Evaluate the Performance of Self-Propelled Rice Transplanter and Study the Impacts on Rice Cultivation

Corresponding Author:

Asnakew Deres
Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research,
Fogera National Rice Research and Training Center,
Fogera,
Ethiopia
E-mail: asnakewderes@gmail.com

Received: 23-May-2024, Manuscript No. JAGRI-24-136982; Editor assigned: 28-May-2024, PreQC No. JAGRI-24-136982 (PQ); Reviewed: 11-Jun-2024, QC No. JAGRI-24-136982; Revised: 04-Mar-2025, Manuscript No. JAGRI-24-136982 (R); Published: 11- Mar-2025, DOI: 10.37532/ JAGRI.2025.8(1).145-154

Abstract

Rice is cultivated via either mechanical transplanting or direct seeding methods worldwide. It is the main staple food in Japan and its production is highly mechanized. Our investigation focused on evaluating the performance of mechanical transplanting as well as surveying yield and yield components. The study was conducted at the Yamagata University Faculty of Agriculture at the Takasaka Farm. A Kubota (NSU-87) transplanter with ‘Heanuki’ rice seedlings was used. We evaluated the performance of the transplanter by the ratio of the effective field capacity (hah-1) to the theoretical field capacity (hah-1). The average field capacity and field efficiency of the eight rows of self-propelled paddy transplanter was 0.184 ha/h and 76.6%, respectively, with an area of 0.024 ha at an average operating speed of 1 km/h. The average planting depth (30.36 mm), number of seedlings per hill (3.66), number of seedlings per square meter (102.16) and hill-to-hill distance (15.09 cm) were surveyed and measured. The average grain yield (5.5 tons/ha) was measured. The average values of (411.2) panicles per square meter, (68.4) grains per panicle, (89.6) percent of filled grains and (22.25) 1,000-grain weight were obtained. Kubota type (NSU-87) transplanter was satisfactory, at the parameters of fieldwork capacity, fieldwork accuracy, grain yield and yield components. In addition, it has made a great contribution to rice production.

Keywords

Fieldwork capacity • Grain yield • Plant growth• Transplanter • Yield components

Introduction

Rice serves as a primary food source for over half of the world’s population. It improves food security, increases profits and prevents world food shortages. Almost a billion households in Asia, Africa and the Americas depend on rice systems as their main source of employment and income [1].

Rice cultivation is a complex process that involves multiple steps to produce the final product. The fundamental stages of cultivation include selecting seeds, preparing the land and establishing the crop. Rice production involves several operations; the main operations include pre-harvesting (land preparation, planting and weeding, and harvesting has an impact on yield production [2].

Murray et al., stated that crop establishment is the sequence of events that includes seed germination, seedling emergence and development to the stage where the seedlings can be expected to mature. Plant breeders, seed growers and seed merchants supply quality seeds, while farm managers must understand the optimal plant requirements for effective crop establishment and machinery management, particularly planters [3].

Currently, rice cultivation is performed in different systems worldwide. The two most important cultivation methods are direct seeding and transplantation. Young rice plants grown in nurseries are planted in puddled soils [4].

Various types of transplanters are currently employed in Asia for establishing rice crops. Technologies are produced in China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan with varying levels of complexity and the machines range in size from two-row, walk-behind models to eightrow, ride-on models [5].

Transplanting is the dominant method of rice establishment in the rice-growing areas of all of Asia. However, economic factors and recent changes in rice production machinery have increased interest in direct-seeding methods [6]. By taking advantage of the latest advancements in rice production machinery, farmers can make more informed decisions that benefit both their livelihoods and the planet as a whole. Ultimately, the adoption of these modern technologies is helping to pave the way toward a more sustainable future for rice farming in Asia and beyond.

The adoption of new technologies in rice cultivation has significantly transformed agricultural practices in Asian countries. By utilizing the benefits of transplanting in conjunction with precision agriculture and drone technology, farmers can continue to improve their crop management practices and ultimately increase their overall productivity and profitability at the same time; however, this process is laborious, expensive, and requires highly skilled labor [7].

Kanai stated that most planters in Japan are designed for the use of rice plants whose roots are composed of soil. Mechanical rice transplanting is the process of transplanting young seedlings using a self-propelled machine and the seedlings are grown in a mat nursery [8].

