Rice Plus Mag_June 2011

8/6/2019 Rice Plus Mag_June 2011

1/24

July-September 2011

ts i nh s i g d ilh e gihF , ni or itis bt i R he& x D


2/24


3/24

A Quar terly Magazineplus i ceR ice

plus

Rs.100/- per copy inclusive of postageRs.300/-annually (four issues) inclusive of postage

IRP, Suite # 11. Floor # 7.Central Plaza, Barkat Market, Garden Town Lahore, Pakistan.Tel: +92-42-5845551, +92-42-5020200, Fax: +92-42-5853157

July-September Issue 4

Editorial BoardChief Editor Hamlik

Managing EditorRahmat Ullah

Editorial AssociateRozeen Shaukat

Business Development Manager Sarfraz Ahmed

Graphic DesignerMohammad Zakariya

Marketing Executive(s)Mujahid AliKhalid Shabbir (UAE)Shamsahd Ahmad (Saudi Arabia)

Legal AdvisorAdvocate Zaheer Minhas

n

C o

t e n

t s

C o n e

s

t n

t

EditorialRice and Phosphorus

Rice Current IssuesRice Revolution on the WayThe Rice1 R&D Exhibition onFood & AgricultureMystery of Direct Seeded Rice:Opportunities and ConstraintsGolden Rice

Current News

1.Admiral (R) Hamid Khalid

2.Javaid Islam Agha

3.Ch. Hamid Malhi4.Dr. Akhtar Husain

5.Dr. Fayyaz Ahmed Siddique

6.Dr.Abdul Rashid(UAF)

7.Islam Akhtar Khan

Editorial Advisory Board

A Quarterly Magazine

st


4/24

1A Quar terly Magazine

plus i ceR ice

Welcome to new edition of Rice plus Magazine. There is an element of uncertainty in global rice trade.After three consecutive bullish years, 2011 seems to be bearish and even gloomy. Better production in topimporters of rice grains, resulting in, drastic cuts in import volumes (Philippine, Indonesia andBangladesh) seems to be driving factor of global rice trade. Philippine has announced a drastic cut of nearly 2 million tons of rice import and possible half the quantity of rice import by Bangladesh andIndonesia. Good monsoon consecutively for second year in India may help the South Asian country,resume export of non Basmati after three years of ban. Global prices of non basmati rice may come downby 15-20% from present level in 3rd quarter. In non basmati trade we feel a stiff competition among top 4exporters, namely Vietnam, Pakistan, Thailand, US and may be India. In short term rice market willwitness more supplies.

Production in subcontinent, which highly depends on monsoon, has bright prospects as monsoon in Indiahas arrived two days earlier than schedule rain intensity and geographical distribution is as per

requirement. So far all models suggest a normal monsoon season. Pakistan which has a reasonably goodquantity of water available during paddy transplanting time of rice (June to July , historically higher premonsoon rain in rice belt of Pakistan) is expecting a good harvest but less than 6 million tons, as growersin cotton belt have gone back to cotton due to better return.

Parboiling rice is going to see a stiff competition from Vietnam, as many parboiling plants are coming upin that country, which traditionally is a white rice market. In Pakistan, parboiling processing capacity isincreasing rapidly and now Pakistan is catching up top exporter Thailand.

Current year in Pakistan has been a difficult one for millers, who are really struggling to sell their Basmatirice even at breakeven levels as the international prices are under pressure, due to ample supplies andbuyers are asking for low rates. Millers purchased the paddy at higher rates due to fear of less productionas a result of devastating floods. New season is around the corner and export houses in India are sitting onhuge pile of Basmati stocks. High mark up cost is multiplying their difficulties. Millers are wonderingwhat to do with new season. In India there is a mounting pressure on the Government to enhance MSP(minimum support price) of Paddy by 8%, due to higher cost of inputs. Any decision by IndianGovernment will have an effect in Pakistan. If MSP is increased by 8% in Pakistan, it will be veryinjurious decision for Pakistani rice millers and exporters.

Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Govt of Pakistan has recently recommended that all rice exportconsignment to USA, Mexico and Russia should be subjected to periodical inspection and exporterswarehouses should be cleared by Ministry's official. This step will lead to Govt official's interference inrice export. Tsunami in Japan has opened an opportunity window for growers and exporters of Pakistanfor which a lot of spade work needs to be done. Our exporters and scientist must understand that RiceIndustry's future shape is going to be changed very rapidly specially the export of instant cooking rice.Consumers are already feeling uncomfortable on rapidly increasing prices of basmati, who are hit byglobal recession. Current scenario is very difficult, as increase in input costs of rice paddy is getting costlyand on the other hand agitation in Middle East is forcing their governments to cap the prices of importedrice.Tail point .Pakistan Rice exporters should Watch the growing market of Nigeria (# 1 rice importers in the world withover 2 million tons), which is heavily dependent (70%) on Thailand.

