I want to grow red rice. Are there improved varieties and does it need different management from regular paddy?
2 Answers
There are both traditional landrace red rices and some improved red kernel varieties released by universities and ICAR, and the right choice depends on your state, so ask your KVK or state agriculture university for the currently recommended red rice variety for your district. In terms of management, red rice is grown much like other paddy, with nursery, transplanting or direct seeding, water and nutrient management as for rice, but many traditional types are tall and prone to lodging, longer in duration and photoperiod sensitive, so you manage nitrogen carefully to avoid lodging and pick the right season. As with black rice, keep red rice separate from white paddy at harvest, threshing, drying and storage to protect the colour and value of the lot. Use good clean seed and confirm the practice with your KVK.
The tall traditional types lodged on me when I gave too much urea. Go easy on nitrogen and keep it away from white paddy at threshing.