KAU experiment on using drones for paddy sowing proves successful
Using drones to sow paddy seeds can help farmers save time, money and seeds, an experiment led by the Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) has shown.
The ‘drone seeder’ was developed by rigging an agricultural drone with a seed broadcasting unit.
The M. S. Swaminathan Rice Research Centre under KAU at Mankombu, teamed up with the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Kumarakom, to try out the drone seeder on a one-acre field owned by M. K. Varghese Mannuparambil at Chakkankari paadasekharam in the Champakkulam Krishi Bhavan limits in Alappuzha.
The experiment proves that drone can be used to efficiently seed larger paadasekharams in the Kuttanad rice belt, Agriculture officials said on Monday.
Using drones for aerial seeding helps to conserve seeds, save time and labour charges, the experiment has shown. Normally, 50 kg of seeds are recommended for a one-acre field. The same area was seeded with 30 kg of seeds using the drone method. And it took just 25 minutes to cover the test area of one acre. The seeder, which has a capacity of 10 kg, made three fly-bys to complete the task.
Though drones are commonly used to apply fertiliser and micro-nutrients, this is probably the first time one was used for sowing, according to the KAU. The success of the ‘drone seeder’ provides a boost to the KAU’s efforts to promote cutting-edge technology and mechanisation in the State’s farm sector, MSS Rice Research Centre director M. Surendran said.
The Centre’s scientists Joby Bastin, Nimmi Jose, Bindu P. S., KVK coordinator Jayalekshmi, Manuel Alex and Asha Pillai led the experiment. Efforts will be made to promote the use of the drone seeder among the farming community, agriculture officials said.
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