The MoA was signed for the commercialisation of technology of tractor operated Mat Type Nursery Seeder

The Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) has signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) with Sardar Gurdeep Singh, son of Sardar Surjit Singh of Rajarh Agricultural Works, Ludhiana Road, Mullanpur Dakha, for the commercialisation of technology of tractor operated Mat Type Nursery Seeder.

The Director of Research, Dr Ajmer Singh Dhatt and Dean, College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Dr Ashok Kumar congratulated the scientists who worked in developing the machine.

Dr Gursahib Singh Manes, Additional Director of Research (Farm Mechanization and Bioenergy), in his speech, talked about the mechanical paddy transplanters, which make use of the mat type nursery for transplanting paddy seedlings. Tractor operated seeder for mat type paddy nursery is a tractor-drawn of 35-40 HP, PTO operated machine, that accomplishes all the operations in one go, he added.

“The machine lays the polythene sheet and prepares one-meter-wide soil bed with simultaneous uniform seed placement and covers it with soil”, he added.

The HOD of the Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, Dr Mahesh Kumar Narang spoke about the machine and its contribution in saving of cost by 64.3-67.9 per cent and labour by 93.8-94 per cent as compared to the conventional manual method of mat type nursery sowing. Stating that the technology will address the problem of labour scarcity during the peak season, he disclosed that in a single day, the machine can sow mat type nursery which is sufficient for transplantation in 150-200 acres paddy field area.

Dr Sandeep Kapoor, Comptroller and Dr Amarjeet Kaur, Director, Technology Marketing and IPR cell, PAU said the new machine will help in increasing the area under mechanical paddy transplanting.