Sowing Seeds or Transplanting

Seeds may be sown after sprouting them or the seedlings be transplanted. Transplanting should be done with proper age of seedlings. Transplanting in a puddled field has the following advantages :

• A good leveling of the land is ensured.
• The weeds are buried at the time of puddling and the weed problem is reduced.
• The population of plants becomes more uniform.
• The availability of most of the plant nutrients, such as phosphorus, iron and potassium, is increased and nitrogen is conserved better.
• The seedlings transplanted in a soft puddle are able to establish themselves faster and start early tillering and growth.
• Nurseries occupy only 10% of the main field area and the cost of maintaining them (irrigation and plant protection) is reduced considerably as compared with a crop sown broadcast.
• Plant-protection measures can be effectively used in the nursery.
• Community nurseries facilitate timely transplanting.
• The treatment of seedlings for nutrient deficiencies and for protection against pests and diseases of facilitated before transplanting.

The seedlings are ready for transplanting in kharif within 20 to 25 days (4-5-leaf stage), where as in rabi it may take 30 to 40 days. Two to three seedlings are planted at 20 X 10 cm or 20 X 15 cm spacing in leveled fields. In regions of low fertility, and for late planting, closer planting is advocated.