With sowing direct seeded rice in lines, you can solve the problem, that during puddling there is too little water. This works in puddled fields and in dry conditions as well.
Many farmers plough a few times before puddling, but puddling needs much rain. Because of the weather changes it rains later and there isn‘t enough water during puddling. This will cause that the plants grow later, especially in fields with lighter soil.
Growing direct seeded rice
Take good quality rice for a good harvest. When you use non-selective herbicides systematically you will destroy weeds, which can be a problem, especially in the first year. Use them three hours before sowing, because otherwise you will kill the seeds.
Sow the seeds in lines. Therefore, you can use a “lithao“ or a seeder connected to a power tiller. A lithao is a tool which you use manual. It makes three slits. After using the lithao you can add the seeds by hand. For this tool you need well ploughed, light soil.
A seeder that is attached to a power tiller does everything in one step. It makes six slits, sows the seeds and covers them with soil. This tool is good to save time and to sow a large area.
Advantages
A crop that is sowed with direct seeded rice needs less water, labour and money than transplanted rice. Furthermore, your harvest will be ready one to two weeks earlier.
With having a early harvest you can start planting the next crop earlier as well. Crops which you can plant one or two weeks earlier are: potatoes, mustard, wheat or winter maize. Sometimes you can even plant a third crop.
