Hydropic Rice Nursery for Rice Transplanting Using Rice Transplanters

Abstract

Rice nursery using dapogs requires a series of media preparation activities involving sieving the soil, mixing with organic fertilizer and rice husk charcoal, which are troublesome for the farmers. Another practical method is to grow the rice seedlings in an hydroponic system. The purpose of this research was to develop a hydroponic system to grow rice seedlings until ready for transplanting with rice tranplanters and then to transplant the seedlings with a transplanter. The seedling nursery were designed having 10 level rack with 12 trays on each level. It is designed DFT, NFT and flooding hydroponic systems. Finally flooding system, nutrient concentration rate of 2.4 mS and seed density 5 seeds/cm2 were used in the research as those treatments gave the best results. Light illumination at rack level 1-6 were significantly different from level 7 (the top layer) and consequently level 1-6 suffered from etiolation problems making the seedlings less vigor. Transplanting results showed a wide range of number of clump/hill both at “lees” and “middle” machine setting. Root zone without any soil media made a high friction force when the seedling mat sliding down to the planting fork. A slight media at the bottom of tray might be required as the slippering media.