Central Luzon State University compound
Science City of Muñoz, 3120 Nueva Ecija
Philippine-Sino Center for Agricultural Technology
Skill training on O & M of Selected AM
By ALDO C. VALDEZ
Topic/s
1. Seedling preparation for Mechanical Transplanter
2. Operation and maintenance of MT
Mechanical means of rice crop establishment
using specially designed machines and
technologies. The objectives of mechanizing
crop establishment activities are (1) to
minimize the drudgery and cost of rice
transplanting and (2) increase labor and crop
productivity.
Planting of young rice plants in puddled soil by a machine
called transplanter
Mechanical Transplanting Technology
MODEL PF 455S RICE TRANSPLANTER
Requirements of the machine:
• seedlings must be raised in
trays/mats (15-19 days old at
400 – 450 mats/ha)
• seedlings must be evenly distributed
in the trays/mats
• depth of field plowing at 12-18cm
• final harrowing should be done 3 days
before transplanting (flat & leveled)
• depth of standing water during
transplanting should be 0.5 to 2 cm
Mechanical Transplanting Technology
Seedling Preparation Methods
1. Mechanically prepared using
the Seed Sowing Machine
2. Manually Prepared using the
Double Mulching Technique
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MECHANICAL SEEDLING PREPARATION (MSP)
Mechanical Transplanting Technology
Soil Preparation Equipment:
Soil Crusher
Soil Riddling Machine
Mechanical Transplanting Technology
Seed Sowing Machine:
MODEL 2BS-1000
SEEDLING PREPARATION
EQUIPMENT
Plastic seedling trays
(400-450 trays per hectare)
Mechanical Transplanting Technology
Characteristics of the system:
• high capacity - up to 1000 trays per hr
• high sowing efficiency - up to 90%
• for large scale operation
• moderately mechanized
• high investment
Mechanical Transplanting Technology
MECHANICAL SEEDLING PREPARATION
PROCEDURE:
1. Prepare/buy and dry about 2.2
cubic meter of garden soil per
hectare.
2. Crush and sieve the garden soil
using the soil crusher and
riddling machine.
Mechanical Transplanting Technology
MECHANICAL SEEDLING PREPARATION
PROCEDURE:
3. Prepare seeds (40kg/hectare)
4. Soak and incubate seeds
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PROCEDURE:
5. Prepare seed sowing machine,
plastic trays (and 10 to 12
persons)
6. Sow seeds in trays using the machine.
Seed sowing
Soil covering device Soil paving
device Water pump device
Control box
Roller-
chains
Tray
direction
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PROCEDURE:
7. Keep trays under the
shade for 2 days
8. Transfer trays to the
prepared seedbed*
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PROCEDURE:
* Seedbed Preparation
1. Choose a field plot to accommodate
1.5 m x 63 m seedbed (with 0.3 m space
around or between beds)
2. Prepare the seedbed by plowing once,
harrow twice, and level - following usual
procedure.
3. Prepare seedbed (3 – 5 cm high) at least
2 days before sowing.
Mechanical Transplanting Technology
SEEDLING PREPARATION USING THE
DOUBLE MULCHING TECHNIQUE (DMT)
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Double Mulching Technique
It is an alternative method of seedling preparation for
mechanical transplanting.
Advantages:
• Technically viable alternative to expensive mechanical seedling
preparation equipment and seedling trays.
• More economical
• Uses locally available and even recycled materials.
• Minimal movement/transport of seedling mats in the field.
• Higher field capacity and efficiency of the transplanter is
possible with double or extended length of seedling mats.
Mechanical Transplanting Technology
Double Mulching Technique
Procedure:
• Preparation of plastic film
(maybe done 1 week ahead of sowing date)
Needed materials:
1pc – 1.5 m x 63 m plastic film with holes
1pc – 1.5 m x 63 m plastic film without holes
Wrap or fold the plastic film and make holes
(2 cm distance between holes) using a
punching stick.
Mechanical Transplanting Technology
• Preparation of seedling frame
(maybe done 1 week ahead of sowing date)
Seedling frames could be of any material
(such as wood, bamboo, steel frames or any
recyclable materials) that can hold a 3 cm
soil pavement.
