Mechanization in Direct Seeded Rice Practices: Advancing Sustainability and Efficiency in Rice Farming

Abstract

Rice is an important crop as the world’s population mainly relies on it. Rice is generally grown by direct seeding or transplanting. Transplanting is advantageous for weed control but requires more time, flooded land condition, consumes more energy and labour. On the other hand, in direct seeded rice seeding is directly done on the main field eliminating all disadvantages of transplanting. The direct seeding (DS) can be dry direct seeding (DDS)/ wet direct seeding (WDS). WDS is carried in levelled, puddled field condition where pre-germinated seeds are used. Drum seeder is used for this purpose. DDS is done by broadcasting seeds after tillage or strip tillage combined with seeding or directly seeding without tillage. In situ incorporation of plant residue, straw mulching, reduction in soil erosion, increase in water infiltration and retention are important aspects of dry direct seeding.