With PAU's remote driven paddy transplanter, no need to enter fields.
Ludhiana: The two wheel, walk-behind paddy transplanters, though widely used, demand intense manual effort, especially under puddled field conditions where temperatures range between 38-44°C and humidity exceeds 70%.
The operators often walk more than 20 km a day in puddled fields, frequently repositioning the machine every row and then, leading to significant fatigue and discomfort.
To mitigate this drudgery, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) has come up with a remotely controlled transplanter that allows the operator to control the machine from a safe, dry, and shaded location, significantly improving comfort.
The new system for transplantation of rice through smart mechanization has been developed by the department of farm machinery and power engineering at PAU under the National Agricultural Higher Education Project (NAHEP) and the All-India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) on Ergonomics and Safety in Agriculture and Allied Sectors (ESAAS) with the aim of addressing the ergonomic and operational difficulties of conventional paddy transplanting.
It is possible to operate it remotely, standing comfortably outside the puddled field by steering the machine with ease using a wireless remote.
As per university field evaluations, the innovation increased field capacity by 10-12% due to consistent operating speed, reduced operator fatigue by a staggering 85%, and cut down total labour requirements by 40%. These improvements translated into a net profit gain of 5-15%, making the system economically and physically more viable.
Dr. Satbir Singh Gosal, PAU vice-chancellor, said the university had established the School of Digital Innovations for Smart Agriculture (S-DISA) to accelerate the adoption of digital solutions in farming.
Dr. Manjit Singh, dean, College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, PAU, gave the details for promoting widespread adoption of the new machine. They stated that the university had conducted several demonstrations and exhibitions at kisan melas, field days, and exposure visits over the past year.
The new invention was also lauded by Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan during his recent visit at Krishi Vigyan Kendra Patiala, where its demonstration was given. He lauded Punjab Agricultural University's pioneering efforts in sensor-based automation for paddy transplantation. He stressed upon the need to make such innovations widely accessible, especially to small and marginal farmers, to reduce labour fatigue and boost on-field efficiency.
Dr ML Jat, director general of ICAR, present there also also applauded PAU's forward-thinking approach.
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