Central Rice Research Institute Annual report...2011-12

the tray and plant them in the field. A mechanism was
designed for the reciprocating motion of the seedling
tray. The tray moves a little after each picking of the
seedlings and moves in the reverse direction when the
tray compartment reaches to a side. There is a mechanism
to feed the seedlings in the tray to the fingers.
Plant to plant distance is adjustable as per requirement
of hill spacing. Field testing results revealed that the
transplanter had field capacity of 0.011 ha hr -1 with
missing hills ranging from 18-20%. This would be suitable
for small size field.
Development and evaluation of power
operated pre-germinated paddy seeder
An eight row, engine operated, pre-germinated
paddy seeder having hyperboloid shape was designed
with an aim to reduce the human drudgery in transplanting
of paddy and reduce cost of cultivation. The
machine comprised of a 2.94 kW light weight diesel
engine, power transmission system, seed drum, main
frame, float, ground wheel and tail wheel. This was
field tested in wet season during 2011 and its performance
was compared with the engine operated (8 rows)
seeder having cylindrical shape, manual drum seeder
having hyperboloid shape (8 rows), self propelled 8
rows transplanter and manual transplanting (Control).
The field capacity of the developed seeder was 0.235 ha
hr -1 which was more than other tested seeders and rice
transplanters(Table 31).
Enhancing productivity, water use efficiency
and profitability of rice cultivation system by
use of CRRI planters and weeders
The field performance of CRRI planters were evaluated
during wet season with rice variety Gayatri. The
study showed that sprouted drum seeder is the best
technique to reduce the cost of wet land rice-planting
where standing water condition allows its use (within
2-5 mm). In case of higher water depth, mat type transplanters
could be used with productivity advantage of
3.3%). Maximum net returns (Rs. 21, 410 ha -1 , Table 32)
from rice cultivation was obtained by use of the self
propelled transplanter.
The CRRI weeders were evaluated during dry season
with rice variety Naveen. Among all the weeders,
weed destruction was highest in case of cono weeder,
followed by finger weeder and manual weeding. Average
grain yield (3.85 t ha -1 ) and WUE (0.57 kg m -3 ) in
mechanically weeded plots were twice the un-weeded
plots. Highest net returns were obtained by using starconoweeder
followed by power weeder.
Table 31. Performance of different sowing and planting implements
Effective field Field Straw
capacity efficiency Ear bearing Grain yield yield
Treatments (ha hr -1 ) (%) tillers m -2 (t ha -1 ) (t ha -1 )
Engine operated (8 rows) 0.235 85.0 347.70 6.75 8.70
seeder having hyperboloid shape
Engine operated (8 rows) seeder 0.230 83.5 323.00 6.37 8.47
having cylindrical shape
Manual Drum seeder having (8 rows) 0.097 70.2 332.5 6.60 8.37
hyperboloid shape
Self propelled 8 rows transplanter 0.190 72.4 331.3 6.75 8.32
Manual transplanting - - 321.5 6.72 8.97
Table 32. Effect of planting methods on productivity, water use efficiency (WUE) and net returns
Planting Cost of Grain
Area cost * cultivation yield WUE Net return
Implements (ha hr -1 ) (Rs. ha -1 ) (Rs. ha -1 ) (t ha -1 ) (kg m -3 ) (Rs. ha -1 )
CRRI drum seeder 0.12 520 27,325 5.12 0.618 19,635
CRRI manual transplanter 0.032 1611 29,100 5.26 0.635 19,460
Self propelled transplanter 0.205 1052 28,510 5.32 0.643 21,410
Traditional 0.0036 5250 36,482 5.26 0.635 13,118
LSD (p=0.05) - 76.40 668.69 0.574 0.07 1148.92
* Excluding cost of seed and nursery operations
76 CRRI ANNUAL REPORT 2011-12