NEW WORK:P. Pandiyarajan (left), Dean, Anbil Dharmalingam Agricultural
College and Research Institute, Tiruchi, examining a drip irrigation
technique in rice on Thursday.— Photo: A. Muralitharan
The Tamil Nadu Agricultural University – Anbil
Dharmalingam Agricultural College and Research Centre near here, has
taken up research on raising paddy through drip irrigation under a
project funded by an Israeli company.
Titled,
‘Feasibility of growing rice under drip irrigation’, the experiment has
been taken close to the ‘kuruvai’ season and scientists have planted
four varieties ‘TRY II’, ‘ADT 45’, ‘ADT 36’ and ‘Anna (R) 4’ for
ascertaining the growth of paddy in saline fields on the campus of the
institute.
The institute, located in the Manikandam
block, has taken up various research programmes on evolving paddy
varieties suitable for sodic soil. Netafim’, an Israeli company
specialising in drip irrigation technique, had sanctioned Rs. 4 lakh to
the tnstitute to take up the research, said P. Pandiyarajan, Dean of the
Institute.
Speaking to
The Hindu
after inaugurating the programme, Mr. Pandiyarajan said that this was
the first time the institute had taken up the research using drip
irrigation technique, although similar experiments had been conducted at
Aduthurai and other places. About 2 kg of seeds was used for each
variety. He said that the experiment would include study on nutrient
management, irrigation management and good cultivation practices. The
entire 60 cents of the field has been covered with over 77 laterals,
each of 50 metre in length. “Each lateral contains 130 holes or drip
spacing through which water and water-soluble fertiliser will be
supplied,” he said.
T. Ramesh, Assistant Professor of
Agronomy, who has been coordinating the programme, said all parameters
including the rainfall received during the research period, climatic
change will be closely monitored. In addition, a few cultures which are
under research had been included for the research. The growth of the
plant with fertiliser, without fertiliser, with nitrogen, with less
nitrogen would be analysed.
The research will be a
boon to farmers getting inadequate water for irrigation. It will guide
the farmers with abundant availability of water to utilise the resource
judiciously. “These are the other objectives of the programme,” he said .
Source : The Hindu
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