Ergo-Economical Analysis of Different Paddy Transplanting Operations in Eastern India

Abstract

Transplanting of paddy is very tedious job mostly done by female workers during Kharif season and by 2020 there would be 50 percent women against 42 percent at present. Manual hand transplanting consumes a lot of energy and time and full of fatigue, but the poor socio-economic condition of the farmers does not allow them to adopt power operated transplanter. Transplanting operation by different research centres have been developed as 2 row, 3 row, 4 row paddy transplanter. Keeping this in view fifteen female subjects were selected in the age group 18-45years in the central farm of OUAT. The mean value of age, weight, height, VO2 max and Body surface area were found to be 31.1 years, 51.7 Kg, 153 cm, 1.71 l/min and 1.52 m2 .Physiological parameters like Heart rate, Oxygen consumption rate and Relative cost of workload were measured in different transplanting operations. The mean value of working heart rate was observed to be maximum 137.4 beats/min in 4 row paddy transplanter followed by 130.8 beats/min in 3 row transplanter and 127.7 beats/min in 2 row transplanter and 113.4 beats/min in local transplanting . The Oxygen consumption rate and Relative cost of workload were observed to be maximum 1.10 l/min and 64.3 percent in 4 row transplanter followed by 1.02 l/min and 59.6 percent in 3 row transplanter followed by 0.9 l/min and 57.8 percent in 2 row transplanter and lowest in local practices,i.e.0.5 l/min and 33.4 percent. The field capacity was observed to be maximum 0.016 ha/h in 4 row transplanting followed by 0.014, 0.011, 0.009 ha/h in 3 row, 2 row and local method of transplanting. The cost of operation was observed to be Rs.2237 per ha in 4 row, Rs.2346 per ha in 3 row, Rs.2484 per ha in 2 row paddy transplanter and Rs.2550 per ha in local practice of transplanting. The 3 row paddy transplanter was observed to be the best among all manual operated paddy transplanters.