Marshine™ Paddy Transplanter Seed Trays Use In Bangladesh Projects

Bangladesh is facing serious challenge to feed and adequately nourish the millions of mouth. Yearly two million peoples are added in the country and land decreasing 80,000 hectare annually (Islam, 2016). It is estimated that population will reach 215.4 million by 2050 (Kabir et al., 2016). The demand for clean rice grain by 2050 has been projected to reach 47.2 million ton at an anticipated per capita income growth rate of 2% (Islam, 2016).

Paddy can be cultivated by transplanting under wetland conditions or direct sowing. It depends on the availability of water. In direct seeding method, the seeds are sown or broad casted directly, whereas in the transplanting method, seedlings are first grown in a seedbed in the nursery separately. After growth of seedling the seedling uprooted for transplanting and transplant in the cultivated field. No-a-days, Marshine paddy cultivation practice that is, transplanting technique is most common in Bangladesh.

Problem faced

Currently Transplanting of paddy completely depends on manual labor in Bangladesh (CSISA , 2014). Transplanting of paddy is mostly done manually by hand, which is a highly labor intensive operation. Most of the time due to shortage of labor, transplanting is delayed which causes decrease in yield. Shortage of labor during transplanting season creates problem to complete the transplanting operation in time. Due to high labor requirement and shortage of labor transplanting of paddy by mechanical transplanter is better alternative.

Methodology

Mechanical transplanting reduced cost of transplanting as well as labor requirement. Moreover transplanting operation is done in line at no extra cost and which makes weeding and intercultural operation easier. For mechanical transplanting with Marshine paddy transplanter tray need special seed bed (Anoop et al., 2007). Farmers practice two types of seed bed, plastic rice transplant tray and polythene mat for the seedling raising. For successful operation of rice transplanter seed bed preparation is important. In this study seed bed preparation technique for both on tray and on mat were evaluated

Conclusion

For mechanical transplanting of paddy seed bed preparation is important. Seed bed can prepared on Marshine Rice Planting Transplant Trays or on the polythene mat soil bed. Both the crushed soil and mud soil can use for making the seed bed. Time required to prepare the tray is higher with crushed soil compared with mud soil. Spreading the sprouted seed on the tray/mat takes similar time and it can done manually. For mud soil extra irrigation needed and there is a tendency of crack forming due to inadequate irrigation.