5 Emerging Challenges in Rice Cultivation Faced by Farmers: Organica’s Solutions to High Yield and Crop Management

Rice is the most consumed staple food in Asia. As the world population increases, so does food demand. The least expensive way to keep up with population growth is to increase rice output wherever possible.

The difference between current and potential yields is still very substantial in many rice-producing nations.

Consequently, efforts should be directed toward determining the root causes of this difference, particularly in the production variables and various aspects of crop management.

Rapid Growth in Global Demand for Rice

Rice production in 2021 was 515.05 million tons. The global output of rice in 2022 is projected to total 503.2 million tonnes, which indicates a drop of 11.78 million tonnes or 2.29%.

As per Food and Agriculture Organization statistics, there are seven countries where more than 75% of the population depends on rice for their primary diet.

Countries in Asia have the largest share of world rice production. According to the most recent official data, China was the world’s top producer of paddy rice in 2020, followed by India and Bangladesh, with a production volume of over 211 million metric tonnes.

Problems Faced by Rice-Growing Farmers

It is becoming more difficult for farmers to farm because the fertility of the soil is getting depleted. There are many factors that affect soil fertility, including soil erosion, salinity, and temperature changes.

Here is a list of problems faced by the paddy farmers during the production and harvest of the crop:

1. Climate Change: Rice cultivation is sensitive to changes in temperature and precipitation, and farmers may struggle to adapt to a changing climate. The average world temperature is significantly increasing because of the heat that greenhouse gas emissions trap in the atmosphere. Worldwide rainfall is delayed due to these changes, and the frequency and distribution of precipitation patterns have also changed.
2. Water Management: Rice cultivation requires large amounts of water, and farmers in drought-prone areas can struggle to secure enough water for their crops. Crop yields are strongly affected by weather and water availability. Greater irrigation is needed during sunny and dry seasons, while cold and wet seasons can lead to reduced photosynthesis, disease, and grain sterility.
3. Soil Health: The natural microbiome, or microbial ecosystem, of our land has been destroyed by intensive farming methods, the indiscriminate use of chemical fertilisers, and poor agricultural practices. The salinity of the soil has increased because of excessive fertiliser application. Consequently, the fertility of the soil will be reduced, and eventually, crop health and productivity will drop.
4. Poor Nutrient Management: A high yield in rice crop production requires sufficient nutrients in the soil. Beneficial microbes in the soil help the plants bioassimilate essential nutrients. But this microbiome gets disturbed due to the overuse of fertilisers. As a result, the rice crop becomes deficient in essential nutrients, leading to poor quality of the crop.
5. Pest and Disease Management: Rice crops are susceptible to pests and diseases, which can cause significant yield loss if not properly managed. Some of the common pests are brown plant hopper, rice hispa, rice stem borer, armyworm, and rice bug. Rice blast, bacteria leaf blight, blast disease, sheath rot, tungro virus, rice grain dwarf virus, and false smut are common diseases affecting rice crops.

Boost Rice Yields with MagicGro Solutions

To cater to the current challenges faced by rice cultivators, there is a need for sustainable solutions that will overcome abiotic stress and increase soil health and yield at the same time.

Organica Biotech has developed two rice-specific sustainable products: Magic Gro BeejBal and Magic Gro Plus-Paddy. It is based on microbiome replenishment technology.

With these additions, farmers can maximise their agricultural potential by:

1. Improved Resistance to Abiotic Stress: Magic Gro solutions are a consortium of beneficial microbes. These bioactive microbes release hormones and peptides that act as a shield against disease and stressors like drought and salinity. Thereby helping the crop overcome the abiotic stress.
2. Replenishing the Soil and Crop Microbiome: Replenishing the microbiome involves restoring the balance and diversity of microorganisms. The use of magic gro solutions in the rhizosphere and phyllosphere aids in the regeneration of the soil and crop microbial environment. Resulting in improved soil and plant health.
3. Bioassimilation of Nutrients: Beneficial microbes colonise the crop rhizosphere and enhance nutrient uptake from the soil or applied fertilizer. These microbes act as microbial biosensors that sense the nutrient deficiency in the plant system. Then, they stimulate the bioactivator microbes to transport these nutrients, such as minerals, amino acids, etc., from the local environment into the plant system. As a result, nutrient utilisation efficiency is improved.
4. Improved Resistance to Biotic Stress: The application of Magic Gro solutions deploys microbes into the crop’s phyllosphere and rhizosphere to prevent pathogens from colonizing. Thereby eliminating the harmful pathogens via competitive exclusion. With Organica, we assist farmers with crop management, stabilizing these factors to optimize crop production.

Conclusion:

Rice is a significant food crop that provides nourishment for millions of people every day. Both the Magic Gro BeejBal and Plus-Paddy are effective in increasing rice yield.

They are fortified with beneficial microorganisms and formulated to be compatible with the rice plants without causing any harm to soil health or farmers.

The products also protect the plants from harmful insects and diseases, thereby boosting their growth and improving their yield.

According to Magic Gro Solutions’ university trials and case studies, we have assisted farmers in

• Boosting the yield by 70%
• Boosting head rice yield by 100%
• Reducing the broken rice kernels by 41%

In addition, we can help paddy farmers by providing the necessary information and technical assistance at every step of crop production.

With decades of research & rich on-field experience, Organica Biotech can help rice cultivators combat current issues in rice cultivation & enhance productivity.

We are certain that as Organica expands, we will have a good impact on agriculture, one acre at a time.