Needed materials:
9 pcs – 1” x 2” x 3.5’ (1.16m)
6 pcs – 1” x 2” x 65’ (20m)
10 pcs – wooden pegs (30cm long)
(1.5 x 63 m seedbed area for 1 ha)
Mechanical Transplanting Technology
• Soil Preparation
(maybe done 1 week ahead of sowing date)
Prepare about 2.2 cubic meter of garden soil.
Dry the soil to reduce moisture content for
easy crushing. (4-6 days to 10-20% MC)
Crush/pulverize the soil.
Sieve the crushed soil. Remove stone, plant
parts, etc.
Soil maybe crushed manually until the desired
fineness is attained (3 mm dia.)
Mechanical Transplanting Technology
• Seedbed preparation
1. Choose an area with good access to
irrigation and drainage.
2. Plow once and harrow the seedbed
area for puddling and leveling.
3. Prepare the seedbed area 2-3 days
before the sowing schedule.
4. Construct the seedbeds: 1.5 m meter
wide; 3 – 5 cm high and at any
desired length. (total length of beds
should be 63 m) Maintain a 30 cm
distance between each seedbed.
5. Level the seedbed using wooden
leveler (paleta).
Mechanical Transplanting Technology
• Seed soaking and incubation (12 to 18 hrs before sowing)
1. Soak the seeds (40 kg/ha) in clean
water for 6 hours. Keep the water
and seeds at room temperature.
2. Remove the soaked seeds from the
container. Drain the water and
place the seed in clean sack.
Mechanical Transplanting Technology
Seed soaking and incubation
3. Tie the sack loose enough to allow
the aeration of seeds.
4. Turn it every 2 hours to improve
aeration. Keep it moist by
sprinkling water each time you
turn until it germinates.
5. Seeds are ready for sowing when
they start to break and until roots
have extended to 1mm length.
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• Sowing
1. Place the plastic film (with
holes) into the seedbed.
Stretch the film well to
cover the surface
2. Fix the seedling frame on
top of the plastic film.
Pegs can be used to hold
or permanently fix the
frames in place.
Mechanical Transplanting Technology
• Sowing
3. Place the pulverized soil inside
the frame. The depth of soil
bed should not exceed 2.5 cm
and should also be uniform
and level. Sprinkle with water
until the soil is saturated.
4. Spread the germinated seeds
evenly using the required
weight of seeds per area of the
seedling frame (approx.
1kg/m).
Mechanical Transplanting Technology
• Sowing
5. Cover the seeds with thin film of soil (0.3 cm - 0.5 cm). Cover
the seedbed with another plastic film (without holes) for 2 days
depending on weather conditions.
6. Remove plastic cover when the height of the seedlings
reached 1 cm.
Mechanical Transplanting Technology
Double Mulching Technique
Preparing seedlings using double mulching technique
Sowing steps
Seedling frame
Plastic film sheet with
Plastic films sheet bored holes
without holes
Seedbed
Pulverized soil 2.5
cm thick
Germinated seeds
Pulverized soil 0.5 cm thick
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SEEDBED/ NURSERY MANAGEMENT (MSP & DMT)
1. The irrigation water should be leveled
with the surface of the seedbed. This
depth of water should be maintained
during the single-leaf stage.
2. During 2-3 leaf stage, the level of the
irrigation water should be frequently
observed. During irrigation, the depth
of water should be leveled with the
surface of the frame (or tray) and
should be drained after 10 minutes.
Mechanical Transplanting Technology
SEEDBED / NURSERY MANAGEMENT (MSP & DMT)
3. Four to five days before transplanting,
the level of irrigation water should be
half the depth of the seedbed to
enhance the development of the root.
4. At 15 – 19 days of age, the seedlings
should be transplanted.
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PREPARATION OF SEEDLING FOR TRANSPLANTING (MSP)
1. Drain seedbed 1 day before
transplanting.
2. Pull the plastic trays (and
seedlings) from the seedbed.
3. Pull and roll the seedling mat from
one side of the tray. (Seedling are
ready for the transplanter)
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PREPARATION OF SEEDLING FOR TRANSPLANTING (DMT)
1. Drain seedbed 1 day before
transplanting.
2. Cut the seedling mat using sharp
knife or cutter into tray size
seedlings (28 cm x 58 or 116 cm)
3. Cut and roll seedlings. (Seedlings
are ready for the transplanter.)
Mechanical Transplanting Technology
