The Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) with Rajarh Agricultural Works in Mullanpur Dakha for the commercialisation of technology of tractor operated mat type nursery seeder.
The MoA was signed between PAU officials and Gurdeep Singh from Rajarh Agricultural Works.
Additional director of research (farm mechanization and bioenergy) Gursahib Singh Manes explained that all the mechanical paddy transplanters use mat type nursery for transplanting paddy seedlings. Manual method for raising mat type nursery requires a number of operations, whereas tractor operated seeder accomplishes all the operations in one go, he added. The machine lays the polythene sheet and prepares one-metre-wide soil bed with simultaneous uniform seed placement and covers it with soil.
Head, department of farm machinery and power engineering, Mahesh Kumar Narang said the machine will help in saving of cost by 64.3-67.9 percent and labour by 93.8-94 per cent as compared to conventional manual method of mat type nursery sowing. In a single day, the machine can sow mat type nursery which is sufficient for transplantation in paddy field area of 150-200 acres .