Effect of Land Preparation, Water Management Practices, and Planting Operation on Planting Quality in Rice Production

Water irrigation management, drainage, with land preparation in paddy field has crucial effects on rice planting quality and rice production. This study investigated the effects of water and land management on the performance of mechanical transplanting machines and the quality of planting. The investigation included the effect of land preparation before planting, soil condition during planting, and water management. Long field flooding periods combined with short sedimentation periods reduce the soil penetration resistance and soil bulk density which affect negatively the mechanical transplanting performance causing planting losses. The result showed the soil's physical properties penetration resistance and bulk density have a negative relation to planting losses. When the sedimentation period increased, the soil penetration resistance increased. There were strong relationships between the flooding period, sedimentation period, field water depth, and soil physical properties with transplanting speed, planting density, planting spacing, planting losses, and the depth of planting. About 50.5% of the farmers used the right required amount of water irrigation, and also the right time for irrigation.