Effect of Puddling Techniques on Puddling Quality of Silty Loam Soil

Abstract

Paddy is the major cereal crop grown under standing water condition in agricultural fields. Puddling operation is carried out to facilitate standing water condition by creating an impervious layer in the subsoil surface. Puddling is a land preparation practice that will decide the water requirement in field throughout the cropping period. Different puddling techniques like puddling with cage wheel, rotavator, cage wheel + rotavator and power tiller operated rotary tool were evaluated in a silty loam soil with one and two passes to understand their effect on puddling quality in terms of puddling index, infiltration rate, penetration resistance and depth of puddling. They were measured using standard procedures. Infiltration rate in puddled soil was reduced with an increase in puddling index. Penetration resistance was increased with an increase in depth for all the puddling techniques. Highest depth of puddling of 18.75 cm was observed in cage wheel and rotavator combined operation. Power tiller operated rotary tool with two passes registered the highest puddling index of 70.91% and lowest infiltration rate of 6.5 mm d−1. Puddling with rotavator was found to be optimum in terms of puddling index, infiltration rate, depth of puddling and penetration resistance. Hence, it was concluded that rotavator puddling is more suitable for silty loam soil.