Growing vegetables amidst rice

The Agronomy, soils and agro forestry of Central Agricultural Research Institute at Port Blair has developed a state of the art technology (making broad beds and furrows) to grow vegetables and fodder right in the midst of rice fields.

The beds are made in the shape of inverted trapezium by digging soil from either side of the broad bed and putting it in the bed area by cut and fill method.

The excavated depressed area is used for rice cultivation and the raised broad bed area which is above the water level of the paddy fields are used for cultivating any seasonal vegetable or fodder crop during monsoon period.

The beds of 4-5 m wide and furrows 6-7 m wide are stabilised by planting two rows of hybrid napier on ridges either side. After harvest medium duration vegetables can be planted..

The bed can be used for either 3 crops rotation of two medium and one short duration crop or perennial fodder crop like hybrid napier. On such beds vegetables like French bean, cow pea, tomato, capsicum, chillies and cluster bean can be grown.

After harvesting rice pulses or oil seed crops, besides vegetables can be grown. This technology envisages efficient crop rotation and nutrient management besides restricting pest migration from one vegetable bed to another due to the presence of fodder and rice in between them.

Further it provides a Giant African Snail attack free zone for vegetables, as they do not invade rice fields.

Bacterial wilt can be controlled effectively by manipulating the soil reaction through liming or by growing wilt resistant cultivars.

Above all this technology being practiced in rice fields provides bright sunshine for growing crops.

The technology helps in reducing 40 per cent of the rice area with vegetables and fodder and also assures continuous supply of fodder and vegetables during peak monsoon period in these islands. This technology can be extended to coastal plain areas also..

A.N. Ganeshamurthy,

R. P. Dubey & AK. Nair

Central Agricultural Research Institute

Port Blair 744 101, Andamans

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Section  : Science & Tech
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