Challenges and opportunities in productivity and sustainability of rice cultivation system: a critical review in Indian perspective

Abstract

Abstract: Rice-wheat cropping system, intensively followed in Indo-Gangetic plains (IGP), played a prominent role in fulfilling the food grains demand of the increasing population of South Asia. In northern Indian plains, some practices such as intensive rice cultivation with traditional method for long-term have been associated with severe deterioration of natural resources, declining factor productivity, multiple nutrients deficiencies, depleting groundwater, labour scarcity and higher cost of cultivation, putting the agricultural sustainability in question. Varietal development, soil and water management, and adoption of resource conservation technologies in rice cultivation are the key interventions areas to address these challenges. The cultivation of lesser water requiring crops, replacing rice in light-textured soil and rainfed condition, should be encouraged through policy interventions. Direct seeding of short duration, high-yielding and stress tolerant rice varieties with water conservation technologies can be a successful approach to improve the input use efficiency in rice cultivation under medium-heavy-textured soils. Moreover, integrated approach of suitable cultivars for conservation agriculture, mechanized transplanting on zero-tilled/unpuddled field and need-based application of water, fertilizer and chemicals might be a successful approach for sustainable rice production system in the current scenario. In this review study, various challenges in productivity and sustainability of rice cultivation system and possible alternatives and solutions to overcome such challenges are discussed in details.

Keywords: Conservation agriculture; Factor productivity; Global warming; Groundwater table; Residue management; Rice production.

Fig. 1

Trend of rice yield in South Asia ( Source: FAOSTAT)

Fig. 2

Trend of rice area in South Asia ( Source: FAOSTAT)

Fig. 3

Annual rainfall and deviation from mean rainfall of India during 1988–2018 Source: Somasundar (2014), Jaganmohan (2020)

Fig. 4

Different in-field and off-field options for residue management

Fig. 5

Figure depicting (a) share of agriculture sector in CH₄ emission, (b) amount of CH₄ emission from agriculture sector, (c) share of agriculture sector in N₂O emission, (d) amount of N₂O emission from agriculture sector ( Source: FAOSTAT)

Fig. 6

Key intervention areas to ensure consumer pro high rice grain quality