HamlikChief [email protected]

Edi t o r i a l No te


5/24


plus i ceR ice

ice production estimates for the current 2010-11 season have yet to be finalized but initialR estimates show a 2.0Million Tons decrease inNon Basmati rice production and a normal production

of Basmati rice. The devastating floods mainlyaffected the rice growing area on the West Bank of theRiver Indus in Sindh and Baluchistan. The floodscould damage only a small percentage of the rice areaof Punjab and that too was limited to the Non-Basmatidistricts of Bhakkar, Layyah, Muzaffargarh, RahimYar Khan, Rajanpur and D.G Khan. The smalldecrease in production in Basmati has been due to thelow return to farmers during the last season.There has been a healthy growth in the installation of new rice mills during the last few years and somerecent additions are of remarkable nature withreference to their production capacity and qualitymachinery. This investment trend shows the sufficientavailability of quality raw material for production andexports. The increase in market players is bound toincrease healthy competition in the sector paving the

way for encouraging the farmer community towardsincrease in production through more area or per acreyields.In comparison to stagnant Basmati rice exports for thelast 3-4 years, our only competitor India has managedto increase its Basmati exports from 1.2Million Tonsto 2.4Million Tons in a span of three year. It is food forthought for our rice exporters. Quality and productionhas never been an issue while export marketing hasalways lagged behind. There is a dire need to expandour export market and make efforts to recapture lost

markets and explore new areas also. Branding andretail marketing is a costly affair but has long termhealthy impacts. This year rice exporters need to givemore attention to Basmati exports as availability of Non-Basmati particularly Irri-6 is on the lower side.The country's economy is also undergoing difficulttimes. Increase in exports of Basmati could counter thereduced availability of Non-Basmati rice so that riceexports earnings rise above 3.0. Billion $. The last tenmonths have seen some improvements in earningsfrom rice exports i.e. 2.5 Billion $ but there is a direneed to do a lot more in this context.

Hamid Malhi President Basmati Growers Association

F l o o d

I m p a c

t i n P a k

i s t a n i R

i c e

F o r e c a s

t e d f i g u r e

2 0 1 0

F o r e c a s

t e d f i g u r e

2 0 1 1

The figures indicate reduction inharvesting area from 2,800 to 2,100M.H, milled production from 6.5 to 4.4MT, and total supply is anticipated lessthan last year. The facts significantlyreport a less growth in rice due to floodin Pakistan.

Source: http://gain.fas.usda.gov

Cur r en t Ric e I s sues


6/24


plus i ceR ice

Dr. Amanullah Assistant Professor Agriculture University Peshawar

ice, an important food and cash crop, is thethird largest crop of Pakistan after wheatR and cotton. It is planted on an area of over2.5 million ha (11% of the total cropped area) and

accounts for 17% of the total cereals producedannually. The annual production of milled rice isabout 6.5 million tonnes sharing 5.5% inagriculture sector and 1.1% in GDP. Pakistan isfamous for growing and exporting long grainaromatic Basmati rice. Rice exports hoveringaround three million tonnes per annum haveaccounted for 11% of the foreign exchange frommerchandize exports. The rice export increasedmanifold during the recent years and a recordexport of 3.69 million tonnes of worth aboutRs.170 billion was made during 2008-09. The

th rdcountry ranks 14 in terms of rice production and 3in r ice expor t in the world ( NARC ) .Phosphorus (P) is the second most important cropnutrient after nitrogen that increases crop

productivity and profitability on P-deficient soils inKhyber Pakhtunkhwa ( Amanullah et al., 2010 ).Phosphorus is a macronutrient that plays a numberof important roles in plants. Adequate phosphorusresults in higher grain production, improved cropquality, greater stalk strength, increased rootgrowth, and earlier crop maturity. Crop phosphorusnutrition depends on the ability of the soil toreplenish the soil solution with phosphorus as thecrop removes it and on the ability of the plant to

produce a healthy and extensive root system thathas access to the maximum amount of soilphosphorus. Various inorganic P-fertilizer sourcesare used to supply P to crops. Application of P-fertilizers must be done in a way to maximize the Pavailability to crops and to minimize the risk that Pmight be lost to the environment by runoff orerosion. Excess application with the poorefficiency of P-fertilizers is one of the majorproblems confronting the sustainable agricultural

development. Whereas, loss of N and P fromfarmlands to surface waters is considered as one of the major sources inducing eutrophication.

