System of Rice Intensification (SRI): Mat Nursery, Planting Pattern, Hybrid Rice, India, Tamil Nadu

In system of rice cultivation (SRI), proper spacing in the planting of seedlings is one of the essential principles. A spacing of 25 x 25 cm in a uniform square pattern is the recommended practice. However practical adaptability of planting single seedling in square method becomes very tedious under field conditions and farmers find it difficult to mark the recommended spacing with the conventional method of using rope as marker. This led to the development of a handy implement, the rolling marker overcoming the constraints of rope. The marker when rolled on wet paddy field makes uniform square impressions. Lately, the adoption of zig zag and oblong pattern of planting under SRI has been tried instead of square planting. Focusing these points, the present study was undertaken to evaluate the response of hybrid rice in modified mat nursery and to different planting pattern in main field (using rolling markers) under SRI principles.