Direct seeding to boost rice produce

LAHORE: A project of standardisation and popularisation of direct seeding will increase rice productivity and resource conservation.

Punjab Agriculture Research Board (PARB) sources told APP on Friday that the objective of the project was to increase profit on rice on per unit area through water saving and increased productivity.

The project will cost Rs 13.908 million and be completed in 36 months. Its strategy is to explore different agronomic practices for better production of rice with direct seeding, less water and labour and use of post-emergence herbicides.

The standardisation of the technology in terms of seed operations like soaking and drying, seed rate, number and intensity of irrigation and weedicide have successfully been completed at Rice Research Institute at Kala Shah Kaku, sources added.