Centre to expand area under DSR rice to 40% by 2030, solution in the weeds

Weed management remains the biggest challenge in the adoption of the direct seeded rice method; to counter this, popularisation of herbicide-resistant rice is critical, say experts

Even as India prepares for another bumper year of rice production in the 2025 kharif season, aided by a favourable monsoon and increased acreage, much of the planting will continue to be done in an ecologically-unfriendly process known as 'open puddling', which involves raising the seedlings in nurseries and then transplanting them in ankle-deep water.

 

However, a small portion of the total area under paddy will continue to be under the direct seeded rice (DSR) method.

 

DSR as a method of growing rice has been prevalent in India since decades but most of it is in a traditional, un-scientific manner. To change such practices, the Central government has now targeted raising the area under DSR from the current 12 mn/ha to 16 mn/ha by 2030 and thereafter to 24 million hectares by 2040.

 

Currently, roughly 12 million hectares (mn/ha) of paddy is grown is through the DSR process, according to experts from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (Icar). Of this, almost 10 mn/ha is through traditional means, and is largely concentrated in eastern and southern regions of the country, while only about 2 mn/ha is through scientific means.

 

Considering that India grows rice in roughly 40 mn/ha of land in the kharif season alone - planting for which starts around June with the advent of the monsoon and is harvested by September onwards – the targeted area under DSR by 2030 is estimated to be around 40 per cent of the total area, and is expected to rise to 60 per cent by 2047. 

 

DSR acreage growth strategy

 

Outlining the strategy to meet such ambitious numers, Icar’s Director General Dr M L Jat said India currently cultivates about 47–48 mn/ha of rice, and there is a significant push to bring 16 mn/ha — over 30 per cent of the total rice area — under DSR, marking a transformative shift in rice farming.

 

“DSR offers multiple benefits, including substantial labour savings, as it eliminates the need for labour-intensive transplanting, which is becoming increasingly scarce and costly," Jat told Business Standard in a recent interview. "It also conserves 25–30 percent of water compared to puddled transplanted rice, making it a more sustainable option. Additionally, DSR results in lower methane emissions, aligning with climate goals and opening up potential for carbon credits. Unlike puddling, which creates an impervious soil layer and hampers root growth of subsequent crops like wheat, DSR maintains soil structure and enhances yields of follow-up crops,”  he added.

 

While approximately 12 mn/ha are already under DSR, much of this area relies on traditional methods with low productivity. Introducing scientific practices such as improved seed varieties, mechanised sowing, and effective weed control could significantly enhance productivity.

 

Jat said regions like eastern India, hilly areas, and parts of the south already use DSR traditionally, providing a strong foundation for scaling up this approach. 

 

The argument against DSR

 

However, the biggest bottleneck to expanding DSR method is crop susceptibility to pests and weed attacks.

 

According to a study done by the Bengaluru-based Nudge Institute a few years back on the benefits and pitfalls of DSR, rice weed management has been the biggest challenge for the farmers in the adoption of the DSR method. 

The study found that a high percentage of farmers who had faced yield loss of DSR had suffered because of weeds. Since they are grown on dry land without the necessary safeguard of water, farmers complain that paddy plants grown using DSR method are more susceptible to weeds.

 

DSR method and herbicide tolerance

 

To counter the yield loss issue, scientists around the world have developed rice varieties and seeds that are tolerant to herbicides (HT). The most common among these are ones that are resistant to the widely-used broad-spectrum herbicide 'imazethapyr'. Imazethypr is difficult to use on normal paddy as it does not distinguish between paddy plants and weeds and can damage the mother plant as well.

 

A white paper by the Federation of Seed Industries of India (FSII) in association with Sathguru Consultants released sometime back said that even high-yielding rice varieties that are bred for puddled system show a 10-30 percent reduction in yield when grown under the DSR method, despite all supporting practices in place, underscoring the need for new varieties of paddy that are tailor-made for the DSR method.

 

However, critics and civil society activists say that promotion of HT rice under the garb of expanding the acceptance of DSR is a ploy of big companies to promote harmful plant chemicals in the name of saving the climate.  They argue that weeds can be easily managed by adopting environment-friendly methods such as advancing the date of paddy planting rather than using plant chemicals. Their other argument is that pushing HT rice under the cover of DSR will lead to mono-cropping and seeds insecurity. 

 

A few months earlier, a group of scientists and civil society activists wrote to Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav alleging that the environmental, health and economic issues related to HT crops have been articulated in India and abroad, and that most countries do not allow them, irrespective of whether they have been bred using genetic engineering or not.

 

Moreover, they highlighted the increased levels of chemical residue in the final consumer product, as well as the exposure to toxins and its health impact on farmers and farm workers.

 

The letter also posited that farm-level sovereignty is eroded when combination products of seeds and chemicals are controlled by private corporations, besides increased costs for farmers.

 

The letter argued that while DSR has several advantages, its experience in Punjab and Haryana has thrown up several practical challenges for farmers. "It is not a universal solution for all types of soils, whether it is related to the textures of soil or nutrient availability, experience shows," these persons wrote.

 

The letter also said the herbicide Imazethapyr is in the list of ‘bannable’ pesticides against which a public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Supreme Court of India. The PIL lists 110 pesticides that have been banned in two or more countries elsewhere but continue to be used in India. Currently, Imazethapyr has not been approved in 27 countries of the EU and the UK, and is banned in Turkey).

 

Countering this line of argument, Icar's Jat said that it’s a misinterpretation that authorities are focusing on DSR to push HT rice. On the contrary, he said, associated technologies — especially weed management — must also evolve if DSR is to succeed.

 

“Yes, there are corporate interests in promoting herbicide-tolerant varieties, but farmers already use herbicides even in transplanted rice. The goal is not to increase herbicide use but to develop integrated weed management solutions that reduce environmental impact,” he told Business Standard.

 

The reason why DSR did not become more widely adopted sooner, he said, was due to weed management challenges. For example, he noted, seed rates were high — 80 kg per hectare — causing problems like plant competition and sterility. "We've brought this down to 15 kg," he said.  “If you consider that, plus reduced water and labour needs, DSR can be a win-win. And yes, even with DSR, two herbicide sprays (pre- and post-emergence) are standard —similar to transplanted rice,” he added.