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Rice is the staple crop in India. It contributes about 65% of the total food grain production. About 45 m-ha area is under rice cultivation of this about 22.5 m-ha area of the country is under irrigation and 38% of the rice growing area comprises rain fed shallow low land and deep water areas. Less than 6 m-ha acres are upland un-irrigated area. The productivity of the rain fed upland areas and low land deep water areas are 1.5 t/ha and 0.9 t/ha, respectively.

Rice production in India has increased by 4.5 times during the last 57 years from 30.9 m-t in 1950 to 139.4 m-t in 20061. However, rice productivity is growing at a much slower rate compared to that recorded in the earlier decades. All India mean growth rate is literally stagnant at 0.54% only1. Stagnant productivity on one hand and the higher food grains demand on the other hand to feed the ever growing population are becoming the major challenges in India.

Rice needs about 3000 to 5000 liters of water to produce 1 kg of grain. Equally competing crop like sugar cane is also grown in India in large areas. At global level 70-80% of fresh water is withdrawn to meet the demand of agriculture and rice accounts for 85% of this. Considering the increased rice requirement in the coming years it is unlikely that the available fresh water would be sufficient to meet the total demand. According to International Water Management Institute, India is already experiencing physical water scarcity. It is obvious that with limited arable land and limited fresh water for agriculture the country is not in a position to increase rice production. A time has come to use the water judiciously in agriculture by enhancing the Water Use Efficiency in the irrigated areas with the limited water resources without compromising the productivity. It is expected that improved cop management practices with good varieties can solve the problem to a greater extent.

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