Solution

DSR refers to the process of establishing a rice crop from seeds sown in the field rather than by transplanting seedlings from the nursery. Direct seeding can be done by sowing pre-germinated seed into puddled soil (wet seeding) or standing water (water seeding) or prepared seedbed (dry seeding).  Direct-seeded plants mature 7 to 10 days earlier than transplanted rice. They are not subjected to stress like being pulled from the soil of the nursery and do not need to reproduce fine rootlets.  It offers certain other advantages viz. it saves labour, requires less water, less drudgery, low production cost, better soil physical conditions for following crops and less methane emission, and provides better options to be the best fit in different cropping systems. However, despite the obvious upsides, DSR has the following disadvantages: There is greater crop-weed competition because rice plants and weeds are of similar age. And hence the critical period of crop weed competition is crucial for the highest economic benefits. In a nursery, weeds do not affect the rice since the environment is controlled.  The seed requirement for DSR is also high, 8-10 kg/acre, compared to 4-5 kg/acre in transplanting.  Further, laser land levelling is compulsory in DSR. This is not so in transplanting.  The sowing needs to be done timely so that the plants have come out properly before the monsoon rains arrive.