tonne of FYM

Irrigate and allow the area to be wet for another two days.

After levelling and final puddling, Sow the sprouted seeds uniformly
Dapog / Mat Nursery
Four m3 of soil mix (70% soil + 20% well-decomposed pressmud / bio-gas slurry / FYM + 10%
rice hull) is needed for 100 m2 of nursery.

Fill the soil mixture in a wooden frame of 0.5 m long, 1 m wide and 4 cm deep divided into 4
equal segments on the plastic sheet or banana leaves.

Sow the Pre-germinating the seedlings of 2-3 mm

Dry nursery
Field is dry ploughed 5-6 times to acquire the fine tilth.

Prepare plots of 1 to 1.5 m bed width and channels; sow the seed and cover it with sand
Types of sowing
Direct sowing
 Direct sowing involves sowing of pre-sprouted seeds in puddled field
 Direct sowing of unsprouted seed in unpuddled soil after the monsoon in upland.
Transplanting
Fourteen days old seedlings are recommended for transplanting (3 leaves stage or 1-3 seedlings
per hill).
Manual transplanting
Manual transplanting is most suited for labour-surplus areas in a optimum spacing of 20
cm x 20 cm or 22.5 cm x 22.5 cm
Machine transplanting
Seedlings raised in special mat nurseries or in seedling trays are used and will be ready
for transplantation in 12 -15 days after seeding.

Rice transplanter Manual transplanting

 CHAPTER-3
CROP HUSBANDRY
Paddy with fish culture
Integrated Paddy-cum-Fish Culture is a system of producing fish in combination with
paddy cultivation using the same resources in the same unit area. Production of fish in paddy
fields is almost as primitive as the practice of paddy culture itself. Paddy farming with fish
culture is a type of dual farming system in which paddy is the main enterprise and fishes are
grown to obtain additional income. The North-Eastern Region of India has vast paddy fields both
in valley and hill areas with a rainfall of 2000-4000 mm on average. Paddy-cum-Fish Culture is
easy, cost-effective, sustainable and environmental friendly. Moreover it can increase paddy
yield as a result of nutrients and pest control by fish. Besides it can enhance farmers’ income and
provide nutritional security.

Rice Straw as a fodder

Rice straw is a readily available, practical, and cheap source of fodder for feeding
ruminants such as buffaloes, cattle, goats, and sheep. The feeding of pure rice straw to
ruminants during the stages of fast growth and early lactation has been shown to affect both
body condition score and animal performance. This is due to lower dry matter intake and
protein content (from 4.0% to 4.7% crude protein) of the straw. The high silica and lignin
contents of straw also contribute to poor nutrient (dry matter and protein) digestibility (<50%).
 CHAPTER-4
HARVESTING
Harvesting of rice

Harvesting refers to the cutting and gathering of panicles attached to the stalks. Harvesting at the
right time and in the right way maximizes grain yield and minimizes grain losses and quality
deterioration.
Process of harvesting
o Drain the field 7 to 10 days before the expected harvest date
o The grain must be mature, high in quality and have 20 % moisture content.
o Field should be sufficiently dry to support harvesting and transport.
o The right stage for harvesting is when about 80% panicles have 80 % ripened spike lets
and their upper portion is straw colored.
Steps in harvesting
Reaping
Reaping or cutting is the first operation in harvesting. Depending on the crop's condition, and
availability of labor or machinery, it can be done either manually or mechanically.
Threshing
Threshing is the process of separating the grain from the straw. It can be either done by hand, by
using a treadle thresher or mechanized.
Cleaning
Cleaning grains after harvest is important as it removes unwanted materials from the grain. It
includes winnowing and screening of rice.
Drying
Drying is the process of removal of excess moisture from the grains. Once dried, the rice
grain, now called rough rice, is ready for processing. There are three methods of drying viz., Sun
drying, mechanical drying and chemical drying.
Methods of harvesting
Harvesting methods
Manual harvesting Semi- mechanical Mechanical Combined harvester
(Traditional)

Cutting,
Manual reaping+ Handling,
Reaping Cutting
Threshing Threshing(machine) Threshing
Cleaning.
Stripper harvesting +
Threshing (machine)

Threshing
Harvesting

Machine thresher Combined harvestor

CHAPTER-5
STORAGE
Storage of rice
     Storage is the process of keeping grains, whether in bags or in bulk, in a storage structure
designed to protect the stored product from inclement weather and pests for a short or long
period of time to await processing or movement to other location.

 Grain is maintained at moisture level of 14% or less and seed is stored at 12% moisture
level or less.
 Store the grains at ambient temperature and Humidity <60% in dedicated area.

Storage Required moisture Potential problems if requirement

content for safe storage not met
2 to 3 weeks 14–18 % Molds, discoloration, respiration loss
8 to 12 months 12–13 % Insect damage
more than 1 year 9% or less Loss of viability

Methods of storage

Bag Bulk/ Loose

(Large quantity of Hermetic
(Jute / Plastic- Airtight container
grains stored in
40 to 80 kg) commercial house)

The grains
are stored at three different levels, such as:

 Producer's Level
 Trader's Level
 Urban Organizational Storage Level

Guidelines for safe storage

 Good storage systems include (1) protection from insects, rodents and birds, (2) ease of
loading and unloading, (3) efficient use of space, (4) ease of maintenance and management, and
(5) prevention of moisture re-entering the grain after drying.

Jute bag Plastic bag