Mechanical rice transplanting is favored by farmers over direct seeding for its higher yield, enhanced labor efficiency, faster operation and reduced weed growth. However, it requires high energy and labor demands [9].

Mechanical rice transplanters are essential for maintaining labor costs compared to manual transplanting and are useful when weeds are a potential problem, but they are still more expensive to use than direct seeding and are more convenient for high-value rice crops [10].

Wei et al., reported that extensive mechanization efforts have been made to achieve high rice yields, which has contributed to reducing labor requirements and improving production efficiency. However, mechanized planting, which is not only a crucial part but also a comparatively difficult part of the entire mechanization process of rice production, is the main problem of the mechanization process. Planting is an agricultural practice in which seeds or seedlings are placed in the soil. Planting methods are the most laborconsuming and challenging processes during rice cultivation; however, the planting season is very critical because it requires either efficient planting technologies or many labor workers.

Yoshikawa reported that a shortage of the labor force, a reduction in the cost of rice paddy work and the aging of farmers are serious problems in Japanese agriculture.

The evolution of rice cultivation towards modern technologies and machinery has significantly improved efficiency and productivity over the years. Furthermore, the adoption of precision agriculture and drone technology in conjunction with transplanting has enabled farmers to enhance their crop management practices and overall profitability. While mechanical rice transplanters are more expensive to use than direct seeding methods, they offer advantages in terms of labor costs, weed control and efficiency.

As the agricultural sector continues to face challenges such as labor shortages and the aging of farmers, it becomes crucial to invest in technologies that can improve production and productivity. Research on the performance of rice transplanting machines and their effects on field capacity, operational systems, and labor needs is crucial for the sustainable future of rice farming.

Materials and Methods

Description of the study areas

This study was conducted in Tsurouka city, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan, which is located at 3869°, 139°, 82° and 13 m above sea level. It is the largest city in the Tōhoku region in terms of surface area. Rice is grown once a year in the Tsurouka area and the cultivation period is from May to October. In particular, the experiment was performed at the Takasaka farm station, which is located in Tsurouka city at the Yamagata University Faculty of Agriculture. The study area was selected based on its reputation for high-quality rice production and its wellequipped research facilities at the Takasaka farm station. The study was conducted to evaluate the performance of the rice transplanter in realworld conditions, providing valuable data that can inform best practices for rice cultivation in the region and beyond.

Description of the rice transplanter

The transplanter is equipped with a planting mechanism that ensures proper spacing between seedlings, which is crucial for maximizing crop yield. The self-propelled rice transplanter was equipped with a seedling feed stopper, float, planting fingers and side marker to ensure precise and efficient transplanting. The machine is also capable of planting seedlings at a consistent depth, which is essential for uniform growth and maturity. In addition to its precision planting capabilities, the transplanter is designed for efficiency, allowing farmers to quickly transplant large areas of rice paddies. It has a 30 cm row spacing and 2.4 m width (Figure 1).

 

Figure 1: Self-propelled (Kubota NSU-87) transplanter.

The main components of the rice transplanting machine

• Seedling rack
• Seedling mat stopper
• Seedling feed stopper
• Float
• Planting fingers Side marker

Seedling preparation

A self-propelled rice transplanter is required for transplanting seedlings via tray-type nurseries.

The fertile soil was used for growing the seedlings. The soil was sieved and placed as a single layer in the tray. Water was regularly sprinkled on trays for good germination and the trays were maintained under atmospheric conditions. The ‘Haenuki’ Japanese rice variety was grown in a thin layer of 30 cm × 60 cm × 3 cm soil in seedling boxes in a greenhouse at the Yamagata University Farm Center in Takasaka. The seedlings were carefully monitored for growth and health, ensuring they were strong and ready for transplanting. Once the seedlings were at the optimal stage for transplanting, they were carefully removed from the trays and placed into the transplanter for planting in the field (Figure 2).

 

Figure 2: Rice seedlings.

