2003 Volume 9 Issue 1 Pages 19-24
A machine for direct seeding into water-filled soil using seed-burying wheel, developed by Nakamura et al, is currently available for paddy rice cultivation. This study is associated with experimental investigations of water management after seeding using this direct seeding machine. In the indoor experiments using a tray any conspicuous, improvement in budding or in growth of seedlings was not found even if water-filling was delayed after seeding. Furthermore, it was found that without water-filling, the ground temperature around the seed was lower than that with water-filling. This is unfavorable to budding and growth of seedlings. During a three-year seeding test with an operational prototype, excellent budding was obtained by adopting the method of water-filling one day after seeding; the rate of satisfactory growth of seedlings was then 70% or more. To popularize paddy rice cultivation with direct seeding into water-filled soil, it is necessary to reduce, to the extent possible, the degree of dependence on farmer skill by following a work process similar to that of actual transplanting culture, so as to reduce the burden on farmers. Therefore, we are recommending early water-filling after seeding by the direct seeding machine.
