Selection of seed

The farmers select the bold grains for seed purpose. Fields having healthy crop growth are selected for selecting seeds. Second selection done in the threshing floor. While threshing manually, the bold seeds that are easily shattered by the first two beatings are considered. This Process is effective in separating out the partially filled and diseased grains. The seeds selected by this process possess more vigour.

storage of seeds

1.    To get rid of general pests confronted in rice field, farmers of Assam follow the following ITK practices:-
2.    To reduce the initial inoculums of general pests and disease, a few farmers used to burn the straw and stubbles before initiate plouging of field operation. However, this burning operation is not common, but it is based on the disease pressure experienced of the preceding years by a farmer of specific locality.

·    These traditional cultivars are cultivated in specific geographical area of the state, the transplanting and dibbling are the popular methods for cultivation, the use of fertilizers is very low.
·    The area under traditional varieties is meager but specific features like fine, scent and nutritional value.
·    These cultivars are cultivated for the local market home consumptions and religious occasions.
i) Rab  :

1.    Sowing of sorghum, red gram and Beans on bund of Terraces
Advantage:  Efficient   utilization of space   and smothering the weeds on bunds
2.    Mixed cropping of Rice + Sorghum in drought prone areas.
Advantage:  As insurance crop to get the produce from either of one crop depending on rainfall
3.    Inter-cultivation and 'Hodta'  (Planking) operations in dry and wet conditions in paddy fields

1.    Paddy grain is stored with fresh leaves of Margosa (Azadirachta indica) to control insect attacks in Tamil Nadu. Reported by  Pereira and Sugathadasea(2003)
2.    Some farmers mix cinnamon leaves and wood ash with paddy and store the grain in bags. This practice is prevalent in Tamil Nadu. Reported by  Pereira and Sugathadasea(2003)
3.    Cleaning of threshed paddy is done by using a winnowing basket ‘kula’. This is practiced in West Bengal. Reported by  Anwarul-Haque et.al(2003)

1.    For controlling bacterial leaf blight (BLB) in rice , farmers make a slurry of 20 kg cow dung in 200 liters of water and filter it through a gunny bag. They further dilute the filtrate with 50 liters of water and allow it to stand. The filtered water is then decanted, strained and sprayed on healthy plants to check the spread of disease in Uttar Pradesh. Reported by    Rath(1992)

1.    In rice fields, nearer to the bunds big mud pots are immersed to half of its height. Half of the mud pots are filled with water and chaffy paddy is put into it. The chaffy paddy  mixed with the water emit a type of smell like the grain storage structure. Attracted by this smell, the rats jump into the pot but can’t come out of it as it is half empty. Farmers then catch the rats and kill them. This practice is prevalent in Kerala. Reported by Abraham(1997)

1.    Clipping off the tip of rice seedlings before transplanting is practiced all over the state of Assam, to ease  transplantation; to facilitate  uniform  growth  and to remove  insect egg masses  and other major  insect pests  present on the leaf tips is an alternative for  chemical pesticides  application. . This has been  practiced since long time by all farmers without any modification. Reported by  J.K. Choudhry(2003)

1.    Before sowing, farmers sieve rice seeds in order to separate  the seed of weeds. Since most of the weed seeds are smaller than  rice seeds, they are filtered   out in sieves. This is prevalent in  Arunachal Pradesh. Reported by  Ranjay. K. Singh(2003)
2.    Treatment of paddy seeds in diluted biogas slurry for 12 hours increase resistance  of seedlings  to pests and diseases.  This is practiced in Tamil Nadu. Reported by  Iyyappan(1997)

    Farmers of village Khurai, Nandeibum, Leikai, Imphal, East Manipur do mixed farming by rearing cattle, piggery and poultry in addition to raising the crops. Since this area has rice based agro ecosystem, rice husk is mixed with excreta of poultry birds, cattle, pigs and house ash. Afterwards this mixture is spread over the  paddy field. Yield of paddy is increased up to 25-30% after application of this mixture. Reported by Ranjay K. Singh(2003)

1.    The planting and laddering after 30-40 days of sowing paddy is practiced to have positive effect on tillering of the crop. . Reported by  A.K. Gupta(1998)
2.    Rough leveling of the surface of paddy fields is done by moving soil with the wooden plate with 1.8 m width and 40 cm height. . Reported by  Harikosi(1991)
3.    A banana trunk about 3.5 m long is suspended with a rope that is tied around hip of the farmer and  is pulled to level the surface of paddy fields. . Reported by  Shimda(1991)

1. The practice of alternate wetting and drying of soil is followed in Tamil Nadu at it results in a good rice crop.
Reported by P.S.K. Jeyaraj(2003)

2.  Completing transplanting by August second week is practiced  by the farmers of Telengana region of Andhra Pradesh  in order to get good harvest.
Reported by Chitttrai selvan and K.V. Raman (1990)

1. The practice of alternate wetting and drying of soil is followed in Tamil Nadu at it results in a good rice crop.
Reported by P.S.K. Jeyaraj(2003)

2.  Completing transplanting by August second week is practiced  by the farmers of Telengana region of Andhra Pradesh  in order to get good harvest.
Reported by Chitttrai selvan and K.V. Raman (1990)

1. The practice of alternate wetting and drying of soil is followed in Tamil Nadu at it results in a good rice crop.
Reported by P.S.K. Jeyaraj(2003)

2.  Completing transplanting by August second week is practiced  by the farmers of Telengana region of Andhra Pradesh  in order to get good harvest.
Reported by Chitttrai selvan and K.V. Raman (1990)

1. The practice of alternate wetting and drying of soil is followed in Tamil Nadu at it results in a good rice crop.
Reported by P.S.K. Jeyaraj(2003)

2.  Completing transplanting by August second week is practiced  by the farmers of Telengana region of Andhra Pradesh  in order to get good harvest.
Reported by Chitttrai selvan and K.V. Raman (1990)

1.  The place with higher elevation in the field is selected for raising  paddy nursery.
 Reported by Rambabu(1997)

1. Vasambu (Acotus calamus) powder and cow urine are mixed in the water that has been boiled and cooled over night and the seeds are soaked in the solution.  The floating seeds are removed. The remaining seeds are used for sowing. This serves the dual purpose of seed selection and treatment of seed borne disease. This is practiced in Tamil Nadu. 

Reported by R. Nagarajan(2003)

2.  Higher seed rate is adopted by the farmers  of Tamil Nadu as dense  planting  of paddy  gives higher  yield.
Reported by Aravanan(2003)

1. Aadi tribes of Pasighat block in Arunachal Pradesh grow a local paddy variety Boga Kolony in the uplands as rainfed crop, where water availability is low. The plant height is 2.5 feet and the colour of grains is whitish yellow. This is sown mixed with pearl millet and maize. The field is ploughed by using L shaped blade. Dibbling method is used for sowing the seeds but nowadays few people are using desi plough. After germination, farmwomen do the weeding. This variety is resistant to insect and pests.

1.  July-August (Adi) is the apt season for Samba varieties of rice.
  Reported by Somasundaram(1997)
2. "Arudhra karthe" (June–July) is the suitable season for sowing mettudanyam (paddy variety) which is an early maturing short duration variety.
 Reported by K. Lakshmana(2002)
3. Mrugasir Karthe’ (June) is suitable season for sowing late maturing (long duration) varieties of paddy.
 Reported by K. Lakshmana(2002)