Rice is an important cereal crop in KhyberPakhtunkhwa ( Table below ). No attention has beendevoted to calibrating soil tests for phosphorus (P)in the rice fields in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Theinformation is needed to improve fertilizer Pefficiency for recommendations to the rice growers.The current nitrogen based fertilization system inKhyber Pakhtunkhwa had a negative balance withother nutrients particularly with phosphorus. Thislow phosphorus to nitrogen ratio shows signs of

fatigue and is no longer exhibiting increased riceproductivity. Phosphorus (P) deficiency symptomsappear in the lower part of the rice plant and resultsin (1) decreased leaf number, (2) decreased leaf blade length, (3) reduced panicles per plant, (4)reduced seeds per panicle, and (5) reduced filledseeds per panicle. The reduced tillering capacity of rice planted on P deficient soil is usually the greatestfactor responsible for reduced yields.

As the land for cultivation is contracting in Pakistan

in general and in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in particulardue to increasing population so the future increases incrop production must come from higher yield per unitarea. Increased cropping intensity, intensivecropping system removes plant nutrients heavilyfrom the soil, in addition to natural losses of nutrients. Therefore, increased and judicious use of P-fertilizers, to replenish the nutrient supply systems,is a key factor in the rice based system aiming atintensification of crop production on sustainable

basis. Proper phosphorus nutrition is thereforecritical in the region for improving rice quality andgrain yields and maximizing net returns.

Rice LeadingDistricts in KPKDir UpperMalakandLower DirDIKSwatAll DistrictsFATATotal 53787

Area (ha)

6568

6433

6382

6029

4223

42580

11207

Production (t)

12962

13915

10420

12069

9809

85777

16626

102403 1904

Yield (kg/ha)

1974

2163

1633

2002

2323

2014

1484

Crops Statistics Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (2009-10)

Ric e and Phosphor us


7/24


plus i ceR ice

he world appears to be on the threshold of another green revolution in rice production as a result of an

intensive, 12-year partnership between the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences in Beijing andthe International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines called "Green Super Rice," it is the resultTof a project begun in 1998, involving the painstaking crossbreeding of more than 250 different potentialvarieties and rice hybrids, according to Dr Jauhar Ali, a senior scientist and regional project coordinator forthe Development of Green Super Rice at IRRI in Los Banos, south of Manila.The process was developed by Zhi-Kang Li, which involves the efforts of hundreds of researchers in dozensof countries across the world, seeking to isolate the desirable traits from indigenous strains and thenbackcross breed them to produce hardier varieties. Particularly, the development comes at a time when foodsecurity has become a major political issue, not just in Asia but increasingly across the world as the price of commodities skyrocket. Disastrous floods in Pakistan, drought in Australia, fires and drought in Russia, allcombined to spur concern that the world could be on the brink of a food crisis to rival that endured in 2007,

when the price of rice shot from roughly US$250 to US1,100 per ton before falling back to hover aroundUS$500 today. Imbalances in the demand-supply chain and hoarding by national governments have forcedthe World Food Program to initiate a number of emergency projects to continue the delivery of food to theworld's poor. Rice in particular faces problems from climate change. It has been a long, hard slog to come outwith the concept of Green Super Rice, Green Super Rice does not involve genetic modification. Instead, itinvolves taking hundreds of donor cultivars from dozens of different countries, identifying significantvariations in plant response to drought, global warming and other problems, and "backcross" breedingpainstakingly crossing a hybrid with one of its parents or with a plant genetically like one of its parents, thenscreening the backcross bulk populations after one or two backcrosses under severe abiotic and biotic stressconditions to identify transgressive segregants that are doing better than both parents and the checks. Thisoperation is done for all the backcrosses originating from 46 recurrent parents and 500 donors -- a mini-core

collection - and reconfirmed before further pooling them across different traits by the use of molecularmarkers to improve rice tolerance for instance, drought, salinity, submergence, rice blast fungus, bacterialleaf blight and the ability to out-compete weeds, reducing the need for fertilizers.The announcement comes on the 50th anniversary of what has been called the original Green Revolution,when IRRI, established by the Philippine government and the Ford and Rockefeller Foundations, introducedIR8, the first "miracle rice," as it was called then, to the world, at a time when India especially was on thebrink of mass starvation. IR8, a semi-dwarf variety, yielded about 5 metric tons per hectare without fertilizerand as much as 10 tons under optimal conditions about 10 times the yield of traditional rice.IR8 was subject to kernel breakage and other problems. Eventually, its successors revolutionized world foodproduction, driving down the price of rice by more than 50 percent and turning India, Thailand and othercountries into some of the world's most successful producers and exporters. Rice is grown on some 142

million hectares in Asia, feeding more than 4 billion people. A semi-aquatic plant species that originated intropical swamps, rice production typically consumes two to three times as much water as do other cereals.Thus water deficiency drought has been the single biggest limit in rain-fed rice fields, with drought at theearly stages of growth causing delayed transplant or delayed germination. Drought at the reproductive stagealso slow growth, according to a variety of papers made available by Dr. Ali, resulting in low and unstablerice productivity.IR8's successors used far more fertilizers and pesticides than conventional strains, but producedsubstantially higher yields. Such efforts are coming under an umbrella organization called the Global RiceScience Partnership, under the acronym GRiSP, launched last November at the third International RiceCongress in Vietnam, which seeks to enable the world to coordinate its approach to rice science so thatagencies can pool their resources, apply their expertise and collaborate in the delivery of the improved strains

to poor rice farmers across the world. GRiSP is looking for the funds to expand into seven countries acrossAsia and seven in Africa Some 260 people have been trained from public and private centers, including inAfrica, on the use of the Green Super Rice breeding and seed Production technology.Source with thanks to : www.asiasentinel.com

