Basmati Cultivation in India

Basmati rice is known for its exceptional in flavor. Basmati is the crowned king of rice over different varieties is due to its unique and balanced combination of many characteristics such as superfine (long grain) kernels, aroma, sweet taste, soft texture, all of which makes it excellent for cooking.

There are more than 40,000 varieties of cultivated rice, which is often characterized as one of three varieties – long grain, medium grain and short grain rice. Its long slender shape and an unmatched fragrance and aroma are reflective of the age-old civilization that cultivates it. Rice of the connoisseurs, Basmati is non-glutinous and has an elegant, smooth and silky texture. The rice has been favored by emperors and praised by poets for hundreds of years. Its nut-like flavor and aroma are unique in the world, like all naturally beautiful products. It is Mother Nature (the soil and climatic conditions) that it provides for its unique aroma and taste.

India accounts for over 70% of the world’s basmati rice production. The main varieties of Basmati rice as notified under the seeds Act, 1966 are Basmati 386 , Basmati 217 , Ranbir Basmati , Karnal Local/ Taraori Basmati, Basmati 370, Type-3 (Dehradooni Basmati), Pusa Basmati-1, Pusa Basmati 1121,Punjab Basmati-1, Haryana Basmati- 1, Kasturi and Mahi Sugandha. Cultivation of Basmati Rice depends on following facts-

Climatic Requirements: Like semi-dwarf rice varieties, Basmati varieties require prolonged sunshine, high humidity and assured water supply. Basmati varieties with superior cooking and eating characteristics can be produced if the crop matures in relatively cooler temperature. The high temperature during grain filling period reduces the cooking and eating quality features of basmati rice like kernel elongation and non-stickiness of cooked rice.

Soil Requirements: Basmati rice can be grown in all kinds of soil. However, heavy neutral soil like clay loam, clay loamy is excellent for its cultivation. These Clay loam soil have the property of holding water for longer period. The ideal PH range of soil for its better yield is 5.0 to 8.5. Aklaline or Saline soils are not suitable for its cultivation.

Seeds Selections: Selecting good quality and genetically good seeds are very important in basmati seed cultivation.

Seeds Treatment: Once seeds are selected, they should be treated properly. Take 1 Kg of salt and dilute in 10lt of water. Soon after this, 8-10 kg of seeds should be poured in the solution to short the quality seeds. The quality seeds will reach the bottom whereas waste seeds float in the solution. Throw the waste seeds and take out quality seeds and soak them with fresh water for couple of time to wash away the salt. Then these seeds should be kept in the solution of 10 liter of water, 5 gram Emison & 2.5 grams of Agromycin (or) 1 gm of streptomycin for 1 day.

Land Preparation & Sowing in Rice Cultivation: The main systems follow in rice cultivation are ‘Dry’, ‘Semi Dry’ and ‘Wet’. Basically the dry and semi dry systems of cultivation depends on rain and do not have supplementary irrigation facilities where as in Wet cultivation system, the rice crop is grown with assured and abundant water supply either by rain or by irrigation.

Harvesting in Rice Cultivation: Harvesting on time is essential to avoid shedding of grain in rice farming. The later stage of Grain- Ripening is a dehydration process and maturity is hastened when water is withdrawn from the field at the hardening stage of rice crop. For harvesting, early or medium verities, 26 to 30 days after flowering and 36 to 40 days after flowering in case of tall verities are recommended. Field paddy is to be harvested when the moisture content of rice grain is 20 to 25%. Gradual drying should be carried out in shed for better recovery.