Efficacy of Mechanical Seedling Transplanter and Deep Placement of Mixed Fertilizer on Rice Yield

A field experiment was conducted at the West Byde of BRRI farm, Gazipur during T. Aman and Boro, 2021-22 season to evaluate the efficacy of newly developed mechanical rice transplanter cum fertilizer applicator. Five treatments in Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. Field experiments was conducted on silty clay loam soil in Gazipur. Individual plot size was 8m×5m with 30 cm buffer zone. The treatments were T1 = Mechanical transplanting along with 100% fertilizer (Urea, TSP, MoP and Gypsum) deep placement, T2 = Mechanical transplanting along with 80% fertilizer (80% Urea and 100% TSP, MoP and Gypsum) deep placement, T3 = Mechanical transplanting along with 70% fertilizer (70% urea and 100% TSP, MoP and Gypsum) deep placement, T4 = Mechanical transplanting along with 100% fertilizer hand broadcasting (TSP, MoP and Gypsum fertilizer as basal dose and urea fertilizer in three split) and T5 = Hand transplanting of same seedling of rice transplanter along with 100% fertilizer hand broadcasting (TSP, MoP and Gypsum in basal dose and urea fertilizer in three split) and T6 = BRRI recommended practice. In this experiment, BRRI dhan89 and BRRI dhan92 was used in T. Aman and Boro seasons, respectively. In the field, saving percentage of urea fertilizer varied from 25% to 28% against the calibration of 30% of urea saving due to the variation of the machine, operational speed and more penetration of the driving wheel during operation. It was found that grain yield was varied with the mode and rate of urea fertilizer application. Mechanical transplanting along with urea fertilizer deep placement (80% of recommended dose) gave significantly higher yield compared to manual transplanting and hand broadcasting of urea. Mechanical transplanting along with deep placement of urea fertilizer is a promising technology for rice farmers in Bangladesh. Manual transplanting is tedious and time consuming as a result mechanical transplanting is seen as a solution of labor problems. No significant differences among the treatments was found in growth parameters. Significant variations were recorded in case of yield. BRRI recommended practice and mechanical transplanting with 80% urea with other fertilizers were produced very similar grain yield. From these results, it might be said that mechanical transplanting with 80% urea fertilizer is recommended with BRRI recommended hand transplanting practice. Urea saving is additional benefit with time savings and low transplanting cost when transplanted with rice transplanter cum fertilizer applicator.