Engineering Inputs for SRI

AJAY VERMAAJAY VERMAPrincipal Scientist & Principal InvestigatorPrincipal Scientist & Principal InvestigatorDepartment of Farm Machinery and Power, Department of Farm Machinery and Power, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering, Indira Gandhi Agricultural University, Indira Gandhi Agricultural University, RaipurRaipur

Knowledge/practice of SRI: As of 1999

Madagascar

Knowledge/Use of SRI: As of 2013

BHUTAN, IRAN, IRAQ, Zambia; Senegal, PAKISTAN, Mali, VIETNAM; Benin, Guinea, Mozambique, Peru; CAMBODIA, Cuba, PHILIPPINES, LAOS, THAILAND, MYANMAR, Sierra Leone, Gambia, SRI LANKA, NEPAL, BANGLADESH, INDIA; CHINA, INDONESIA; Madagascar

SRI – A Best Management PracticeSRI – A Best Management Practice

System of Rice IntensificationSystem of Rice Intensification Less waterLess water Less seedLess seed Less chemical pesticidesLess chemical pesticides Less chemical fertilisersLess chemical fertilisers Equal or more yield in comparison Equal or more yield in comparison

to traditional cultivationto traditional cultivation

SRI is neither a new variety nor a hybrid…

it is only a method of rice cultivation

Key is the healthy crop establishment

Four main componentsFour main components

Soil fertility management – FYM applicationSoil fertility management – FYM application Planting method Planting method

- transplanting young seedlings (8 to 12 days - transplanting young seedlings (8 to 12 days old) along with seed and soil clumpold) along with seed and soil clump

- transplanting at wider spacing (25 X 25 cm)- transplanting at wider spacing (25 X 25 cm) Weed control – regular weedingWeed control – regular weeding Water (irrigation) management - keep soil wet Water (irrigation) management - keep soil wet

without floodingwithout flooding

Quality and Energy Assessment of Puddling Method used Quality and Energy Assessment of Puddling Method used

for Wetland Rice Cultivationfor Wetland Rice Cultivation

Different puddling implements in field operation

The highest increase in bulk density and lowest percolation rate were The highest increase in bulk density and lowest percolation rate were found with the tractor with rotavator. found with the tractor with rotavator.

Percolation of water was reduced with rotary tilling implement. Percolation of water was reduced with rotary tilling implement.

The total time required for preparation of puddle fields was lowest when The total time required for preparation of puddle fields was lowest when a tractor with cultivator was used.a tractor with cultivator was used.

Types of MarkersTypes of Markers

Manual random rice transplanting

Manual row rice transplanting by rice transplanting frame

Bamboo marker

Incorporating green manure crop with bullock drawn disc harrow

TransplantationTransplantation

Marking 25 x 25 cm grid in puddled field with three row marker

Lifting and transportation of seedlings to the field in metal sheets

Careful transplanting of 14 days old seedling at 25 x 25 cm grid singly

Development of Gender Friendly Paddy Weeder

FORCE LIMITS FOR STANDING POSTURE Maximum push - 25 kgf

Maximum pull - 20 kgf

Female worker can exert comfortably only 70% of the maximum pushing or pulling force exert by a male

For better muscular efficiency, the dynamic effort of a repetitive nature should not be exceed 30% of the maximum pulling and pushing force

Design a paddy weeder such that the operator does not have to exert more than 5.25 kgf pushing or 4.5 kgf pulling force.

Anthropometric data of female farmer

Weight (kg) 43.6 kg

Stature 145.8 cm

Forward arm reach length 51.1 cm

LENGTH OF STROKE –50cmLENGTH OF STROKE –50cm

FREQUENCY OF MOVEMENT OF WEEDER –30FREQUENCY OF MOVEMENT OF WEEDER –30

DESIGN OF HANDLEDESIGN OF HANDLE

  

1. Float 2.Rotor blade 3.Bush 4.Handle connecting bracket 5. Handle height adjusting lever 6.Rotor shaft 7. Main

Frame

Gender Friendly Paddy WeederGender Friendly Paddy Weeder

Paddy Weeder in operation

Particular Gender Friendly paddy weeder Overall length, mm 1520 Overall width, mm 500 Overall height, mm 950 Width of cut, mm 120 Actual field capacity (ha/h) 0.0136 Field efficiency (%) 82 Operating cost (Rs/ha) 955

Weeding Advantages in SRIWeeding Advantages in SRI

Enhances the utilization of biomassEnhances the utilization of biomass Facilitates proper aeration in the soilFacilitates proper aeration in the soil Promotes healthy growth of the root Promotes healthy growth of the root

systemsystem Provides earthling up effect facilitating Provides earthling up effect facilitating

plants to produce new roots which help plants to produce new roots which help additional nutrients uptakeadditional nutrients uptake

Cono weeder in operation

Gender friendly paddy weeder in operation

Fig. 5 Stress stablization for gender friendly paddy weeder

50

60

70

80

90

100

110

120

130

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20

Time (min)

Hea

rtra

te (

Bea

ts/m

in)

Transplanted

Row seeded

Observation Subjects Average

S1 S2 S3 S4

1. Depth of operation (mm) 25 28 28 25 26.5

2. Width of operation (mm) 120 120 120 120 120

3. Height of crop (mm) 262 262 262 262 262

4. Weed population (weeds/m2)

(a) Before test 356 320 328 392 349

(b) After test 68 71 46 69 64

5. Weeding efficiency (%) 81 78 86 82 82

6. Plant damaged Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil

7. Field capacity (ha/h) 0.0146 0.0134 0.0127 0.0137 0.0136

8. Field capacity (h/ha) 68.5 74.6 78.8 73 73.7

9. Working efficiency of human operator (%)

62 63 60 62 62