All size farmers are experiencing labor shor(age in paddy .season, especially during rice
transplanting. This study was conducted to find out . alternatives of traditional manual .
transplanting method Manual and power rice transplanter and System of Rice Intensification
(SRI) technique with single and double seedling of rice was used with mat -type rice seedling
raiSing in puddle soil. This technique has created better condition for water and weed control and
allows 15-20 days earlier planting of seedling and reducing the inherent drudgery in manual
transplanting. Farmer practice is very labor intens.ive, requiring about 30-35 labors per day per
hectare for transplanting. This high labor input often results in labor shortages during rice
trahsplanting season. Among the tested four methods of rice transplanting, both SRI with single
or double seedlings per hill produced mean yield of6209 kglha that was significantly higher than
other methods of transplanting. Mean rice grain yield was recorded as 3003 kglha with a range
varying from 2437 to 4012 kglha with manual rice transplanting machine in farmers field that
was similar with yield of farmers practice. Farmers interview revealed that about 15 labors are
required to transplant one hectare by traditional transplanting method, while manual operated
transplanting machine needs only 8 labors for the same operation in one day. Additional saving
are made with the seedbed where the traditional method takes 18 local labors per day to uproot
and bundle the seedlings for one hectare, while mat-nursery needs only four person in one day to
cut seed mats for one hectare. Restated, under farmer's condition, it takes 43 people per hectare
per day to transport seedlings to the main rice fields. Feedback from the farmers showed that
machine was the best option to reduced the drudgery of planting rice.

All size farmers are experiencing labor shor(age in paddy .season, especially during rice
transplanting. This study was conducted to find out . alternatives of traditional manual .
transplanting method Manual and power rice transplanter and System of Rice Intensification
(SRI) technique with single and double seedling of rice was used with mat -type rice seedling
raiSing in puddle soil. This technique has created better condition for water and weed control and
allows 15-20 days earlier planting of seedling and reducing the inherent drudgery in manual
transplanting. Farmer practice is very labor intens.ive, requiring about 30-35 labors per day per
hectare for transplanting. This high labor input often results in labor shortages during rice
trahsplanting season. Among the tested four methods of rice transplanting, both SRI with single
or double seedlings per hill produced mean yield of6209 kglha that was significantly higher than
other methods of transplanting. Mean rice grain yield was recorded as 3003 kglha with a range
varying from 2437 to 4012 kglha with manual rice transplanting machine in farmers field that
was similar with yield of farmers practice. Farmers interview revealed that about 15 labors are
required to transplant one hectare by traditional transplanting method, while manual operated
transplanting machine needs only 8 labors for the same operation in one day. Additional saving
are made with the seedbed where the traditional method takes 18 local labors per day to uproot
and bundle the seedlings for one hectare, while mat-nursery needs only four person in one day to
cut seed mats for one hectare. Restated, under farmer's condition, it takes 43 people per hectare
per day to transport seedlings to the main rice fields. Feedback from the farmers showed that
machine was the best option to reduced the drudgery of planting rice.