Direct Seeding: Research Strategies and Opportunities

Asian rice systems are undergoing various types of change in response to economic factors and technological opportunities in farming. One such change has been a shift from transplanting to direct-seeding methods for rice establishment. While the rising cost of labor has provided economic incentives for direct seeding, the availability of short-duration rice varieties and chemical weed control methods has made such a shift economically profitable. Direct-seeding methods have also played a critical role in the intensification of Asian rice systems. In the future, in addition to the rising cost of labor, rice farmers of Asia will have to deal with an anticipated increasing scarcity of irrigation water as the demand for water from the urban and industrial sectors expands. Direct-seeding methods, especially dry seeding, may help om achieving higher water-use efficiency. IRRI, together with the Rice Research Institute, Thailand, organized an international workshop on Direct Seeding in Asian Rice Systems: Strategic Issues and Opportunities, held on 25-28 January 2000 in Bangkok, Thailand. The objectives of this workshop were to review past patterns of changes in crop establishment and factors explaining such patterns, assess the likely future patterns of change in crop establishment in various ecosystems and regions, and identify strategic research issues for improving rice productivity by manipulating crop establishment methods and related factors.