Soil moisture content (mc %)

It was observed the moisture content of the experimental field before and after plowing at dry soil conditions (paddy). We randomly selected three sample plots before and after plowing then collected the soil sample at each sample plot and weighed. The procedure was to set the oven dry at 1050c for one day after that the weight of the dry soil sample and recorded. The soil moisture content is calculated by using the following equation as a percentage of the dry soil weight,

Mc %=(Mass of water)/(Mass of dried soil) × 100

Field preparation

The experimental field was prepared by using a power tiller and irrigated before initial puddling. Puddling should be done for the smooth surface of a field. Rough puddling and much lump soil or straw in the field can cause seedlings not to be planted securely with uniform depth, affect the attitude of rice plantings and lead to poor growth of rice. Before transplanting, the field was flooded and puddled, after that, the excess water was removed through drainage. The depth of the standing water was 4–8 cm during the initial puddling. The field was left for 5–6 days after initial puddling with water to decompose the previous crop residues. The final puddling was performed with the same power tiller. After the final puddling, the field was left for three days to settle the soil and regain its strength. This technique is an important operation for rice transplanting for burying in the standing weeds, making a smooth surface for suitable sowing, for leveling, for pulverizing the large clods of soil and improve the performance of the transplanter.

Soil pulverization ratio

Soil pulverization ratio is the ratio of the soil weight fraction composed of soil clods less than or equal to 25 mm which passes from the sieve mesh of 25 mm to the total weight of clods produced by plowing. After plowing, it was randomly selected three sample plots and took soil samples on the experimental field. The procedure was to weigh the total weight of each collected soil sample and sieve by 25 mm diameter of sieve mesh. It recorded the weight of greater than 25 mm diameter and less than or equal to 25 mm diameter of soil clod. It is an important method to determine the soil pulverization ratio. The soil pulverization ratio was calculated which was noted in Khadr.

Soil pulverization ratio=(Mass of clods ≤ 25mm daimeter)/(Total weight of sampling clods )× 100

Soil hardness

It is essential to ensure the soil hardness is optimal for the best performance of the transplanting machine and overall fieldwork efficiency. Soil hardness is an indicator of the soil’s compaction status; large pores are necessary for water and air movement to allow roots and organisms to explore the soil. A soil hardness tester is an important instrument that measures the soil’s resistance to penetration. This instrument consists of two units such as pressure (kg/cm2) and depth measuring (mm). It was measured the soil hardness depth (mm) and pressure (kg/ cm2) of the experimental field before and after puddling by a soil hardness tester (Figure 3).

 

Figure 3: Soil hardness tester.

Soil penetration

The correct soil hardness is crucial for the successful transplanting of seedlings, as illustrated in the diagram. If the field is too hard, the seedlings will struggle to take root and may not survive. Conversely, if the field is too soft, the seedlings may not be able to establish themselves properly, leading to poor rice posture and soil return. After puddling, the soil penetration of the field was measured by using a Golf ball-type instrument. A golf ball is a circular shape and it weighs 45.95 g as shown in Figure. The weight of the golf ball is crucial in determining the depth of the sunk ball after being dropped from a one-meter height. The results of the experiment will help determine the impact of different field conditions on the growth and development of the seedlings. Proper preparation of the field will ensure reliable and consistent data for analysis (Figure 4).

 

Figure 4: Golf ball type soil hardness tester and diagrammatic status of soil hardness.

The performance of the transplanting machine

Fieldwork efficiency: The performance of an agricultural machine is measured by the rate and quality at which the operations are accomplished. There are many different parameters reflecting machine performance, such as field capacity, efficiency and fuel consumption.

Operational speed (km/h): The operational speed is the time elapsed between the observed departure times at the involved stops. The operational speed (km/h) of the planter was measured by using a GPS logger instrument attached to the planting machine.

Effective field capacity, ha/h

The effective field capacity is the performance of the actual rate of land or crop processing in a given time based on the total field time. The effective field capacity is the ratio of the actual area covered to the total time taken.

Therefore, the effective field capacity of the transplanter is calculated by the following equation:

Effective field capacity, hah-1=(The total area covered, ha)/(Total time is taken, h)

Theoretical field capacity, ha/h

The theoretical field capacity of an implement is the rating of field coverage that would be obtained if the machine is performing 100 percent of the time at the rated forward speed and always covering 100 percent of the rated width. The theoretical field capacity of the transplanter was evaluated. The planting width (m) and operational speed (km/h) of the planter were measured.

Therefore, the theoretical field capacity is calculated by the following equation:

Theoretical field capacity, hah-1=Width (m) × Spee(km/h)

Field efficiency, %

The field efficiency is the ratio of the effective field capacity to the theoretical field capacity, expressed as a percentage. Therefore, the field efficiency is calculated by the following equation:

Field efficiency, %=(Effective field capacity, (ha/h))/(Theoretical field capacity, (ha/h) ) × 100

The field working accuracy of the transplanting machine.

