Received: 3rd November 2022; Accepted: 3rd December 2022

Abstract

The conventional method of transplanting rice is labour-intensive, requires more water, and involves drudgery. Keeping this in view, large-scale front-line multi-location demonstrations of a modified mat nursery followed by mechanized rice transplanting under a slightly modified system of rice intensification (SMSRI) was conducted in the erstwhile Karimnagar District of Telangana to overcome the problem of labour, saving time and cost. The demonstrations recorded the highest grain yield (7512 kg ha-1) than the conventional method (7029 kg ha-1). This method saved around Rs. 4500 – 6250 ha-1 on nursery raising and transplanting. Timely transplanting was carried out during peak periods of labour shortage. Therefore, there is a need to develop small self-propelled transplanters with suitable power weeders as a national strategy to increase the area under mechanization.