Get ready for Green Super Rice- John Berthelsen

A New Ric e Revolu t ion on t he Way


8/24



9/24



10/24


plus i ceR ice

ice is one of the old species in our crops

which are domesticated from their wildhabitat. Today in the world, there are twoRmajor rice varieties; Oryza sativa indica and Oryzasativa japonica which are grown. According to

researchers and historians, rice cultivation begansimultaneously in many countries of the world over6500 years ago. The first rice crops were observed inChina (Hemu Du region) around 5000 B.C. as wellas in Thailand around 4500 B.C. and later appearedin Cambodia, Vietnam and southern India.Historians believe that the earliest remains of cultivated rice in the sub-continent have been foundin the north and west and date from around 2000 BCRice plant description :Rice plant develops amain stem and many tillers and may range from0.6 to 6 meters in height. The tiller bears aramified panicle that measure between 20 and 30centimeters wide but also may vary from variety

to variety.

or spikelets), which form the grains. The smallwind-pollinated flowers are produced in a branchedarching to pendulous inflorescence 3050 cm longThe fruit obtained from rice plant is called caryopsis(grain) which is 512 mm long and 23 mm thick.Nutritional Value of rice : Rice is highly nutritativecrop which includes; Energy1,527 kJ (365 kcal),Carbohydrates79 g, Sugars 0.12 g, Dietary fiber 1.3g, Fat 0.66 g, Protein 7.12 g, Water 11.62 g,Thiamine (Vit. B1) 0.070 mg (5%), Riboflavin (Vit.B2) 0.049 mg (3%), Niacin (Vit. B3) 1.6 mg (11%),Pantothenic acid (B5) 1.014 mg (20%), Vitamin B60.16 , Folate (Vit. B9) 8 g (2%), Calcium 28 mg(3%), Iron 0.80 mg (6%), Magnesium 25 mg (7%),Manganese 1.088 mg (54%), Phosphorus 115 mg(16%), Potassium 115 mg (2%) and Zinc 1.09 mg(11%)4 mg (13%)*.* N

Each panicle has 50 to 300 flowers (floret

utritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)

-Do- -Do- -Do-

-Do- -Do- -Do-

Basmati 198, Basmati-370,Basmati-385,

IRRI 6, KS-282, KSK-133,NIAB IRRI-9

Super Basmati

6-7

4.5-5

8-10

6-7

12-15

10-12

st1 June toth20 June

th20 May toth7 June

th20 May toth20 June

st1 July toth20 July

th20 June toth7 July

th20 June toth20 July

Varieties Seed rate (kg/acre)RMWM DM

Sowingdate

Transplantingdate

th15 July tost31 July

th15 June toth30 JuneShaheen Basmati

Table 1: Recommended varieties of rice with seed rates, sowing dates and transplanting dates. (Punjab)

Recommendations for farmers to improve rice production

Recommended seed rate, in time plantingof nursery and transfer to field

Proper fertilizers and timely application

Proper crop protection measuresUse of integrated weed managementProper control of rice disease

Use pure, healthy and certified seed

Timely harvesting Use of new and resistant varieties

Seed rate and sowing nursery is pre-requisite for

the good crop harvest. According to Punjabagriculture department, the nursery must not besown before May 20 to prevent multiplication of stem borer mouths. Generally, for basmati 1-1/2kg/Marla and for IRRI varieties 1-2 kg/ Marla areused. Higher seed rate produce the week seedlingdue to more competition of crop plants fornutrients while the low seed rate allows theweeds to dominate in the nursery field.

