District agriculture department to study ‘Pani pipe’ method to improve cultivation in Dharmapuri

The bottom half of the pipe would have small circular holes. After the paddy is sown and the field is irrigated, the pipe would be placed on the ground.
Pani pipe used in field to accurately monitor the water levels in farms.
Pani pipe used in field to accurately monitor the water levels in farms.(Photo | Express)
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DHARMAPURI: The Dharmapuri Agriculture Department is conducting a study about the ‘Pani pipe’ method, as a way for Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) process in paddy cultivation. Officials said that through this, water usage in paddy fields will be reduced by 30-40%, but production will increase by 10-20%.

The ‘Pani pipe’ method is a water management system developed by the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines, to help farmers better manage paddy fields. This method allows farmers to monitor water levels in paddy fields, prevent crop failure, reduce water consumption and boost production. The officials of the Dharmapuri agriculture department are now conducting a study to see how effective it could be.

D Devaki, the agriculture officer working in the State Seed Farm at Papparapatti, said, “It is a cost-effective method. The only material requirement is a PVC pipe about 30 cm long and 15 cm wide. The bottom half of the pipe would have small circular holes. After the paddy is sown and the field is irrigated, the pipe would be placed on the ground.

The soil in the pipe would be removed and water in the field would drain into the pipe. This would give a visual indication of the amount of water. As water levels reduce and reach the lowest part of the pipe (about 2 cm), it would mean that it is time to irrigate the field. Therefore, there would be no water wasted.”

Devaki added that repeated wetting and drying of fields (AWD) would make the roots go deeper into the soil, allowing aerobic process, reducing methane build-up, and improving soil quality through increased microbial growth.

“It allows farmers to make an accurate analysis of how much water is necessary,” she further said.

V Gunasekaran, joint director of agriculture told TNIE, “This study is extremely crucial in a district like Dharmapuri. We have about 18,000 acres of paddy cultivation. Moreover, the water saved from cultivation could be used during the drier season to cultivate other millet varieties. After we complete our study in the upcoming  month, we will be promoting this method to farmers.”

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