Author
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Sinclair, Thomas |
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Submitted to: Trade Journal Publication
Publication Type: Other Publication Acceptance Date: 6/20/2004 Publication Date: 7/28/2004 Citation: Sinclair, T.R. Agronomic ufo's waste valuable scientific resources. Rice Today. 2004(3)43. Interpretive Summary: None. Technical Abstract: Considerable attention has recently been given to a cropping system for rice that has been identified as System of Rice Intensification (SRI). SRI was developed by a priest in Madagascar and has been claimed to result in large increases in yield. Although there is no scientific evidence in support of SRI, it has gained notoriety among rice producers. This article written by an ARS scientist located at the Center for Medical, Agricultural, and Veterinary Entomology at Gainesville, FL, argues that anecdotal reports do not provide support for SRI. Indeed, three of the key features of SRI are counter to basic tenets of crop science that have been proven over many years of scientific investigation. The arguments used to explain the success of SRI are based on misinterpreted or fragmentary understanding of the biology and physics of crop growth. It is argued that such Unconfirmed Field Observations (UFOs) share much in common with space UFOs, and do not deserve serious attention. |