Test checkpoints

Three test checkpoints were randomly selected in the experimental field and the working accuracy of the transplanter was evaluated. Each checkpoint contained 10 hills laid on two rows (5 hills per row).

Planting depth of the seedlings

The depth of transplanting was measured by uprooting the seedlings immediately after transplanting. The seedlings were held close to the puddled soil surface for uprooting. The distance from that point to the tip of the root was measured by a scale to determine the depth of transplanting. Ten randomly selected observations were taken to determine the depth of transplanting.

Rice seedlings per hill

The number of seedlings per hill was measured by directly counting the number of seedlings picked by the planting finger and transplanted in the field per hill after transplanting. Ten hills were randomly selected for observation and the average was determined to represent the number of seedlings per hill.

Paddy hills planted or planting rate: hills/m2

The number of paddy hills per sample area was counted directly by the number of seedlings picked by the planting finger and transplanted in the field per sample area after transplanting and converted to the number of hills per square meter.

Hill-to-hill distance

The hill-to-hill distance was measured using a metric scale after transplanting. Ten hill observations were randomly selected from the three sample checkpoints, and the mean was calculated to represent the hill spacing.

Missing hills

A hill without seedlings is called a missing hill. The missing hills were checked at the test checkpoints and the average values were calculated. The percentage of missing hills was calculated by taking the ratio of the total number of missing hills to the total number of paddy hills planted in a square meter area, as expressed in the following equation:

Missing hills, %=(Number of missing hills per m2)/(Total number of hills per m2) ×100

Floating hills

Seedlings that are either floating on the surface or just placed on the surface of the mud are called floating hills. The number of floating hills in the square-meter area was calculated from the average of all the readings.

The percentage of floating hills was calculated by the following equation:

Floating hills, % =(Number of floating hills per m2)/(Total number of hills per m2) × 100

Buried hills

Seedlings that are completely buried under the soil after transplanting are called buried hills. The number of buried hills in a square-meter area was calculated from an average of all the readings. The percentage of buried hills was calculated by the following equation:

Buried hills, % =(Number of buried hills per m2)/(Total number of hills per m2) × 100

Planting efficiency

Planting efficiency is an important measure of the success of a transplant operation. It provides valuable information on the overall effectiveness of the planting process and can help identify areas for improvement. This data is crucial for ensuring the sustainability and productivity of agricultural practices. It is the ratio of the number of hills with seedlings (planted+floating+buried) to the total number of hills expressed as a percentage1.

It was calculated by the following equation.

Planting efficiency, %=(1-(Number of missing hills per m2)/(Total number of hills per m2 )) × 100

Yield and yield component investigation

Measuring grain yield: The grain yield refers to the weight of the cleaned and dried grains harvested from a unit area. To estimate the grain yield of the experiment, three subtest plots were randomly chosen during the harvesting stage. Sixty hills were harvested per subtest plot for the determination of yield and yield components.

Measuring yield components

Panicle number per unit area: The number of fully mature panicles in the experimental test plot area was counted and converted to panicle numbers per square meter. The number of fully exerted and grain-bearing panicles at maturity is called the panicle number per unit area.

Number of grains per panicle: The number of grains per panicle was counted at 5 hills per test plot sample.

Percentage of filled grains: The proportion of filled grains to all grains is called the percentage of filled grains. To estimate the percentage of filled grains in the experiment, all test samples were threshed and the Filled grains (F) were separated from the Unfilled grains (U) by using the salt-water solution method with a hydrometer (specific gravity of 1.06). The Filled (F) and Unfilled (U) test sample grains were counted. This measurement is important for determining the overall quality and potential yield of the rice crop. Additionally, it can provide valuable information on factors such as weather conditions, pest damage and nutrient availability that may affect grain filling in the plants. Monitoring and analyzing the percentage of filled grains can help farmers make informed decisions to improve their crop management practices and optimize their harvest. Therefore, the percentage of filled grains could be calculated by the following equation:

Percentage of filled grains=(Number of filled grains)/(Number of filled grains+Number of unfilled grains) × 100

The weight of 1,000 brown rice grains: The weight of filled grains is commonly reported based on 1,000 grains. The weight of the 1,000 brown rice grains was measured by a weight balance, and the average values (grams) were taken.