Dr. Muhammad Tahir Assistant Professor University of Agriculture Faisalabad

Appropriate plant population (75,000-80,000 per acre )Irrigation management

Use of integrated pest management

The Ric e


11/24


plus i ceR iceNursery transplanting: The average nursery age for all varieties is 25-30 days. For dry condition thenursery need 40 days for transplanting and before uprooting the plants the field is filled with water. It willsoften the soil and easy to pull out the rice nursery plant without breakage of the plant roots. At the time of transplanting the nursery height should not be higher than 15 cm. It should be dark green in clour and stemshould be without branches. Two nursery seedlings per hills are sufficient.The plant population is key element for optimum yield of the rice. If we able to maintain the plant to plantand row to row distance 9 or 23 cm (9 inches x 9inches) then the plant population will be 180000 plants peracres (80000 holes and two plants per hole). In our field the number of holes pre plants is less than 60000which will ultimately reduce the 25% yield of the framing community.Irrigation management: Rice crop is water loving crop and need judicious amount of water for its goodyield and harvest. Total delta of water of rice is 50-60 acre-inches. Thus 12-16 irrigations are required whichshould be applied according to need of the crop.Fertilizer management: The general recommendation of NPK is given the following table:

IRRI Type

Doses per acre

Basmati type

Nitrogen(Kg/ha)

55

70 40

Phosphorous(Kg/ha)

30

25

Potash(Kg/ha)

25

Zinc deficiency: Zinc sulphate (33%) at 6.5 kg/acre or zinc (21%) at 10 kg / acre can be broadcasted in thestanding water or nursery before transplanting is dipped at least 5 minutes with Zinc oxides (2% solution).Removal of zinc deficiency can enhance the 10 % yield per acre.Weed management: The weeds are one of the major problem in the rice field which reduce the yield up to15-20 % and may be up to 56-60% in sever cases. The weeds should be controlled by integrated weedmanagement practices. The major weeds found in our rice field belong to grassy family. Della, Swank,Dhodhan, Bhoain, Khabbal, Naru grass and Mirch booti etc. The critical weed compilation period is first30-40 days.Management of insect pests: Different kind of insect pests are attacked on the rice plants such as rice stemborer, strip rice borer, yellow stem borer, pink borer, white stem borer, leaf folder, white backed planthopper, rice grass hoppers and rice hispa. But the stem borer cause the more damage as compare to otherinsect pests to the rice crop. The borer seriously damage the Basmati varieties while white backed planthopper, leaf folder, army worm and yellow borer cause damage to IRRI varieties. The integrated pestmanagement techniques should be used. The application of insecticides should be used according toagriculture department recommendation.

The seed should be treated with some suitable fungicides e.g. Topsim M, thiofinate etc.The disease free nursery is transplanted to the field.The irrigation water from infected field should not be moved to the healthy field.Crop rotation should be used.Suitable fungicides, nematicides and varicides can be used.

Management of diseases in rice:

Harvesting: Huge grain losses occur at the time of early or late harvesting of the rice crop. Early harvestingresults in broken kernels and low milling recovery due to more moisture in the seed and incompletephysiological maturity while late harvested crop is prone to more insect, rodent and bird pests in addition to

increased risks of lodging and grain shattering due to more dryness of the panicles. Therefore, the best timefor harvesting the crop is when the variety has reached the particular date of maturity (usually three monthsafter transplanting of nursery).

The following control measures are helpful in reducing the attack of the diseases;


12/24



13/24



14/24



15/24



16/24


plus i ceR ice

nstitute of Research Promotion (IRP) and Pakistan Scientific and Technological Information Centre

(PASTIC-PSF) in collaboration with Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) arrangedFirst Technology Exhibition and Seminar on R&D in Food and Agriculture on Tuesday, May 31, atILCCI.The exhibition purpose was to provide a place to industrialists and researchers across the country toshowcase their innovations, technologies, products, services and solutions in food and agriculture sectors.The occasion was also helpful to promote S&T partnership for national sustainable development. Theexhibition was inaugurated by Federal Minister for Science & Technology, Mir Changez Khan Jamali. Thekey highlights of the exhibition seminar are as follows:Abid H.K.Sherwani: (CEO,IRP) admired the prestigious gathering in exhibition. He said that togetherwe can make possible what is believed to be impossible. He requested to academia and industry to trusteach other and make our country proud by innovating and commercializing into enterprise research.Dr. Hamid Malik, Chief Executive, Indus-Pak appreciated our R&D organizations for introducing newvarieties in rice, cotton, wheat and other grains as well . He pointed that these results were delivered adecade back, and R&D development is not seen after that. Livestock, which is also very potential area, butthe development of this sector is not much appreciable. He stressed that:

Increase in per acre productivity of major foreign exchange earning crops. Optimum production per unit with least application of water and pesticides. Develop new varieties with enhanced production to overcome the problem of inbreeding. As super basmati is deteriorating in its economical traits, due to inbreeding. A new basmati variety

with 8mm plus AGL, aroma and high milling recovery, is badly needed. Data collection for true assessment of Sahiwal and Nili Ravi.National Breeding policy should be

based on better economic trait performance rather than preserving heritage. Use of embryo transfer, cloning, genetical engineering, pedigree and progeny testing for genetical

improvement of Sahiwal and Niliravi. Effective and efficient use of Biological waste for animal and poultry feed. Development of vaccines for Live Stock based on prevalent strains of pathogens. Improvement in the shelf life of fruits and vegetables. Reduction and elimination of Post harvesting losses in Agro products.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS OF THE EXHIBITION

Dr. Nawaz Ahmad, Vice Chancellor, UVAS highlighted that:

UVAS is only one veterinary university which is contributing largely in agricultural livestock economy.

