Drum Seeder for Paddy

A paddy drum seeder is a manually pulled walk-behind implement that direct-seeds pre-germinated paddy into a puddled field, bypassing the nursery-and-transplanting cycle. It is the principal mechanised tool for wet direct-seeded rice (DSR-wet) in Indian smallholdings.

Function

Two horizontal cylindrical drums, each with metering holes along their circumference, ride on a common axle between a pair of skids. As the operator pulls the seeder forward across a puddled field, the drums rotate and deposit pre-germinated paddy seed in parallel rows through the holes; the skids leave shallow furrows that hold the seed.

Design and specifications

The principal Indian variants are the ICAR-IIRR (Indian Institute of Rice Research) 8-row drum seeder and the TNAU (Tamil Nadu Agricultural University) fibre-bodied design. Both have eight holes per drum on two parallel drums, sowing eight rows at 20 cm row-to-row spacing. The seed rate is adjustable to 72-75 kg per hectare by varying drum-hole count and ground-wheel revolution.

Operation

The field is puddled to a smooth, level layer with a Roto Puddler or Rotavator using Cage Wheels Tractor, drained to a thin film of water, and the drum-seeder is pulled across in straight passes. Pre-germinated seed (24-hour soaking plus 24-36 hours of sprouting) is loaded into both drums. The technique is an alternative to Paddy Transplanter use and to manual transplanting, eliminating labour-intensive nursery operations.

Subsidy and adoption

The drum seeder is listed under SMAM and various state direct-seeded-rice schemes. AICRP economic comparisons report net returns of approximately Rs 24,250 per hectare against transplanted rice, mainly through saved nursery and labour costs.

References

Direct Seeding in Rice Using Drum Seeder. AESA Network.
IIRR 8-Row Seeder. ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research.