Abstract:
Stabilized puddled bed conditions are essential for an efficient operation of mechanical
transplanting of paddy. Three different puddling treatments consisting of Cultivator & Planker
(CP), Pulverizing roller attachment to cultivator (PR) and Rotavator (RT) were used to ascertain
the puddling performance. Puddling was done after fields were flooded to saturation and 2 passes
of cultivator & planker and pulverizing roller attachment each and 1 pass of rotavator were
performed. Depth of puddle was 9.4, 12.4 and 11.5 cm in these treatments, respectively.
Puddling index and average percolation rate was 65, 79, 84 % and 0.26, 0.13, 0.11 cm/h,
respectively in CP, PR and RT treatments. Effective field capacity of different puddlers was 1.0,
0.8 and 0.3 ha/h, respectively in CP, PR and RT treatments. Transplanting of paddy was done by
contract labour in each plot. Cost of puddling was 578.2, 390.0, 626.6 Rs/ha for CP, PR and RT,
respectively. Average grain yield differs marginally in CP, PR and RT treatment. |