We do not have priority funding for livestock research.

We need to do genetic research and produce new breeds of animals. He stressed for long and shortterm planning of R&D based projects and emphasized on record keeping for better production.

Dr. Fayyaz Ahmad, Chief Executive Officer, M/S Bio Food (Pvt.) Ltd highlighted in his speech that:

Industry is more progressive in R&D if given opportunity.

The pace of research commercialization is encouraging.

Industry needs trained researchers for industry driven research, and there is not enough education/ trainings.

Industry must be given opportunity to take R&D grants and do research accordingly.

s t1 R& D Ex h i bi t i o n on Fo o d a n d A g r ic u l t u r e Se c t o r


17/24


plus i ceR ice Prof. Dr. Farid A. Malik, FCCU, highlighted that:

We have to change our policy framework and procedures to promote R&D. There is no strategic priority regarding R&D in country.

We do not have education for development related to industrial R&D. We need to shift from only publication research to problem solving research.

Dr. Mohsin Syed Regional Director (NIP) encouraged the valued efforts of PSF, IRP and LCCI toorganize this exhibition and requested the consistent efforts to promote indigenous research. Hehighlighted that:

We are living in an agricultural country but here is not much care for our farmers. Inconsistency in inflation rate destabilized the performance and planning in agriculture sector. We have centres, scientists, engineers and land but not supportive and encouraging environment

from government. Youngsters are our strengths if they work with dynamic style. We have to accept that agricultureimprovement is the only way that will stabilize our economy and improve our cost of living in the

coming years.Concluding Remarks by Dr. Kasur Abdullah Malik, FCCU, highlighted that

There must be political will for S&T research and development. Public sector officers must come out in fields and visit universities. There are appreciable efforts in R&D but need to increase 50 times more. R&D spending and budget is very less in Pakistan.

Vote of thanks was delivered by Dr, Manzoor Soomro Chairman (PSF) . He appreciated the gathering fortheir contribution to promote R&D culture in Pakistan. He stressed on politicians and industry people forliaison with scientists. He recommended that we have to look for solutions instead of problems.Participants stressed that propagation of innovative ideas is very necessary. We should try to accept smallinnovative R&D projects instead of looking for high profiled R&D projects. So that we can monitor R&DoutcomCash prizes were also awarded to the best three indigenous technologies in the exhibition. KoldKrafts (Rs-50,000), Veterinary Research Institute Lahore (Rs-30,000) and Life Technologies Pvt. Ltd (Rs-20,000). More than thirty innovative indigenous technologies, technological solutions, products andservices from R&D organizations and industry were exhibited. The main contributors from industryincluded Marhaba Industries, Qarshi Industries, Hilal Foods, Agri Biotech Industry, Kold Krafts, Hoest,Life Technologies (Pvt) Ltd, Guard Agricultural Research and Services, Lahore and Agri Biotech/ ECOFoods. The academic institution included Ayub Agricultural Research Institute , Punjab AgriculturalResearch Board, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore, Govt. College University, Faisalabad, TheIslamia University of Bahawalpur, NIBGE Faisalabad, NIFA, Peshawar, PCSIR, Lahore, PARAS Lahore,University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences Lahore, University of Sargodha and Veterinary Research.Institute, Lahore.


18/24


plus i ceR ice

genetically modified variety of rice having grains rich of vitamin A has been named asgolden rice. Beta-carotene (a precursor of vitamin A) and other carotenoids in the grain give it

A a golden color hence named as 'golden rice'. Upon ingestion, many of these carotenoids especiallythe beta-carotene, are converted into vitamin A in the human body. These carotenoids not only protect thehuman body from a number of diseases but also possess nutritional benefits. Professor Ingo Potrykus(Switzerland) and Professor Peter Beyer (Germany) were the scientists who developed golden rice.

The objective of the golden rice was to protect the children victim of blindness and xerophthalmia causedby vitamin A deficiency. Millions of people in the world including pregnant women especially the onesbelonging to Africa are deficient of vitamin A. This vitamin A deficiency either results in blindness or deathin children as well as adults. On the other hand, vitamin A deficiency may aggravate the chances of HIV-

AIDS and measles in the children. According to UNICEF, 124 million children are deficient of vitamin Aworldwide. The conventional method of vitamin A provision in the deficient people is either oral orinjection which is very costly and unaffordable especially for the poor people.The project of golden rice was started in 1982 by Swiss scientists who finally gave golden rice in 2000.Golden rice II was produced in 2005 by the team of Syngenta Company which had 23 times higherviatmain A than the golden rice I. It is hoped that the golden rice will be finally available in the market by2012. Recently Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have funded to improve availability of vitamin A, E, Feand Zn. Currently the work is in progress in IRRI on golden rice.

