Tuesday, 17 June 2025
Amid escalating water scarcity and climate challenges in conventional paddy farming, the Water Technology Centre (WTC) at IARI Pusa has introduced an innovative solution: Integrated Drip-Mulch Technology. Designed for short-duration, water-efficient crops like baby corn, this cutting-edge approach enables farmers to maximize water efficiency and nutrient use, while promoting crop diversification and intensification—key strategies for resilience in a changing climate.
In response to increasing water scarcity and the growing impact of climate change on traditional paddy cultivation, experts at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), Pusa, are encouraging farmers to shift toward more sustainable cropping systems. Baby corn has emerged as a promising alternative due to its short growth cycle, lower water requirements, and rising market demand. Successful cultivation is already underway in states such as Western Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh, where farmers are experiencing better returns and greater climate resilience.
To support this transition, the Water Technology Centre at IARI, in collaboration with Boroch Private Limited, Mumbai, has developed an innovative Integrated Drip-Mulch Technology. This approach combines drip irrigation with plastic mulching to minimize water wastage, improve weed control, and enhance nutrient use efficiency. Field trials conducted by IARI have shown that this integrated system can increase baby corn yields by 10 to 15 percent compared to using drip irrigation or mulching alone. It also significantly boosts Water Use Efficiency (WUE) and Nutrient Use Efficiency (NUE), helping farmers get more value from every input.
Baby corn is harvest-ready in just 65 to 70 days and can be grown in all seasons except winter, making it highly adaptable. With strong market demand and favorable pricing, farmers can easily recover mulching costs through crop earnings. Baby corn also fits well into existing crop rotations, offering improved overall returns per hectare.
India currently has about 140 million hectares of net sown area, but only 55 percent—approximately 78 million hectares—are under irrigation. As climate change continues to stress water resources, adopting short-duration, low-water-use crops alongside smart irrigation technologies has become essential for the sustainability of Indian agriculture.
IARI Pusa is urging farmers across the country to adopt this innovative drip-mulch system and consider paddy–baby corn-based cropping models. This approach not only strengthens farm incomes but also represents a vital step toward ensuring the long-term sustainability and resilience of the country’s agricultural sector.
