N.k. Sasidharan

Organic Agriculture in Tidal Wetlands of Tropics: Practices and Refinement of Rice - Fish / Prawn Integration N.k. Sasidharan

The agriculture arena in the tropics had a sea change with the introduction of green revolution technologies. Traditional crop varieties and farmer practices were replaced with high yielding and high input technologies. The rice-prawn integrated farming system prevalent in the tidal wetlands of tropics could withstand the windfall, as the traditional tall land races of rice and cultural practices alone were found suited to this unique farming system. The pokkali lands known after the renowned salt tolerant land race of rice: pokkali, are acclaimed for the unique way of reclamation and management of soil salinity and the rice-prawn farming system designed to suit to the seasonal changes in the field water quality. The present publication gives an account of the organic practices of reclamation of acid saline soils, varietal preference, salt tolerance mechanisms of the pokkali land races and the unique way of integrating rice, fish and prawn with the change in the climate and hydrographic parameters. This publication is useful to environmentalists, organic agricultural practitioners, students, extension workers and universities dealing with agriculture and allied areas.