Production Technology of CSR– 43: A Short Duration Salt Tolerant Rice Variety

Abstract

Rice is one of the most important crops in the world, and is the primary staple food for over two billion people. With rapid growth in population consuming rice, increasing area under biotic and abiotic stresses, and deteriorating soil and water quality around the globe, there is an urgent need to understand the response of this important crop towards these environmental constraints. Salt affected soil is one of the major abiotic stress in India having 6.73 million ha land affected with this problem. Farmers in this ecosystem are generally poor, so they cannot afford higher investment on agro-inputs. Central Soil Salinity Research Institute, Karnal has developed various salt tolerant varieties which have made good impact in salt affected areas of India. Most of the salt tolerant rice varieties are long duration (130-150 days), require more nutrients and one or two additional irrigations even after receding the monsoon. Keeping in view the present climate change scenario and less availability of irrigation water, CSR-43 a short duration (110 days) salt tolerant variety was developed by the institute for salt affected areas of Uttar Pradesh. Detailed production technology of this variety is given in this pamphlet.