Vol. 12, Issue 7 (2023)

Conventional rice transplanting methods are laboured exhaustive and involves drudgery. On an average only transplanting operation takes one fourth of the total labour requirement of rice production under traditional system. Shifting of agricultural labourer towards urban areas for better remuneration creates labour shortage during peak time of transplanting. Under such circumstances, an affordable and flexible way of rice transplanting without compromising grain yield is the need of the time. In this context, Thirty Front line demonstrations were conducted by Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Jammikunta, Karimnagar district, Telangana state from 2018-19 to 2020-21 to demonstrate mechanically transplanted rice cultivation in a few areas of Karimnagar district using a self-propelled walk behind six-row mechanical transplanter.

The field capacity of rice transplanter was 0.20 ha per hour and time taken to cover one hectare area was 5 hours and 10 minutes. Results of the trials indicated that the yield parameters viz., number of productive tillers/hill, panicle length, number of grains/panicle and yield were higher in mechanized transplanting than manual transplanting. Mechanized transplanting recorded more grain yield (7048 kg/ha) and net returns (Rs. 95106/-) with less cost of cultivation (Rs.41508/-) compared to manual transplanting. Mechanized transplanting recorded benefit cost ratio of 3.32, but it was 2.77 in case of manual transplanting. Mechanized transplanting with rice transplanter can be used successfully as an economic, viable and alternative option for obtaining higher yield and reducing cost of cultivation as the manual transplanting involves more labour and drudgery.