MTech

In India about 65 per cent of population eat rice and it is the main income source
and the demand for rice is growing with ever increasing population. Manual
transplanting of rice is a labour intensive, time consuming and causes drudgery. To
overcome these problems a self-propelled rice transplanter was used which ensures
more yield, labour efficiency and faster transplanting operation. In addition to this basal
application of fertilizer in the paddy field immediately after rice transplanting is done
as it increases the yield and protects the crop from diseases. Therefore, this study has
envisaged to design and develop a basal fertilizer applicator attachment to the fourwheel riding type transplanter for the simultaneous operation which makes an effective
operating cost. A fertilizer combination was prepared with the Urea (46:0:0);
Ammonium phosphate (16:20:0); Potash (0:0:60). A Crank-rocker mechanism was
used for the fertilizer drill for better distribution efficiency.
The actual field capacity and field efficiency of the developed transplanting cum
fertilizer applicator unit was 0.418 ha h-1
and 72.7 per cent at an operating speed of 3.2
km h-1
; 0.54 ha h-1
and 72.1 per cent at 4.2 km h-1
speed and 0.743 ha h-1
and 71.2 per
cent at 5.8 km h-1
speed. The observed field capacity and efficiency when the
transplanter was operated without fertilizer applicator was 0.429 ha h-1
and 74.5 per
cent at an operating speed of 3.2 km h-1
; 0.572 ha h-1 and 75.7 per cent at 4.2 km h-1
speed and 0.768 ha h-1 and 73.6 per cent at 5.8 km h-1 speed. Maximum field capacity
and field efficiency was observed at 3.2 km h-1
.
The observed average percentage of missing, buried, floating hills and planting
efficiency of the machine was minimum at an operating speed of 3.2 km h-1 which is
7.68, 0.96, 2.88 and 88.6 per cent and maximum at an operating speed of 5.8 km h-1
which is 8.65, 6.72, 3.84 and 81.6 per cent respectively. This is due to the higher
rotation of the transplanting fingers, which made the transplanting fingers unable to
pick the rice seedlings properly. But overall, there is no much variation in the planting
efficiency of the machine.

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The application rate of fertilizer combination from the outlet of drill was analysed
by selecting three different speeds viz., 3.2, 4.2 and 5.8 km h-1
; three different swing
angles of the crank rocker mechanism viz., 124°, 97° and 90° and with three different
types of slot types on nylon rollers Slot 1, Slot 2, Slot 3. The maximum (optimum)
fertilizer application rate was observed at the combination of transplanting speed of 5.8
km h-1
at a swing angle of 124° for Slot 1 (Segment type slot) which is 410.1 kg ha-1
with minimum coefficient of variation of (CV) of 9.9 per cent and the minimum
application rate was observed at the lower operating speed 3.2 km h
-1
, lower swing
angle 90° and Slot 3, where the application rate was 343.3 kg ha-1 with the (CV) of
17.26 per cent. The application rate was varied from 410-340 kg ha-1
.
The cost of operation of mechanical transplanting and fertilizer applicator was
1202.3 Rs h-1
(1618.2 Rs ha-1
) and the cost of operation of manual fertilizer
broadcasting operation after mechanical transplanting was 1251.7 Rs h-1
(1753 Rs ha1
). The cost saving of 50 Rs h-1 was attained with the mechanical fertilizer application
over manual application. The payback period for the developed fertilizer applicator
attachment to the transplanter was 8 months.