Rapid population growth, declining agricultural land, declining productivity and global climate change have challenged the progress of agriculture. In order to meet this challenge, it is essential to increase the productivity of agriculture and the density of crops through technology-based mechanization. Timely performance of agricultural work, reduction of production cost of products and prevention of post-waste wastage, food processing and marketing, reduction of manual labor of workers and filling of deficits, above all, its mechanization is essential for modern agricultural management. In the developed world, the revolution in agriculture has been achieved through mechanical technology. Studies have shown that late planting of paddy reduces the yield by 70, 55 and 9 kg per hectare per day in Boro, Aman and Aus seasons respectively.
About 90% of the paddy land in the country is cultivated by planting seedlings by hand and about 30% of the total cost of paddy cultivation is spent on raising seedlings from seedbed and planting in the land. The country is witnessing a severe shortage of labor during the paddy planting season. Due to shortage of labor, farmers are being forced to plant saplings late. As a result, crop production is declining due to non-expected yield. The only way out of this situation is to plant seedlings mechanically. To plant the seedlings mechanically, one has to produce the seedlings in a special arrangement on a kind of plastic tray or polythene sheet, which is a completely new technology for the farmers of the country.
Seedling production techniques
Recently, a number of developed countries, including China, Japan, and South Korea, have started planting rice seedlings in the mud with the help of machinery, which significantly reduces the production cost of our country. Mechanical method of planting paddy is a combination of mechanical and agricultural applied technology. The main point of mechanically transplanting seedlings is the production of special types of seedlings with limited roots between 2.0 - 2.5 cm. This special type of sapling has to be made in a special arrangement on a kind of plastic tray or polythene sheet. Seedlings can be produced in different ways for planting seedlings mechanically. Among them plastic tray and polythene matte method is the most common.
Plastic tray method
In this method a plastic tray measuring 56 x 28 x 2.5 cm is used. The bottom of which has holes 2-3 mm in diameter. The size of the specific place for storing seedlings in the rice transplanter is the same as the size of the plastic tray. In this method two types of plastic trays are used- 1) rigid tray made of hard plastic and 2) flexible tray made of soft plastic. The price and durability of rigid trays are higher than the price and durability of flexible trays.
Polythene matte method
First, the land has to be prepared in the same way as the land is prepared for cultivation in the traditional way. Like the modern seedbed, the seedbed should be prepared in such a way that two trays can be placed side by side, i.e. a ray bed should be made along a length of 1.4-1.5 m wide. Then the dry / wet soft soil should be leveled on both sides of the bed to raise the soil in the seedbed so that both sides of the bed are slightly sloping. In this way excess water can flow into the drain. Then you have to spread polythene seat on the bed. Due to the polythene sheet, the roots of the seedlings will not be able to grow as much as desired and like the tray method, the roots of the seedlings will be limited to a space of 2.0-2.5 cm. Depending on the size of the seedling space in the Rice Transplanter i.e. 2.5 - 3.0 cm in height, 26 cm wide and 56 cm long, it should be placed on a tray-like polythene seat with wooden / bamboo slices so that the seedlings can be easily placed in the tray. Then, like a plastic tray, first 2.0 cm of weed free crumbs should be filled in a wooden / bamboo slice placed on soft soil polythene. After filling the soil, the amount of seeds should be sown. Then the seeds should be well covered with 0.5 cm loose soil on the sown seeds. Characteristics of mechanical seedlings suitable for planting
The key to successful planting is quality seedlings. In this case, the height, density and thickness of the soil are very important. It should be disease free and strong seedlings of equal density. The density of seedlings should be at least 2-3 per square centimeter. Soil seedlings bound by limited roots within 2.0-2.5 cm. The number of leaves of the plant is 3-4. The height of the seedlings is 10-12 cm. The age of the seedlings is 12-15 days in Aus-Aman season and 25-30 days in Boro season.
The seedlings should have a mass carrying capacity so that the shape of the seedlings does not change after the seedlings are placed in the rice transplanter.
Soil selection and seedbed preparation
Suitable for growing seedlings in weeds, crop stalks, gravel, factory waste free fertile sandy-loam soil trays. Suitable soil should be collected and loosened. If the amount of slack is high and large, if necessary, the slack should be broken and sifted through a sieve. Organic manure (dung / compost) should be mixed well if required to increase soil fertility. Seedlings should be prepared 10-12 days before planting. The seedbed should be prepared in such a way that the two trays can be placed side by side and there should be arrangements for drainage on both sides of the seedbed. For this reason, the seedbed should be 1.4-1.5 m wide.
288.222 SRY0