Impact of Small Scale Mechanical Rice Transplanters on the Yield, Economics of Rice System in North Coastal Zone of Andhra Pradesh, India

Rice is a principal food crop for about half of the population in the world. In India the rice cultivation area has declined due to many reasons labor scarcity, climate change, inapt market price, increased cost of cultivation, yield stabilization. At present, to meet the increased demand, to the growing population it is apparent to increase the area under rice crop with low manpower is needed. In wet transplanting, Mechanized System Rice Intensification (MSRI) planting technology was demonstrated by the Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Amadalavalasa to popularize in the farmer fields. As part of the demonstrations, the production and economic parameters in Paddy transplanted with MSRI and manual planting methods were compared for two years from 2022 and 2023 during kharif. The results revealed that, the higher number of productive tillers 16 & 20 per hill and yield 6000 & 6975 kg ha-1 were recorded with the MSRI planting when compared to the Manual planting method 11 & 13 productive tillers per hill and 5600 kg & 6252 kg ha-1 respectively in both the years of the study. An economic point of view in MSRI planting recorded lower cost of cultivation (Rs. 52570 & Rs.55875 ha-1), higher net returns (Rs. 69500 & Rs. 92981 ha-1) and B:C ratio (2.3:1 & 2.66:1) respectively, compared to the manual planting in both the years.