Most of the countries with vitamin A deficiency use rice as food. Golden rice was intended to generate beta-carotene which is a precursor of vitamin A, in the rice grain. Although rice naturally produces beta-carotene

but that is confined in the leaves for the purpose of photosynthesis, however, the endosperm is withoutcarotenoid. Two beta-carotene synthesizing genes, one ( psy ) from daffodil and other ( crt1 ) from bacteriawere inserted in the rice. Under controlled environment, the golden rice produces 1.6 g/g of carotenoidswhile higher amounts were noted when it was grown under field conditions. The countries like Philippines,USA and Taiwan etc. have bred Golden rice with their indigenous varieties to improve the nutritional statusof their cultivars.

As the conventional varieties all over the world are deficient in vitamin A, so the golden rice was an effort tomake vitamin A fortified rice which would be a low cost alternative of artificial vitamin provision to thehuman body. The suggested amount of golden rice to supplement vitamin A is 75 g per person per day. Oneimportant concern about the golden rice is the stability of vitamin A in cooked rice. Experiments provedthat sufficient amount of vitamin A was present in the cooked rice.

Khawar Jabran Ayub Agricultural Research Institute Faisalabad

Golden Ric e


19/24



20/24



21/24


plus i ceR ice

Amar Matloob and Dr.Abdul Khaliq, University of Agriculture - Faisalabad ice holds a conspicuous position in the

agro-based economy of Pakistan. It is ahigh value cash crop, accounting for 6.4Rpercent of the value added in agriculture and 1.4percent in gross domestic product. Rice is the largest

agricultural export commodity of Pakistan onlyafter cotton. Transplanting in puddled soil (wettillage) with continuous flooding is commonmethod of rice production. Water standing in thefield offers effective weed control in transplantedrice cultures. On the other hand, transplanting of rice

is laborious, cumbersome, expensive and timeconsuming. Nursery transplanting is usuallydelayed due to lack of labor and all fields are nottransplanted simultaneously. This usually results inabove-optimal age of rice seedling that produceslesser number of productive tillers per plant. Alsotransplanting shock, a set-back of growth due touprooting and replanting of seedlings, increaseswith increase in age of seedling. Late nurserytransplanting reduces growing period of the cropthat deteriorates the kernel quality as well as itsyield. Transplanting also decreases rice plantsability to withstand moisture stress. Similarly,careless transplanting by hired labor results inimproper planting densities in farmer's field so that

-lrequired plant population (250,000 plants ha ) isr a r e l y a c h i e v e d .In rice-wheat cropping system, wheat cropfollowing rice requires well drained and pulverizedsoil. This reflects an edaphic conflict in this system.Soil management practices for rice render

consequent venomous effects on the soilenvironment due to the dispersion of soil particles,soil compactness and result in considerable energyinputs for tillage operations for the following wheatand other upland crops. On the basis of a diagnosticsurvey conducted in several rice-wheat areas, it wasobserved that low wheat yields in a rice-wheatsystem can be attributed to poor physical conditionof soil including deterioration in soil structure andthe development of subsurface hardpans.

Transplanted rice is also gigantic user of water.Current production system consumes about 2500

-3000 liter of fresh water to produce 1 kilogram of

paddy. One can undoubtedly conclude that it is notthe paddy but our fresh water that is being exported.Transplanted rice usually demands surplus water at amoment in time when the reservoirs are alreadypetite of water. Late onset of monsoon and drudgeryof operations often delay rice transplanting, whichleads to late vacation of fields, forcing the sowingof wheat past the optimum time, and hence reducingwheat yields enormously. Increasing water scarcityin the country has threatened the sustainability of

t r a n s p l a n t e d r i c e p r o d u c t i o n .To overcome problems associated with traditionalrice cultivation, direct seeding of rice seems onlyviable alternative in rescuing farmers. Directseeding has potential for attaining high waterproductivity and eliminating the edaphic conflict inrice-wheat cropping system of Punjab. Direct seededcrop generally flowers earlier leading to reduction incrop duration. It is an easy and economical techniqueand can also put aside time and labor. Fairly goodyields can be obtained if crop is properly managed.Poor stand establishment, and heavy weedinfestation early in the season is major obstacle inlarge scale adoption of direct seeding of rice.Recently, a number of seed invigoration techniqueshave been standardized that can provide bettergermination and even crop stand but weedmanagement in direct seeded rice still remains a keyissue with many of the growers. Carpet weed ( Itsit ),and jungle rice ( Swanki ) are the most competitiveweeds in direct seeded rice fields. Direct seeded crop

generally lacks a head start over weeds as comparedwith a 25-30-day-old transplanted seedling. Theproper time and method of weed control are,therefore, a complex phenomenon in direct seededrice crop. Lack of suitable genotype, proper sowingequipment, technical know-how, increased blastincidence and unavailability of a selective postemergence herbicide for direct seeded rice are thekey elements in its large scale adoption. Moreover,Basmati (fine) varieties are seldom being used fordirect seeding across the globe. Most of the ricegrowing and consuming nations have coarse rice

