ICAR-NRRI-Regional Rainfed Lowland Rice Research Station (RRLRRS) Gerua, Assam
Rice contributes 95% of the total food grain production in the state of Assam and cultivated in three main seasons, viz. Ahu (February-March to June-July), Sali (June-July to November-December) and Boro (November-December to April-May). Of these three seasons, Sali occupies more area, which is flood prone. More than 23 districts suffers from flood chronically, which affects the productivity of rice severely and shrink total production of the state. In order to develop suitable high yielding varieties and production technology, specially for flood prone lowlands of Assam, the state government had requested the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi to consider establishing a sub-station of National Rice Research Institute (NRRI) in Assam to assist the state’s efforts on rice research, as NRRI plays a pivotal role in rice research of the country. This issue was considered by the ICAR and a Regional Rain-fed Lowland Rice Research Station (RRLRRS) as a sub-station under ICAR-NRRI was established on September 15, 1997 at the site of Field Trial Station of Department of Agriculture (12.5 ha) located in Gerua in the Hajo circle of the Kamrup district of Assam.
Mandate:
- To conduct basic, strategic, applied and adaptive research on crop improvement, production and protection for increasing and stabilizing rice productivity in rainfed lowland ecosystem.
- To cater to the research needs and requirements of rice farmers, of flood-prone lowland areas invariably affected by flash floods.
- To explore, evaluate, conserve and exchange rice germplasm.
- To develop high yielding and input responsive rice varieties resistant/tolerant to different biotic and abiotic stresses under rainfed lowland ecosystem.
- To generate appropriate agronomic and protection technologies for increasing and sustaining the productivity of rice-based production systems under rainfed lowland ecosystem.
- To import training to the farmers, field functionaries, extension specialists and research workers on improved rice production, rice-based cropping and farming systems.
Trust Area of Research:
- Strengthening the breeding strategy to evolve suitable Sali varieties with tolerant to flood.
- Development of short duration varieties with blast resistance and cold tolerance for Boro season.
- Evolution of HYV as pre-flood Ahu and post-flood Sali situations.
- Development of flood resistant rice varieties for lowland, semi-deep and deep water conditions.
- Development of appropriate integrated insect pest and disease management strategies.
- Development of strategies to avoid crop submergence through suitable cultural practices for both intermediate and semi-deep conditions.
Salient Achievements
- Released rice variety ‘Chandrama’ as Boro and Sali for Assam.
- Released aromatic high yielding rice variety ‘CR Dhan 909’ as Sali crop for Assam, Bihar, Maharashtra and UP for irrigated and rainfed lowland ecology.
- Rice breeding materials viz., deep water rice lines, breeding materials for Boro seoason on pipeline.
- Rice varieties ‘Naveen’ have been identified suitable as pre-flood Ahu crop and ‘Abhishek’ as post-flood Sali rice crop.
- Continual maintenance of over 830 Eastern Indian rice germplasm.
- Integrated rice-fish-horti farming system producing 18.1 t/ha of REY (rice equivalent yield) per annum with employment generation of 412 man days ha-1 have been developed.
- Optimum time of sowing of seeds for Boro rice has been ascertained.
- Rice-rapeseed system was identified to provide higher net return, production efficiency and B:C ratio as compared to rice-lentil or rice-linseed systems.
- Geographical distribution of rice tungro disease has been mapped in parts of Assam and Tripura. Survey revealed that leaf blast/neck blast is the major disease in Boro and Ahu while BLB, Sheath blight, sheath rot and blast occur predominantly during Sali season and management practices evolved and recommended.
- Use of pheromone traps @ 20/ha recorded the lowest incidence of dead heart (3.45%) and white ear head (2.01%).
- Late transplanting of winter paddy in first fortnight of September recorded the highest incidence of rice stem borer and leaf folder.