IMPORTANT RICE ECOSYSTEMS IN KERALA

Rice ecosystems Area ha

1. Kuttanad 38119
2. Onattukara 31031
3. Pokkali 4994
4. Laterite Midland 266838
5. Malayoram 103226
6. Palakkad plains 60342
7. Black soil (Chittoor) 37061
8. High ranges 27500
 HIGH RANGE

PALAKKAD PLAINS
CHITTOOR BLACK
KOLE LANDS SOIL

POKKALI LANDS

KUTTANAD
MIDLAND
ONATTUKARA LATERITE &
MALAYORAM
 1. KUTTANAD RICE ECOSYSTEM
Below mean sea level farming

Alappuzha, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta Districts

THEORY I
In the geological past, the Kuttanad region was a part of
the shallow coastal area of the Arabian Sea.
As a result of a geological uplift, a shallow bay was
formed into which several rivers discharged. The silt
deposited at river mouths gave rise to the present delta
and the shallow bay formed into a lake –Iagoon
backwater system opening onto the Arabian Sea through
the Kochi barmouth.
THEORY II
The entire sea was a dense forest, the legendary
Khandava vana which caught fire and got engulfed by
the sea during the succeeding geological ages.

Years later, the sea receded, exposing the land which

forms a part of the midland and coastal region of Kerala.
This land was known as "Chuttanadu " meaning burned
land and hence the name Kuttanad.

The entire area has a semblance of dense forest, rich in

organic residues and burnt wooden logs locally called as
kari.
With reference to elevation, geological formation
and soil characteristics
 KARAPADAMS - 33,000 ha
(shallow reclaimed lands)
 KAYAL LANDS - 13,000 ha
(lands in backwaters, riverine alluvium)
 KARI SOILS - 9,000 ha
(swampy areas with black peat soil being
highly acidic)
--------------------------
55,000 ha
 KUTTANAD RICE
ECOSYSTEM
This cultivable region experiences
many natural events like
severe floods during the south
west monsoon period from July –
August,
discharges by the four rivers
Manimalai, Meenachil, Achencovil
and Pamba
during summer the tidal intrusions
of saline water is also predominant
 The Thanneermukkom Bund was constructed as a
part of the Kuttanad Development Scheme to prevent
tidal action and intrusion of salt water into the
Kuttanad lowlands

Thottappally Spillway is Kuttanad's drain-way out to

the Arabian Sea. It is a spillway cum bridge and is one
of the two regulators used to regulate water level in
the paddy fields of Kuttanad
the other being at
Thaneermukkom.
Being low-lying estuarine lands, these areas are subjected
to floods during the two monsoons and
salinity intrusion during post monsoon periods.
Soon after the northeast monsoon ends in November,
bunds (dykes) are raised. Pumping out the water drains
these polders (contiguous fields)
 Seasons : Main crop - Punja
(Oct./Nov. - Jan./Feb.)
Additional Crop
(June/July - Sept./Oct.)
Preparation for thepunja crop begins after the
harvest of the previous crop in February-April.

First round of ploughing, one length- wise and the

other breadth- wise.

Application of burnt lime shell for neutralizing the

acidity of the soil.
 Second round ploughing is done in the month
of July-August(Karkidakam ploughing) in the
submerged soil which is done to uproot
.
weeds

Repairing or strengthening the outer bund.

This is done in the months of September and
October (Chingam, Kanny, Thulam).
 De-watering- After the bund
construction, large water wheels(chakram) a re used
to de-water the fields.

Now replaced with electric pumps – axial flow pumps

(Peti and para)
 After de-watering, inner bunds (edavarampu) are repaired
and strengthened and small canals
(vaachal), facilitating free flow of water to the
chakram- base, were cleared.

Land is prepared for sowing. Lime was strewn

to check acidity.
Levelling boards are used for levelling the field.
The grass and aquatic herbs are removed and fields
are made ready for sowing.
Female labourers give the finishing to the leveling
process with hands
Before sowing, fresh water is let into the field
up to a level of few centimeters.
Then sprouted seeds are sown in water
through broadcasting.
Manuring
weeding
pest management
harvest
threshing
With the cessation of the North East
monsoon during November-December, the
fields are made ready for rice cultivation
After dewatering, three rounds of ploughing
are done incorporating cattle manure and ash.
Fields are then levelled and sprouted seeds
are broadcasted
After the crop is harvested the fields soon
get flooded
As the fields are generally below sea level,
water from the bordering canal system is
drawn by gravity flow and used for irrigation.

