ASSESSMENT OF SYSTEMS OF RICE INTENSIFICATION (SRI) PRINCIPLES ON ROK-34 GROWTH AND YIELD UNDER RAINFED CONDITIONS IN MOYAMBA DISTRICT, SIERRA LEONE

Over half of the world’s population depends primarily on rice (Oryza sativa L.) for

food and livelihood security [1]. For most rural households in Sierra Leone, rice is

both an essential food supply and a vital source of income. However, due to the

unpredictability of climate change, diminishing soil fertility, and inefficient

conventional methods, productivity is still well below its potential. Production risks

have increased due to variable precipitation patterns, frequent flooding, and

prolonged droughts, underscoring the urgent need for alternative production

systems that improve resilience, productivity, and resource efficiency. To overcome

the limitations of traditional rice agriculture, which is characterized by frequent

flooding, dense planting, and a heavy reliance on chemical inputs, several

alternative strategies have been developed. Conventional farming practices result in

soil fertility loss, excessive water consumption, methane emissions, and

environmental degradation [2, 3].

Aerobic rice systems: This method involves growing crops in soils intended for

dryland cultivation that are neither flooded nor puddled. Because of increased weed

competition, nutritional deficits, and soil-borne diseases, aerobic systems reduce

water usage by 30 to 50% while increasing yield by 20 to 40% less than flooded rice

[2, 3].

Rice conservation agriculture (CA) for rice: This system encompasses crop

diversification, constant soil cover, and minimal land disturbance. The results of

conservation agriculture (CA) in rice systems have been uneven, and because soil

structure and organic matter change gradually, yield increases often take several

seasons to materialize.

The System of Rice Intensification (SRI): Young seedlings, widely spaced,

sporadic irrigation, and organic soil supplementation are all part of this system’s set

of rules that can be tailored to local conditions [4]. Global meta-analyses have shown

that SRI can increase water productivity, reduce irrigation water use by 25 to 50

percent, and increase yields by an average of 20 to 50 percent above traditional

management [5, 6]. The SRI has the potential to reduce water use by 20 to 40%

while increasing production by 30 to 60% in the African setting [7]. The fundamental

mechanisms of SRI performance are fundamentally different from those of other

alternative systems.

Aerobic rice only focuses on saving water (at the cost of a reduction in yield), and

conservation agriculture focuses on soil conservation (which necessitates deploying

its methods over multiple seasons); in contrast, SRI addresses the development of

roots, soil biological health, and plant canopy structure [8, 9]. This study evaluates

SRI practices (soil amendment, wider spacing, and younger seedlings) that are..

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