Data analysis

This research was conducted at Takasaka Farm at the Yamagata University Agricultural Field Science Center. The experiment evaluated the performance of a self-propelled (Kubota) rice transplanter machine. The data were collected from the experimental fields and agricultural machinery laboratory. The soil moisture content, soil pulverization ratio, soil hardness, soil penetration, fieldwork efficiency, fieldwork accuracy, grain yield and yield component data were recorded and organized in Microsoft Excel 2016. Data generated from the experiment was subjected to statistical software JASP 0.18.3.0. The above parameters were analyzed by descriptive statistics and the T-test at p<0.05 was considered to be significantly different.

Results and Discussion

Soil and field conditions

Plowing and tilling of land is done to predetermined levels that allow rice plants to develop a good root system. The experimental field area was 0.024 ha and well prepared by Kubota and Iseki types of tractors with rotary tillers. Soil moisture content (mc %) before and after plowing, soil pulverization ratio (%), soil hardness and soil penetration were measured. Before transplanting, the field was flooded and puddled, after that, the excess water was removed through drainage. The depth of the standing water was 4-8 cm during the initial puddling.

Moisture content %

It was observed the average moisture content (35%) at plowed and unplowed (30%) of the experimental field at the dry condition and the result did not show a significant difference. It may be after plowing the soil structure crashes and easily conserves moisture than unplowed (Table 1).

Table 1: The average moisture content before and after plowing.

Soil hardness

Soil hardness is the indicator of the soil compaction status; large pores are necessary for water and air movement to allow roots and organisms to explore the soil. A soil hardness tester is an important instrument that measures the soil’s resistance to penetration.

Soil Hardness (SH) T-Test: The p-value is (<0.001), indicating a statistically significant difference between the puddled and unpuddled conditions in terms of soil hardness. This suggests that there is a significant difference in soil hardness between the two conditions, with more than two times soil hardness observed in the puddled condition (29.66 mm) compared to the unpuddled condition (14.5 mm) as shown in Table 2.

Pressure (Pr) T-Test: The p-value is 0.003, indicating a statistically significant difference between the puddled and unpuddled conditions in terms of pressure exerted. This suggests that there is a significant difference in the pressure exerted by the rice transplanter between the puddled and unpuddled conditions, with more than ten times the pressure observed in the puddled condition (31.66 kg/cm2) compared to the unpuddled condition (2.96 kg/cm2) as shown Table 2.

Soil penetration T-test: The p-value is 0.009, indicating a statistically significant difference between the puddled and unpuddled conditions in terms of soil penetration. This suggests that there is a significant difference in soil penetration between the two conditions, with two times higher soil penetration observed in the puddled condition (16.33 mm) compared to the unpuddled condition (7.33) as shown in Table 2. These results highlight the importance of proper soil preparation before rice planting to ensure successful crop growth. Puddling the soil can greatly impact soil penetration, which in turn can affect the efficiency of planting equipment. Additional studies may also be necessary to further investigate the effects of soil preparation on other aspects of rice cultivation. Overall, the results suggest that soil cultivation significantly affected the performance of the rice transplanting machine.

Table 2: The effect of soil cultivation on the performance of the rice transplanting machine.

Soil pulverization ratio

Soil pulverization ratio is the ratio of the soil weight fraction composed of soil clods less than or equal to 25 mm which passes from the sieve mesh of 25 mm to the total weight of clods produced by plowing. It was collected the average soil sample (6.91 kg) from this (1.4 kg) soil particle size greater than 25 mm diameter and (5.51 kg) soil particle size less than or equal to 25 mm diameter as shown in Table 3. The presence of a significant amount of soil particles less than 25 mm in diameter indicates that the soil may have good drainage properties as well. It was obtained the average soil pulverization ratio (79.89%). This result is closely supported by Bozbey and Garaisayev’s soil pulverization levels studied and “Fine pulverization” was defined as 80%-90% with soil samples passed through a 25 mm diameter sieve mesh. A higher soil pulverization ratio indicates a finer soil texture, which is beneficial for seed germination and root growth. Overall, proper soil preparation techniques such as puddling and pulverization are essential steps in successful rice cultivation (Table 3).

