Evaluation of Direct Seeded Rice Planter under Minimum Tillage Practices

Abstract

This experiment was conducted in the farmer's field to evaluate the performance of a modified planter machine for establishing direct seeded rice during aman and aus seasons in 2010 with four tillage treatments: (i) conventional tillage (CT) (ii) strip tillage (ST), (iii) bed formation (BP) and (iv) zero tillage (ZT). In later three treatments, seeding and fertilizer application was done simultaneously in a single pass operation by the planter. Flute type seed metering device was tested to study the seed dispensing rate, placement of seed and fertilizers. Minimum tillage saved fuel consumption by almost 25-46% and could represent a 27-48% cost saving in land preparation compared to CT. In addition to fuel savings, substantial time savings and additional benefits can be achieved. Seedling emergence was not affected by tillage options which indicated that seeds were placed at proper depth. Seed meter worked well to dispense rice seeds by maintaining actual seed rate. Seeds were not broken due to use of flute type seed metering device. Yields were not significantly different among the tillage treatments. BP showed the lowest benefit-cost ratio due to higher input cost as well as gross margin was lower compared to other tillage treatments. Strip tillage performed better than the other two minimum tillage methods compared to conventional method. Planter reduced seeding time, saved fuel and labour costs compared to conventional method and helped in timely sowing. Minimum tillage may be adopted to establish dry seeded rice in High Barind Tract.

Diversified and Long-term Cropping Systems Alters the System Sustainability and Energy Use Efficiency in Soils of Indo-Gangetic Plains

“…The grain yield of the zero-till low ricewheat system was high because of more energy investments in this system (Tuti et al 2012). The low yield of the rice-maize system than zero till lowland rice-wheat was probably due to the continuous cultivation of more than one cereal crop (Islam et al 2014) and the practicing of the conventional agriculture system. However, the rice-maize system produced the maximum biological yield (19.462 Mt ha -1 ) than other cropping systems as alike as reported by Yadav et al (2017).…”

Upscaling and Evaluation of BARI Inclined Plate Planter

“…Bed planting is a system where land is prepared conventionally and raised bed is prepared using bed planting machine. Crops are planted in row on the top of the bed and irrigation water is applied in the furrows between the beds (Islam, 2012;Islam et al, 2013).…”