Due to the drudgery and increased labour cost, mechanised ricetransplanting is getting popular. Four-wheel riding type transplantersare preferred by farmers, as they can ensure speedy operation. Thesemachines need to be transported to site using another vehicle,resulting in increased cost of operation. Thus to reduce the cost ofoperation, a suitable transport wheel system was developed. Inaddition to this, to improve the growth and development of seedlings,a 12 V DC, diaphragm pump operated, five solid cone nozzles fittedboom type fungicides and micro-nutrients applicator attachment,suitable for all makes of 6-row four wheel riding type transplanterswas also developed and successfully field tested. A 6-row Kubota maketransplanter was selected for the study. It was found that thetransport wheel attachment could move at a maximum speed of 9.88 km/hand the pump developed a pressure of 620 kPa and 1.89 l/min discharge.Application of pseudomonas fluorescence revealed enhanced growth ofrice plants with no fungal attack and Sampoorna-KAU mutimix showedincreased plant height and enhanced number of productive tillers/unitarea, grains per panicle, yield and grain weight.

Athul Chandran K., M.Tech. (Farm Power, Machinery and Energy), KeralaAgricultural University; Shaji James P., Ph. D. (Bioenergy), Professorat Kerala Agricultural University, Kerala, India; Joe Joe L. Bovas,M.Tech. (Farm Power, Machinery and Energy), Lecturer, HamelmaloAgricultural College