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Download (2461kB) - University of Greenwich

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In sum, farmers must overcome several obstacles if dry-seeded DSR is to beadopted on a large scale. Prospects for wet-seeded DSR seem to be brighter since thiscan be sown on saturated soil and the drum seeder is less laborious than sowing witha lithao and then line-seeding.ConclusionsThis evaluation <strong>of</strong> DSR in the High Barind Tract has given mixed results. On thecredit side, DSR will improve farmers’ weed management, particularly the problem<strong>of</strong> late and less frequent weeding caused by shortages <strong>of</strong> cash and labor. DSR is alsomore pr<strong>of</strong>itable than TPR and gives farmers a means <strong>of</strong> cutting costs without sacrificingyield. Finally, the earlier harvest <strong>of</strong> DSR may allow farmers to expand the areaplanted to rabi crops.On the debit side, experience with OFTs has revealed practical problems withDSR in a drought-prone ecosystem. Supply-side problems have been overcome asresearchers have learned more about the technology, but wider access to herbicides,lithaos, and drum seeders remains a precondition for DSR adoption. On the demandside, farmers have been slow to adopt DSR because <strong>of</strong> erratic premonsoon rains thatprevent dry seeding, pest damage to early-maturing rice, and (among sharecroppers) therisk <strong>of</strong> lower yields. Wet seeding with long-duration varieties <strong>of</strong>fers a way forward.Direct-seeded rice in the High Barind Tract: economics and farmer evaluation 61

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