Key Cultivation and Management Techniques for Machine Transplanted Rice

1. Field Ploughing and Preparation Requirements

1) Field ploughing and preparation: rotary tillage depth of 10-15 cm; plough tillage depth of 15-20 cm.

2) Field levelling: the surface height difference within each field block shall not exceed 3 cm. The field surface shall be basically free of weeds, debris, shallow stubble and other residues.

3) After ploughing and preparation, the surface layer of the field shall have a slight mud slurry, the lower soil clods shall be finely broken, the surface soil shall have moderate softness and hardness, and the mud foot depth shall be less than 30 cm.

4) After ploughing and preparation, the mud slurry shall be allowed to settle: sandy soil 1 day or more, loam 2 days or more, clay 3 days or more. The mud and water shall be clearly separated, with a mud slurry depth of 5-8 cm, a water layer depth of 1-3 cm, and the sediment shall not harden.

2. Seedling Quality Requirements

1) The seedling density shall be uniform; for hybrid rice, 1.5-2 seedlings per square cm; the seedling root system shall be well developed, with more than 10 white roots per plant, and the roots shall be tightly interwoven.

2) The seedling age shall be 15-20 days, the leaf age 3.5-4 leaves, and the seedling height 12-20 cm; the stem base shall be thick and flat, the leaves upright and green in colour, the roots numerous and white in colour, the plants short and sturdy, growing uniformly, with no diseased plants or pest damage.

3) The seedling mat with soil shall have a thickness of 2.0-2.5 cm, uniform in thickness, free of stones, tree roots and other hard debris, with a moisture content of 35%-50%; when removed from the seedling tray, it should preferably not drip water.

3. Machine Requirements

The rice transplanter shall meet the product technical requirements; the whole machine technical requirements shall comply with the provisions of the operation manual, and the technical condition shall be good.

4. Rice Transplanter Adjustment

1) Adjustment of seedling picking amount: according to the rice variety and seedling growth conditions, adjust the number of lateral seedling picking and longitudinal seedling picking in sequence according to agronomic requirements to ensure a suitable seedling picking amount. Generally, the number of seedlings per hill shall be 3-5.

2) Adjustment of hill (plant, seedling) spacing: according to the rice variety, operate the plant spacing shift gear to adjust the hill (plant, seedling) spacing according to agronomic requirements. (Recommended plant spacing: 90 hills per 3.3 sq m)

3) Adjustment of transplanting depth: adjust the gear position of the transplanting depth adjustment lever according to the specific conditions of the field and seedlings. The seedlings shall not float or topple; shallower is better; generally a transplanting depth of 0.5-1 cm is suitable.

4) Adjustment of the field softness/hardness sensor: according to the softness and hardness of the field after ploughing and preparation, use the sensor adjustment lever to change the sensing sensitivity. After adjustment, the transplanting depth shall be adjusted accordingly.

5) Adjustment of the seedling bed press rod and seedling press rod: according to the planting posture of the seedlings in the field after transplanting, adjust the seedling bed press rod and seedling press rod.

6. Loading Seedlings and Seedling Replenishment

1) When loading seedlings for the first time, move the seedling box to the far left or far right side before loading seedlings.

2) During transplanting operation, when the seedlings are reduced to a certain extent and the indicator light of the seedling monitor lights up and the alarm sounds, replenish the seedlings promptly.

3) When replenishing seedlings, place the transplanting clutch in the neutral position and operate the brake lever to stop the rice transplanter.

4) When loading replenishment seedlings, align and join the seedling mats to be replenished with the soil end face of the remaining seedling mats with no gaps.

7. Transplanting Operation

A reasonable operation route for the rice transplanter shall be determined according to the size and shape of the field. The straightness of the first row operation shall be ensured. Transplant in batches according to seedling density classification to reduce the missed transplanting rate, ensure the quality of machine transplanting, and lay a good foundation for a bountiful and high-yield harvest.