Methods of transplanting

a) Random transplanting

b) Straight row transplanting

c) Manual transplanting

d) Mechanical transplanting

e) Double transplanting

f) Parachute method

f) SRI method.

a) Random transplanting :

• Most common method of transplanting in practice in Nepal.
• Transplanting is done manually by hand
• No crop geometry is maintained .so , the distance between rows and hill is not uniform.

Demerits

• Not possible to operate the mechanical weeding machines.
• Difficult to conduct intercultural operations like fertilizers and spray of chemicals.
• No uniform plant population throughout the field.

b) Straight row transplanting :

• Spacing between row and hill is maintained.
• Transplanting is done manually by hand or by use of machines.

                          Manual transplanting and Mechanical transplanting falls under this.

Manual transplanting :

• A guiding rope and stick having marking at regular intervals is made.
• Rope is supported by sticks on both side.
• Two people standing on both side of field along the bund.

Mechanical transplanting :

• Done by rice transplanter.
• Found in different capacity .2 rows , 4 rows and 8 rows transplanter.
• 2 rows transplanter is manually operated.
• 4 rows transplanter is walking type operated by fossil fuels.
• 8 rows transplanter is riding type also operated by fossil fuel.
• Requires special type of nursery bed for raising seedling.

Advantages

• Address the major issue of transplanting i.e. labor shortage.
• Save time and money.
• Easier to operate weeding machines.

c) Double transplanting :

• It is an indigenous practice of transplanting the seedling in second nursery before transplanting to main field.
• In this practice, the seedling from first nursery is transplanted to second nursery at narrow spacing.
• It is practiced in eastern and central terai of Nepal like Parsa , Bara , Saptari , Morang , Jhapa , etc.
• Double transplanting in Boro rice is found profitable in Bangladesh.

                           It is practiced because of the following reasons :

• When the main field is drought or flooded and not suitable for transplanting normal aged seedling.
• This method reduces the deleterious effect of late planting of aged seedlings.
• When transplanted rice is damaged by flood , drought , disease , insect , pest or either reasons , then farmers uproot transplanted rice from the next field or neighbor field and transplanting again in the destroyed area.

d) Parachute method of transplanting :

• It is a technique of tossing rice seedlings , uprooted from plastic bags containing sol balls in a projectile manner into puddled field.
• Seedlings are raised by bubble tray method. Seedlings with root ball are removed from tray and transported to main field for transplanting.

e) System of rice intensification :

• SRI was accidentally discovered in Madagascar , Africa in the early 1980s by father Henride laulanie.
• Extension of SRI out of Madagascar was done by normal ophoff from Comell university.

                         SRI is based on three principle:

I) Alternate wetting and drying : Rice field soils should be kept in moist rather then continuously saturated , as this improves root growth, supports the growth and diversity of aerobic soil organism.

II) Wider spacing : Rice plant should be planted singly and at wider space to permit more growth of root and canopy and to keep all leaves photo-synthetically active. Spacing is between 25-40 cm.

III) Transplanting young seedling : Rice seedling should be transplanted when young , less than 15 days old with just two leaves , within 30 mins to avoid trauma to root and to minimize transplant shock.