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Evaluation of Mechanical Transplanter in Unpuddled Transplanting of Wet Season Rice in Sandy Loam Soil

Dr. AKM Saiful Islam
Senior Scientific Officer
Farm Machinery and Postharvest Technology Division, Bangladesh Rice Research Institute, Gazipur-1701

Dr. Muhammad Abdur Rahman
Farm Machinery and Postharvest Technology Division

Md. Anwar Hossen
Farm Machinery and Postharvest Technology Division

Dr. Tahmid Hossain Ansari,
Plant Pathology Division

Md. Biswajit Karmakar
ARD, BRRI

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Alternate to puddling, unpuddled transplanting is a new concept of rice cultivation. This experiment was conducted to evaluate the performance of mechanical rice transplanter in unpuddled condition under minimum tillage practices in drought prone zone representing sandy loam soil in wet season 2012. Tillage treatments were (i) conventional puddling (CT) in puddled condition and (ii) no tillage (NT) (iii) bed planting (BP) (iv) and strip tillage (ST) in unpuddled condition. Results indicated that unpuddled transplanting saved fuel, time and labour remarkably in land preparation. Mechanical transplanting reduced drudgery of the farmers and ensured timely operation. Transplanting time was higher in unpuddled plot than puddled. Floating hill was also higher in unpuddled plot due to increase in soil hardness and unable to provide proper anchorage and gripping force to seedlings. Grain yield of unpuddled transplanting was similar to puddled transplanting. Water productivity was the lowest in unpuddled than puddled transplanting. Input cost was higher in conventional puddling than unpuddled transplanting. Mechanical transplanting overcome the constraints of manual transplanting in unpuddled condition. It might be an effective technology in rice production with limited seedling floating (10-15%) in sandy loam soil.

Keywords: Wet season rice, Bed planting, Strip tillage, unpuddled transplnting, Floating hill, Yield

Location: BRRI R/S Rajshahi

Start Date: 01-07-2012

End Date: 30-06-2013

Program Area: Farm Mechanization

Commodity: Transplanter

Objectives:

To investigate the constraints to operate the mechanical transplanter in unpuddled field and to compare the economics of transplanted rice grown in puddled and unpuddled condition.

Methodology:

Tillage treatments in the experiment were (i) Conventional puddling by 2 wheel tractor (CT) as puddled condition and (ii) No tillage (NT) (iii) Bed formed by Versatile Multi-crop Planter (VMP) in single pass (BP) (iv) Strip tillage by VMP in single pass (ST) as unpuddled condition. The treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block (RCB) design with three replications. Conventional puddling consisted of primary tillage using 2 passes by 2 WT and exposed to sun for two days followed by inundating whole plot and puddling by 2 WT with 2 passes. Soil samples were and oven dried in the laboratory for the calculation of bulk density using methods described by Blake and Hartge, 1986. Hand penetrometer was used to measure the soil penetration resistance. Soil strength was measured from the soil surface to a depth of 15 cm at 2.5 cm depth increments from three points of each plot, with three replications after harvesting rice. Transplanting was done by using walking type 4-row mechanical transplanter. Rice seed BR11 was used in this experiment. Fifteen-day old seedling was transplanted mechanically during 11 July, 2012. Land was inundated before one day of transplanting for maintaining soil softness to transplant seedling in unpuddled plot. The spacing was set as 30 x 14 cm. Observations on speed of operation, depth of placement of seedlings, number of seedlings per hill, number of missed hills, number of floating hill, total time taken for transplanting, total area covered and quantity of fuel consumed for the operation were recorded. Grain yield was recorded from pre-selected 10 m2 land area and adjusted moisture content of 14% moisture level. Statistical analysis was done following Gomez and Gomez (1984). Data were analysed by using statistical software Mstat-C. Means were compared with least significant difference (LSD) test.

Source of Information: J. Agril. Mach. Bioresour. Eng. 6(1&2): 59-67.

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

1. Government

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Unpuddled transplanting saved fuel remarkably compared to puddle transplanting. In sandy loam soil, unpuddled field could not provide proper anchorage and gripping force to seedlings resulting higher floating hills. Transplanting cost was higher in BP due to difficulties to operate the transplanter on the bed. Water productivity was higher in puddled than unpuddled transplanted rice. Grain yield was statistically similar in puddled and unpuddled transplanting. Transplanting rice under no-tillage condition was less profitable than conventional puddling.

Knowledge Management: Journal