Comments on: SRI: does it work or what?

By: Move over Bill Gates

Move over Bill Gates — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 08:12:13 +0000

[...] blogged a few times now about the System of Rice Intensification (SRI), and I don’t really want to do so again now. Suffice to say that the jury is still out on [...]

By: Robert

Robert — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 03:49:53 +0000

@Luigi Interactions. I do not think so. Rather site-specificity. SRI may work in certain places. But it is bound to be the exception. Particularly the idea of not flooding because rice not being an aquatic plant is dicey. It is not just the weed control, but also the amazing positive effect on soil organic matter and nitrogen by the water flora that makes flooded rice the only annual crop that can be sustainably productive in a monoculture. The an-aerobic conditions also tend to change the pH and make soil nutrients more available.

By: Inoculated Mind

Inoculated Mind — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 15:27:51 +0000

Heh, I’ve met Thomas Sinclair. He was giving a talk on water use and how much groundcover it takes to save how much water, for sustainability issues. Actually, I recorded that talk but haven’t done anything with it.

By: Luigi

Luigi — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 12:19:30 +0000

A nightmare of interactions.

By: Robert

Robert — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 11:49:30 +0000

Indeed, and some have obvious benefits (organic manure), others perhaps on some soils (avoid an-aeorobic conditions by using less water) and yet others perhaps never (widely spaced planting).

By: Luigi

Luigi — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 10:43:23 +0000

There may be the additional problem that SRI seems to be an a la carte menu. Some people adopt some bits, others prefer other aspects of the package.