Ergonomic Evaluation of Direct Paddy Seeder with Two-Row and Three-Row Rice Transplanting in Peddapalli District of Telangana State, India
Baireneni Navya *
Krishi Vigyan Kendra (Sri Konda Laxman Telangana Horticultural University), Ramagirikhilla, Peddapalli District, 505212, Telangana, India.
Y. Venkanna
Krishi Vigyan Kendra (Sri Konda Laxman Telangana Horticultural University), Ramagirikhilla, Peddapalli District, 505212, Telangana, India.
B. Bhaskar Rao
Krishi Vigyan Kendra (Sri Konda Laxman Telangana Horticultural University), Ramagirikhilla, Peddapalli District, 505212, Telangana, India.
T. Vinod Kumar
Krishi Vigyan Kendra (Sri Konda Laxman Telangana Horticultural University), Ramagirikhilla, Peddapalli District, 505212, Telangana, India.
Kiran Pilli
Krishi Vigyan Kendra (Sri Konda Laxman Telangana Horticultural University), Ramagirikhilla, Peddapalli District, 505212, Telangana, India.
B. Naresh
Krishi Vigyan Kendra (Sri Konda Laxman Telangana Horticultural University), Ramagirikhilla, Peddapalli District, 505212, Telangana, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Rice is the most important staple food crop of India. In Telangana, during 2022-23, rice is grown in gross area of 1.72 million hectares with a productivity of 3.82 tonnes per hectare. Several attempts have been taken by Indian researchers to mechanize rice transplanting by introducing various transplanter. Krishi Vigyan Kendra assessed suitability of operating three and two row transplanter for the farmers of Peddapalli district and to compare them with direct seeded rice. The study was conducted during Rabi and Kharif 2023, 2024 with ten respondents. The results showed that, BMI value of the respondents ranged from 21.7 to 25.6 kg/m², with a mean BMI of 23.69 kg/m². The results also found that there was a significant difference in heart rate during work, with the highest rate recorded during operation of the OUAT 3-row transplanter (129.8 bpm), followed by the OUAT 2-row transplanter (123.7 bpm), and the direct paddy seeder (113.5 bpm). Work pulse was notably higher for both 2-row and 3-row transplanters (66.6 bpm and 59.4 bpm, respectively) compared to the direct paddy seeder (42.0 bpm). While, oxygen consumption (VO₂) during work was highest for the 3-row transplanter (1.04 L/min), slightly greater than that of the 2-row transplanter (1.00 L/min), and markedly higher than the direct seeder (0.80 L/min). Corresponding energy expenditures followed a similar trend, with the OUAT 3-row transplanter requiring the most energy (22.60 kJ/min), followed by the 2-row transplanter (21.90 kJ/min), and the direct seeder (19.05 kJ/min). The overall findings suggest that mechanized transplanters particularly the 3-row model are associated with increased physiological workload compared to the direct paddy seeder. The study also showed that direct seeding, transplanting procedures—particularly those utilizing two- and three-row machines are linked to higher degrees of bodily discomfort.
Keywords: Rice transplanter, direct seeder, manual transplanting, OUAT, Krishi Vigyan Kendra