UPSC Prelims 2022 Q22: Environment & Ecology – Sustainable Agriculture & Forestry
"System of Rice Intensification" of cultivation, in which alternate wetting and drying of rice
fields is practised, results in:
1. Reduced seed requirement
2. Reduced methane production
3. Reduced electricity consumption
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
- (a) 1 and 2 only
- (b) 2 and 3 only
- (c) 1 and 3 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3
Explanation
System of Rice Intensification (SRI)
SRI changes how rice is grown: young seedlings, wide spacing, less water and organic soil care.
| SRI practice | Detail |
|---|---|
| Young seedlings | Transplanted at 8–12 days old |
| Single seedling per hill | Wide spacing (about 25 × 25 cm) |
| Alternate wetting and drying | Fields are not kept flooded |
| Mechanical weeding | Aerates the soil |
Checking the benefits:
| Benefit | True? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Reduced seed requirement | Yes | About 5 kg/ha instead of 40–60 kg/ha |
| 2. Reduced methane | Yes | Dry spells let oxygen into the soil, so methane-producing bacteria are suppressed |
| 3. Reduced electricity | Yes | Less water means less pumping of groundwater |
Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. It leaves out lower electricity use, which comes from pumping less water.
- (b) Incorrect. It leaves out the large seed saving from single young seedlings.
- (c) Incorrect. It leaves out lower methane, the main climate benefit of alternate wetting and drying.
- (d) CORRECT. SRI saves seed, cuts methane and lowers electricity for irrigation pumps.
Key point
SRI = young single seedlings, wide spacing, alternate wetting and drying → less seed, less water, less methane, less electricity.
Remember
SRI cuts seed use, methane emissions and electricity use.
Common mistakes
- Thinking SRI needs more seed; it uses far less because of single seedlings.
- Not linking less water to less pumping electricity.
- Confusing SRI with direct-seeded rice, which skips transplanting.
Exam tip
SRI = 'less is more' — less seed, less water, less gas, less power.
Sources
- ICAR — System of Rice Intensification
- National Food Security Mission — SRI guidelines