Water-Wise Cultivation of Basmati Rice in Pakistan

Basmati rice grown in Pakistan has a world over importance owing to its fragrant long grains and premium cooking quality. Further, the rice plays a significant role in fetching high foreign exchange and feeding nearly 200 million people in the country. The conventional rice system of Pakistan is characterized with puddling, enormous water supplies, and high energy input. Water-saving rice cultivation systems are highly desired in the wake of grievous water shortage and drought conditions with the subsequent objective of saving water for irrigating other crops. This would importantly help to ensure food security in the country. The water-saving rice cultivation methods including aerobic rice, alternate wetting and drying, system of rice intensification, and growing rice on raised beds can be the most suitable alternatives to the conventionally sown rice. Nonetheless, the high weed prevalence, quick moisture loss, and higher spikelet sterility are the major obstacles in widespread adoption of water-saving rice systems. Application of certain herbicides can be helpful in controlling the weeds; while mulching may not only conserve the soil moisture but also suppress the weeds in water-saving rice systems. Use of breeding and biotechnological approaches to develop cultivars which are well adapted to the water-saving rice cultivation conditions would help in improved yield and water productivity in these systems.