Presented by: Jia-guo Zheng, Xin-lu Jiang, and Zhong-zhi Chi Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences Chengdu, China Presented at: International Rice Congress. Pre-Congress SRI Day. November 8 2010

1. Modified SRI and super-high yield of
hybrid rice in Sichuan Basin
Jia-guo Zheng, Xin-lu Jiang, and Zhong-zhi Chi
Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Chengdu, China

2. 30cm
15cm
Farmer practice – typical spacing

3. 40cm
40cm
Original SRI as used in Sichuan

4. Limiting factors for adoption
• The number of foundation plants used with SRI originally in
Sichuan, at 40x40 cm, did not appear suitable in ecosystem
with the low solar radiation of this region.
• Single plants in a square pattern with wide spacing do not
produce sufficient panicles. Consequently, yield potential is
limited. Farmers want to maximize their number of
panicles/m2
, not panicles/hill. (Note: SRI recommendation is
usually 25x25 cm spacing, not 40x40 cm .)
• The oblong and triangular planting method introduced in
Sichuan appears to be a valuable adaptation of SRI, as it
increases plant density by 50% while maintaining good
exposure of individual plants to the sun and air.

5. 40cm
35cm
7cm
ModifiedSRI: hills in oblong (rectangle)
pattern with plants in triangular spacing

7. Using tray nursery to raise seedlings
• The seedling nursery is managed under upland
conditions, with plastic tray.
• Seedlings are removed carefully from the
nursery and are transported and placed gently
into the paddy field within 15-30 minutes.
• This avoids a long recovery time, and leaf age
can be extended to 3.5-4.5.

10. Making shallow furrows before
transplanting in the zero-till fields.
• This is appropriate for the alternate wetting
and drying (AWD) method, as an effective and
easy method for SRI water management.
• Shallow furrows help to implement AWD,
maintaining aerated soil surfaces while some
water in the furrows moistens the root zone.

11. Making shallow furrows

12. It is hard to transplant young seedlings at 2-leaf
age within a multiple cropping system.
• Traditionally older-aged seedlings (about 7-
leaf ) are transplanted into fields in rice-
wheat (RW) cropping system.
• If very young rice seedlings are used, the
sowing date has to be postponed, which
leads to some unexpected results, such as
late maturity, less yield, and difficulties in
field management.

13. Mushroom production

14. Resource using cycle

16. Year 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
SRI area (ha) 1,120 7,290 57,500 116,667 204,000 285,867
SRI yield (t/ha) 9.10 9.44 8.82* 8.99 9.41 9.51
Conv. yield
(t/ha)
NA NA NA 7.5 7.71 7.68
SRI increment
(t/ha)*
NA NA NA 1.49 1.70 1.83
SRI % increase
in yield*
19.85 22.03 23.83
SRI additional
net income
(RMB/ha)*
1,574 1,956 2150
SRI extension in Sichuan

17. Dr. Lin Xianqing
E-mail ： xqlin2003@163.com
China National Rice Research Institute
Workshop on SRI rice technologyWorkshop on SRI rice technology
Evaluation of Key Factors of
SRI Method

18. Operations of SRI

19. A. Precision seeding with seedlings in trays

20. B. Density control in transplanting
Transplanting density:
13.5-19.5 x 104
hill/ha

21. C. Standard of field water control is by
shallow wetting-drying (SWD)

22. Three Shallows – during transplanting, when
spraying with insecticide, and during booting-flowering stage
Three Wets – during tillering, panicle initiation, and
milk grain-maturing stage
One Dry –for tiller control
Shallow Wetting-Drying (SWD) =

23. Shallow-water
puddling
Wet tillage

24. Shallow-water during
transplanting
Dry for tiller control
Wet for
tillering

25. Wet for
maturing grain
Shallow-water for
booting to flowering
Wet for milk grain

26. D. Maintaining N and increasing K levels

27. Need to
increase
organic
fertilizer

28. E. Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

29. Demonstration of SRI in Bu Tou Village, Tien Tai Township, Zhejiang

30. Technical
Guidance

31. Application area of SRI
in Zhejiang 2005-09
688,000 ha
Calculated increase in
production from SRI use
862,000 tons
(+1.253 t/ha)

32. THANKS
谢 谢