Palampur, Sep 14 (IANS) Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya (CSKHPKV) and Savannah Seeds, a leader in rice seed technology, on Monday announced results from a multi-year study showing that direct-seeded SAVA-134 FullPage can help make rice production more climate-smart and resource efficient.
Compared with conventional transplanted rice systems, the approach reduced methane emissions by nearly 90 per cent, delivered the highest water productivity, improved soil health, and showed the greatest potential for carbon credit generation.
The study, “Popularisation of direct-seeded rice technology for climate change adaptation by reducing GHG emissions and acquiring carbon credit”, was conducted in two major rice-growing regions of Himachal Pradesh.
SAVA-134 FullPage is the commercial name of a rice variety that enables farmers to plant seeds directly into the ground like wheat, instead of growing them in watery mud nurseries and moving them by hand.
Led by Dr Dhanbir Singh, Assistant Soil Chemist, Department of Soil Science, CSKHPKV, and supported by Savannah Seeds, the research compared conventional transplanted rice with direct-seeded rice across multiple growing seasons. The assessment focused on yield, water use, GHG emissions, and soil health.
Among the direct-seeded treatments evaluated, SAVA-134 delivered the strongest overall balance of productivity, resource efficiency, and environmental sustainability. It maintained strong yields while using fewer resources and generating a significantly smaller carbon footprint.
Rice is the world’s most important food crop, grown on more than 164 million hectares (405 million acres) and serving as a primary source of energy for more than half of the global population.
Asia produces about 90 per cent of the world’s rice, much of it through transplanted systems that require flooded fields, intensive labour, and large volumes of water. These practices also contribute significantly to methane emissions.
As farmers face rising pressure from labour shortages, water scarcity, production costs, and climate change, more sustainable rice production methods are increasingly important.
“Our goal was to evaluate practical solutions that can help farmers improve productivity while reducing environmental impact,” said Dr Dhanbir Singh.
“The results demonstrate that direct-seeded rice can play an important role in advancing more climate-smart and resource-efficient rice production systems.” “This study is a strong example of a public-private partnership working to develop climate-resilient and sustainable farming practices,” said Dr Vinod Sharma, Director of Research, CSKHPKV.
–IANS
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