Myster y of Direc t Seeded Rice: Opport unities and Constr aints


22/24


plus i ceR icevarieties which perform better in direct seedingculture. The problem of sacrificing our fine rice tocoarse rice to adopt direct seeding is too bitter toswallow as fine rice is the main export commodity

and fetches a major share of foreign earnings ing l o b a l m a r k e t .Direct seeding can be broadly categorized into dry-direct seeding, wet-seeding and water-seeding.Considering the recent water crises in the country,dry-direct seeding of rice seems the most strikingone. It involves drilling of dry or primed seed in 22.5cm apart rows or broadcasting the same just like anordinary wheat crop. Land should be prepared with aprincipal aim of achieving a weed free seed bed of f i n e t i l t h . S e e d p r i m i n g p r o v i d e sgood stand establishment and early seeding vigorthat imparts competitiveness against weeds. Primingcan be done with water or calcium chloride and/orp o t a s s i u m c h l o r i d e .Next crucial factor is the optimum field capacity atthe time of sowing. Lack of moisture at this stage canbe fatal. Sowing seed at appropriate moisture level atoptimum rate and depth should be the ultimate goal.

-1A seed rate of 50 kg ha and depth of 3-4 cm is fairlyadequate. Lower seed rate would yield less numberof productive tillers while increasing seed rate wouldlead to intra-specific competition for resources andmutual shading resulting in unhealthy stand. Sowingof crop in narrow rows (15 cm apart) could alsoreduce the space available for weeds to thrive.Fertilization should be carried out in such a way thatend beneficiaries are crop plants and not the weeds.Nitrogen should be applied in two or three splits ascrop's initial requirement is low and most of theapplied pool goes to build weed biomass. Side orband placement beside or below the seed has been

found better than broadcasting. Micronutrients likezinc and boron are important as they help to increasemetabolic efficiency of crop plants and result inbetter seed set and quality of the produce.Sustainability of direct seeded rice is greatlydetermined by the presence or absence of weeds, andhence weed control should be started as early aspossible. Weed management for dry seeded paddycrop should start from the land preparation. Staleseed bed/ suicidal germination technique, locallycalled dab method, followed by application

of a non-selective herbicide can reduce the weedburden by half. Under field conditions, dry seededpaddy yields are directly proportional to the durationof weed-free period. A weed competition up to 20

days after sowing could drastically reduce thenumber of panicle bearing tillers. In this context,pre-plant incorporation or pre-emergenceapplication of an appropriate herbicide could servethe purpose. This, later on must be followed by aselective post emergence herbicide to tackle weedsthat emerge later with subsequent irrigations. Fordirect seeded rice, a post emergence herbicideproviding season long weed control is currentlylacking. Some products are under preliminarytesting and are at various stages of evaluation. Thecombination of pre and post emergence herbicide iseven more effective in controlling weeds than thesole application of either of these. Hand hoeing twiceat 25 and 45 days after sowing can benefit crop byeffectively controlling weeds and can be practicedwherever cheap farm labor is available. Mechanicalweed control with tractor drawn implement can bepracticed provided the crop is drilled with a seeddrill. Certain crops when included in rotation havethe potential to reduce weed load in the coming crop.

Dry seeded rice crop can be grown after wheat,sunflower, sorghum and brassica to avail theallelopathic benefits of these crops. Use of allelopathic rice varieties having weed suppressingpotential and competitive ability against weeds isalso crucial.Considering the acute agricultural watershortage that country is facing at the moment, wehave to look beyond the conventional productionpractices. Resource conservation technologies likedirect seeded rice can help a lot in sustaining rice-wheat cropping system. This necessitates therealization and development of the improved directseeded rice production technology through jointventure of public and private research organizationsbased on farmer feedback and field relatedproblems. The agricultural policy makers shouldtake into account this aspect and allocate grants andprojects to researchers to fix issues related to directseeding and subsidies to farmer by providingpesticides free of cost to encourage its field scalea d o p t i o n b y t h e f a r m i n g c o m m u n i t y.


23/24


24/24

Date post:	07-Apr-2018
Category:	Documents
Upload:	mujahid-ali
View:	214 times
Download:	0 times

Rice Plus Mag_June 2011

Documents