Developing Attachments for Four-Wheel Riding Type Rice Transplanter

Due to the drudgery and increased labour cost mechanised ricetransplanting is getting popular. Four-wheel riding type transplantersare preferred by farmers as they can ensure speedy operation. Thesemachines need to be transported to site using another vehicleresulting in increased cost of operation. Thus to reduce the cost ofoperation a suitable transport wheel system was developed. Inaddition to this to improve the growth and development of seedlingsa 12 V DC diaphragm pump operated five solid cone nozzles fittedboom type fungicides and micro-nutrients applicator attachmentsuitable for all makes of 6-row four wheel riding type transplanterswas also developed and successfully field tested. A 6-row Kubota maketransplanter was selected for the study. It was found that thetransport wheel attachment could move at a maximum speed of 9.88 km/hand the pump developed a pressure of 620 kPa and 1.89 l/min discharge.Application of pseudomonas fluorescence revealed enhanced growth ofrice plants with no fungal attack and Sampoorna-KAU mutimix showedincreased plant height and enhanced number of productive tillers/unitarea grains per panicle yield and grain weight.