An attempt to raise the traditional paddy variety - ‘maapillai samba’ - on a barren tankbed at Rishiyur in Needamangalam taluk by a farm has thrown up interesting results.
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The tank bed was tilled and the ‘maapillai samba’ nursery was transplanted during the third week of October. As the nursery started growing, the waterbody started filling up with rainwater thanks to incessant rains.
However, the farm managers were happy as the green leaves of the 25-day crop stood above the water indicating that the crop has withstood the floods. The farm management led by Senthil Umaiyarasi of RKM Organic Farms, Rishiyur, decided to cultivate the flood-resistant traditional variety ‘maapillai samba’ in the barren tank which was used as a groundwater recharging facility till recently.
For the last 10 years, the tank remained empty for most part of the year. Prior to that, this tank served as a source for irrigation, she added.
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The traditional paddy variety nursery raised in the farm was transplanted on the tilled tankbed on October 22 and the crop started growing under the care of the farmworkers. Meanwhile, the tank started filling up with rainwater due to the recent rains.
However, the growth of the crop seems to have not been affected despite the water level increasing over three to four feet at the tank as the green leaves of the crop remained over and above the water level, she said.
Stating that normally paddy crop would get lodged or perish if the one-month young crop remained in the water for more than three to four days, she claimed that in this case, the ‘maapillai samba’ withstood the Nature’s fury and once again it had established that it was suitable for cultivation in flood-prone areas in the delta region.