CAEPHT demo of lightweight maize planter impresses farmers

GANGTOK, 20 March: The College of Agricultural Engineering and Post Harvest Technology (CAEPHT) here at Ranipool conducted a field demonstration of the manually operated “light weight maize planter” on 15 March at the agricultural plot of Sishir Kharka at Marchak, Samlik in East Sikkim.

The 10 kg planter can be operated by one person on a rice field which has been ploughed by an animal-drawn improved plough followed by one operation of power tiller rotary, a press release explains. Manure and lime was spread and mixed in the soil during the rotary tillage operation. The field is then clod and made weed free and then the single-row planter operated keeping row spacing for 30 cm and seed-to-seed spacing of 15 cm.
The demonstration was carried out on a 450 sq. mtr area (4 terraces).
The maize was planted in rows at work-rate of 300 sq m per hour, an obvious improvement compared to manual planting by dibbling which can deliver a maximum of 100 sq. m per hour.
Mr. Kharka, whose field was chosen for the demo, operated the planter himself and commended the smooth operation of the planter, the release adds. He appreciated the working of the planter compared to the conventional practice and showed keen interest to adopt other improved equipment for cultivation in terraces, it is informed.
CAEPHT is prepared to demonstrate the usefulness of the equipment to other interested farmers of Sikkim who have been invited to write to the Dean, CAEPHT, Ranipool, to arrange such demonstrations, conveys SK Rautaray, Professor and Head, Department of FPM, CAEPHT,Ranipool.