Sowing performance of experimental no-till drill with straw thrower attachment in combine harvested paddy field

Loose straw left after harvesting the paddy crop by combines results in frequent choking of the No-Till seed drill. Sowing performance of experimental machine developed to overcome this problem was studied. Sowing performance of the experimental machine set at the optimal combination of independent parameters was almost same as the performance of the conventional No-till drill operated in clean field, judged on the basis of plant emergence, seed distribution and coverage. Experimental machine at its optimized setting operated in combine harvested paddy field and conventional no-till drill operated in clean field exhibited almost same distribution of seed to seed spacing with maximum seed in 2.0–2.5 cm interval. Residue as mulch has reduced the early germination of the wheat seedlings due to lowering the maximum temperature of seed zone below the optimal temperature required for proper germination due to late sowing but overall germination was not affected by the mulch. Total reduction in the straw weight was about 80% in the entire period of the crop production. On the day of sowing tensile strength of loose straw and standing stubble was 2.792 kgf and 5.038 kgf, which was reduced to 0.551 kgf and 1.700 kgf, respectively in 120 days after sowing. Moisture content in 15 days after sowing at seeding zone of 0–5 cm soil depth was reduced about 45% in the clean field as compared to 34% reduction in the field having mulch created by experimental machine. Residue of paddy has reduced the maximum temperature of the soil by 0.68–4.2°C and increased the minimum temperature of soil by 0.17–2.1°C in the germination period of the wheat crop. There was no significant difference in yield of wheat crop sown with experimental machine in standing stubble with loose straw and the crop sown by no-till drill in clean field.