In some parts an additional crop is taken

during autumn orvirippu which is sown dry
broadcast or wet sown just prior to the onset
of monsoon.
 Flooding of the paddy field is done either by
cutting the outer bund in large breaches of 2-3 m
length, calledmada or by opening the sluices
calledthoompu, which are permanently placed
on the outer bund.

Saline water that enters the paddy field washes

away the acidity of the soil to a greater extent.
Saline water checks the growth of weeds including
African payal (salvinia).

Fish farming is practised – pearl spot (karimeen)

(April- October) carp fish, prawns
2. MIDLAND LATERITES AND
3. MALAYORAM

 More than 60% of rice area in Kerala

 Soils acidic (3.5-6.6) Org. C ( 0.4-1.5 %)
 High phosphate fixation
 Sandy clay loam – Sandy loam
 Toxicity of iron, manganese and aluminium
 MIDLANDMid land and
LATERITES Malayoram
AND MALAYORAM

Cropping pattern : Rice-rice

First crop Dry broadcast crop-

(Virippu) ---wet conditions
Rainfed crop
Second crop Transplanted crop /
(Mundakan) BC pre- germinated
seeds
Yield 2860-8200 kg/ha
4. PALAKKAD PLAINS AND
5. CHITTOOR BLACK
SOILS
*Irrigated rice system * Double cropped paddy lands
i. PALAKKAD PLAINS – second rice bowl
 First crop (Virippu) : June/July – Sep./Oct.
SD & MD var.
 Second crop (Mundakan) : Oct./Nov. – Jan./Feb.
MD & LD var.

Third crop- pulses/ vegetables / fallow

ii. CHITTOOR BLACK SOILS

 Soils : Extension of black cotton soils

 Soil reaction : Neutral to alkaline (7 - 8.3)
 Texture : Sandy loam – Sandy clay loam
 Fertility : Medium – High in available
N&P, low in K
Rice is dominantly grown as irrigated crop in both
seasons, transplanted- irrigated
broadcasted- rainfed

Yield : 4500 – 9000 kg/ha

 6. ONATTUKARA SANDY SOILS

Alappuzha & Kollam districts

Crop sequence : Rice-Rice-oilseeds / pulses

 Soil texture : Sandy, low WHC
 Soil reaction : Acidic
 Fertility status : Low in N & K, medium in P
Onattukara rice ecosystem – I crop

 Season : April /May – September (RF)

 Variety : Short duration - Onam, Bhagya,
Mattathriveni, Jyothi
 Seeding : By dibbling
 Weeding : Hoeing
 Yield : 1000-1200 kg/ha
 Onattukara rice ecosystem – II crop

 Season : Aug./Sept. – Dec./Jan. (RF)

 Planting : Transplanting
 Variety : Photosensitive long duration
eg. Sagara
 NPK dose : 40:20:20 kg /ha
 Weeding : Hand weeding
Yield : 1500- 2000 kg/ha
7. KOLE LAND ECOSYSTEM

Location : Trichur and Malapuram districts

 Extent : 13000 ha (0.5 - 1 m below MSL)
Acid saline (NaCl- salt water intrusion)

 Soil texture : Sandy loam to sandy clay

 Organic matter : 2.07 – 4.16 %
 Soil reaction : Acidic (pH 2.6 – 6.3)
 EC : 0.16 –15ds/m
 Yield : 4500-7500 kg/ ha.
6. KOLE LAND ECOSYSTEM

 Cropping pattern : 6 months innundated

 Season : Dec–May (Punja)
Kadumkrishi (starts in September)
- dewatering, strengthening of bunds, sowing /
transplanting in 10-15 cm deep water
SD varieties
Fish farming - March to September

Virippu (around kole lands)

Mundakan (medium elevated fields)
 The name ‘Kole’ refers to the peculiar type of
cultivation practice carried out from
December to May and in the native language
Malayalam, it indicates bumper yield or high
returns in case floods did not damage the
crop.

