Rainfed rice - IRRI books - International Rice Research Institute

RAINFED RICE A SOURCEBOOK OF BEST PRACTICES AND STRATEGIES IN EASTERN INDIA
150
Characteristics of high-quality
seed
High genetic purity (true-to-type)
(>80%)
High physical purity
Free from pests and diseases
Free from weed seeds
High germinability
High vigour
Safe moisture content (1-12%)
Uniform size
High density
Status of rice seeds
In self-pollinated crops such as rice, seed replacement of 25% each year is
recommended so that seed is replaced every three to four years. However, the
current seed replacement rate of rice in India is about 15%.
Requirement and availability of rice seed in eastern India during 1998-99 1
State Area Seed rate Total seed Seed Seed SRR2 (million
ha)
(kg/ha) required
(’000 t)
demand
by state
availability/
supplied
(%)
1
government 1
(’000 t)
(’000 t)
Uttar Pradesh 5.58 50 270 25 25 8.96
Madhya Pradesh 5.17 50 259 13 11 4.82
Bihar 5.03 50 252 25 25 9.92
West Bengal 5.95 50 298 25 24 8.39
Orissa 4.53 60 272 37 45 13.60
Assam 2.50 50 125 2 2 1.60
Sikkim 0.02 50 1 – –
All India 42.90 45 1931 230 300 11.91
1
Source: Department of Agriculture and Corporation, Government of India (personal communication)
2 SRR = seed replacement rate, i.e., seed supply as % of total seed required