Efficiency and energy use in puddling of lowland rice grown on Vertisols in Central India

Transplanting of rice seedling in puddled soil is one of the most widely used cultivation practices. The present research is aimed at determining what specific implements are needed to obtain optimal puddle bed for transplantating. Puddling experiments were carried out by the use of pair of bullocks with traditional country plough (T1), pair of bullocks with lug wheel puddler (T2), power tiller with rotary puddler (T3), tractor with cage wheel and 9-tine cultivator (T4) and tractor with cage wheel and rotavator (T5). One summer ploughing was done at friable moisture condition (18.6% db) and then tilled soil was flooded to saturation (24 h) for preparation of puddled bed. Weeding efficiency, puddling depth, percentage increase in bulk density, puddling index, percolation rate and grain yield of paddy were studied for the above treatments. Puddling performance by different implements in comparison to the traditional animal drawn country plough (T1) shows that there is a definite reduction in time requirement for field preparation. Increase in weeding efficiency, bulk density, grain yield and puddling index were also observed. The highest values of weeding efficiency and puddling index were found 98.6% and 79.3, respectively, for rotavator (T5). The total time requirement for preparation of puddle field for treatment T4 (tractor with cultivator) was found to be the lowest (9.4 h ha−1) with 67% weeding efficiency and 62.7 puddling index as compared to all other alternatives tested. Energy requirement for preparation of puddle field was found highest (2390 MJ ha−1) for rotavator (T5) followed by T3, T4, T1, and T2 treatments.