A one day rain is sufficient to flood the entire

kole fields
The Kole lands are protected by bunds. When the flood water in the
Kole fields starts subsiding by the end of south-west monsoon
season, pumping out of water using petti and para which is an
indigenous pumping device will be carried out in 10 to 15 days. After
this, bunds around the fields (padavu) are raised and strengthened by
means of locally available materials and laterite soil to a height of 1-
1.5 m above the field level.
Crop is directly sown or transplanted when water is around 10-15 cm.
Water mangement is critical. Continuous pumping out of water and
towards the end, irrigation from canals
 8. POKKALI RICE ECOSYSTEM

Pokkali is a unique system which combines rice

cultivation as well as prawn culture in the same
field.
Ernakulam, Alappuzha, Trichur
 Rice & Prawn are rotationally grown
 Considered as sustainable system

SOILS
 Basically acidic, pH: 2.8 to 4.5
 Saline water inundation from October
 Salinity: 12 - 24 ds/m during summer
Traditional variety known as Pokkali having
duration of 120 days
- resistant to flood and salinity. The plant
grows to a height to 1.5 m.
Other varieties which are being used
include Chettivirippu, Vyttila 1, and Vyttila
2, 5,6 ----10
Lavanya released
Pokkali soils – mounds areprepared in April
1m diameter and 50 cm high
Pokkali spades are used
Lime @ 1000 kg/ha)
Seed baskets (100kg/ha) ready
for soaking
Soaked for 12-16 h, kept in
shade quiescent re-soaked 3-6
h before sowing
 Sprouted seeds are sown on the top of the
mounds
In 30-35 days, seedlings are spread to cover
the entire field
Harvesting is by wading in the water
 Prawn during saline phase
 Traditional practice - prawn filtration
 Prawn yield 300-1000kg/ha
 7. HIGH RANGE RICE ECOSYSTEM
The low temperature regime generally prevailing
in the high ranges limits the time available for
rice production in this area
Location : 800 – 1500 m above MSL
 Seasons : Nancha (main season)
(May/June – Oct./Nov.)
Puncha
(Dec./Jan. – April/May)
Paddy production in the high ranges takes place in the
Wayanad plateau where the valley bottoms are relatively
broad and extensive.
Predominantly it is transplanted
Varieties : Jeerakasala, Gandhakasala, Uma Athira
Kuttanad cultivation strengthening bunds
Kole cultivation dewatering

Pokkali cultivation
Kaipad cultivation coastal saline
Orumundakan mounds

Kulapala cultivation – deep water rice

Koottumundakan system –
Photosensitive virippu : Photoinsensitive
mundakan varieties (70:30)
Kozhikode, Kannur, and Kasargod districts

The Kaipad system of rice cultivation is an

integrated organic farming system in which
rice cultivation and aquaculture go together in
coastal brackish water marshes which is rich
in organic matter

saline hydromorphic, and soil pH throughout

the depth of soil profiles is slightly acidic
Cultivation- June to October.
Harvesting - end of October.
Followed by traditional fishing, in the high saline
phase, during November to April
Cultivation similar to Pokkali cultivation
Traditional land races -Kuthiru and Orkayama
Others -Mundon, Kandorkutty, Orpandy,
Odiyan, Punchakayama and Kuttadan
Yield 1- 1.5 tha-1
Ezhome varieties of KAU
Yield 3- 3.5 tha-1
 KULAPALA cultivation

 In the upper reaches of Kuttanad where the fields were shallow,

there existed a deep water crop of paddy cultivation, known as
k u la pala
 where flooding depth of 50 cm for a period of more than 1
month during the growing season is noticed
 The cultivation operations begin immediately after the harvest
of the punja crop in January-February.
 The fields are ploughed with the residual moisture in the field.
The seeds are sownbroadcast or dibbled in plough furrows
and covered by subsequent ploughing.
 No manuring is usually done except burning the stubbles and
weed growth.
 Some cultivators applied bone meal.
 Theplants grow with the rising level of water
and reach a height of two to three metres

Both roots and tillers appear from the upper nodes

and the plants with theearheads float on the surface
of the water.

The crop comes to maturity inSeptember .

Harvesting is done by wading through water and
cutting earheads alone, which
are bundled and transported
in small canoes
 Coastal saline lands in Kollam named after the
mundakan salt tolerant variety Orumundakan

GI TAGGED RICE VAR. IN KERALA

Njavara
Pokkali
Palakadan matta
Jeerakasala
Gandhakasala