Table 3: Soil pulverization ratio.

Fieldwork efficiency of the transplanting machine

The experiment was performed under wet (puddled soil) field conditions with (Kubota NSU-87) transplanting machine. The machine has eight rows, a 2.4 m planting width and a 30 cm row spacing. The actual field capacity (ha/h) of the machine is the ratio of the covered area (ha) to the total time taken (hr.) and the theoretical field capacity (ha/h) refers to the planting width (m) with the average operating speed (km/h). It was observed (0.184 ha/h) actual field capacity and (76.66%) fieldwork efficiency with an average operating speed of 1 km/h in Table 4. The field efficiency result is almost similar to field efficiency of a self-propelled rice transplanter at 75.16%.

Field efficiency might be influenced by the downtime during operation as well as the skill and experience of the operator. Factors such as weather conditions, soil type and terrain can also impact field efficiency. By optimizing these variables, farmers can increase their field capacity and overall productivity during the planting season. Continuous monitoring and adjustments can help improve efficiency and ultimately lead to better crop yields. Our finding is supported, who reported that the field efficiency of machines is affected by field conditions, frequent breakdowns and other downtime during operation (Table 4).

Table 4: Fieldwork efficiency of the transplanting machine.

Fieldwork accuracy of the transplanting machine

Paddy transplanting was performed using a selfpropelled eight-row paddy transplanter. The number of seedlings transplanted per hill, the number of seedlings per square meter, hill-to-hill spacing (cm) and the depth of the transplanted seedlings (mm) in the three subtest plots were measured and observed the missing, floating or buried hills per square meter. The age of the nursery (mat type) was 26 days.

We observed the average number of seedlings planted per hill (3.66), the number of paddy seedlings planted/square meter (102.16), the hill-to-hill spacing (15.09 cm) and the seedling planting depth (30.36 mm) as shown in Table 5. These findings suggest that the spacing and depth of transplanted seedlings in our study align closely with the results of previous research conducted were found the average hill-to-hill spacing (15.2 cm) and seedling depth (25 mm- 30 mm). Overall, the consistency in seedling spacing, depth and age further supports the notion that these parameters play a crucial role in achieving optimal yields in rice paddy fields. However, we did not observe missing, floating or buried hills per square meter in the experimental test plots, which indicates that the machine is efficient and effective and this demonstrated that the transplanting machine was able to consistently plant seedlings at the desired depth, ensuring that they had the best chance of establishing themselves in the field.

The results of this evaluation confirmed that the machine was operating with a high level of accuracy and precision, meeting the requirements for successful transplanting in the experimental field (Table 5).

Table 5: Working accuracy of the transplanting machine.

The effect of the transplanting method on yield and yield components

Grain yield (kg/ha): Grain yield was sampled from 60 hills per test plot in three subtest plots in the experiment. The average grain yield was adjusted to 15% of the Japanese standard grain moisture content. The maximum grain yield was obtained (5.7 tons/ha) and the minimum grain yield was recorded (5.2 tons/ha) as shown in Table 6. It was observed the average grain yield (5.5 tons/ha).

Yield components

The number of panicles per square meter, the number of grains per panicle, the percentage of filled grains and the weight of 1000 grains are shown in Table 6. The average yield component data were collected from the growth test plots, i.e., 20 hills per test plot with three replications. It recorded the maximum number of panicles per square meter, number of grains per panicle, percentage of filled grains, and 1000-grain weight 446.2, 77, 93, and 22.5 respectively. It was observed the average number of panicles per square meter (441.2), the average number of grains per panicle (68.4), the average percentage of filled grains (89.6) and the average 1000-grain weight (22.25 grams) as shown in Table 6.

Table 6: Effect of the transplanting method on the yield components.

Conclusion

A self-propelled eight-row paddy transplanter (Kubota: NSU-87) was used for transplanting. The average field capacity and field efficiency of the eight rows of self-propelled paddy transplanters was 0.184 ha/h and 76.66%, respectively.

The fieldwork capacity and working accuracy of the transplanting machine might be influenced by the operating system (operating speed), seedling age, field and soil conditions, etc. The average grain yield (5.5 tons/ha) was obtained. In conclusion, the performance of the mechanically self-propelled paddy transplanter was found to be efficient and quite satisfactory in terms of fieldwork efficiency and accuracy.

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