Rice planting by tossing rice seedlings instead of transplanting helps reducing seeds per rai, weeds, and labor cost, and is an innovative alternative for rice paddy
July 30, 2019 – Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kriengkrai Kitjaroen, Director of Academic Service Office joined the tossing rice seedling” – the rice transplanting by tossing technique demonstration at Mrs. Sompan Pha Pao rice plots, Ban Ton Sub-district, Phra Yuen District, Khon Kaen. The objective is to reduce cost of rice trnaplanting.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kriengkrai Kitjaroen, Director of Academic Service Office of KKU said, “The present rice paddy in Thailand has greatly developed, with a lot of techniques innovated including manual transplanting, dry seedling technique, row planting with various machines, etc. These various techniques can be chosen based on the condition of each area and requirements of farmers. The project is aimed at demonstrating seedlings tossing technique to farmers and people in general to learn how to do it and can adopt the technique in their paddy fields or transfer the knowledge to others who might be interested. The project also promotes co-activities among community people and can change their methods of rice farming to reduce cost.”
Mr. Samphat Srihong, Phra Yuen District Office said, “Seedling tossing technique is a new rice transplanting technique that is a mixture of rice transplanting and “Na Wan Nam Tom”. It means throwing the ready seedling into a plot, and can be done in place of the traditional manual transplanting or machine transplanting. This new technique reduces cost and the produce is not different from other methods. More importantly, the new technique will reduce the quantity of cultivars and chemicals used for removing weeds. It can control weeds especially the weeds in rice fields that are widespread now. We thank Office of Academic Services of Khon Kaen University, Ban Ton Municipality, Office of Social Activities of Betagro and village heads, schools, students, and the community for helping this integrated project to happen today. We now can start this tossing technique which will make good produce and good price for us.”
Ajarn Chaowat Nuthong, an expert and initiator of the tossing technique from Lopburi province who demonstrated this technique at Winitsuksa School in Lopburi in front of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn on July 18, 2019 said that Her Royal Highness appreciated this technique. Two demonstration plots were selected in Ban Ton: one belonging to Mrs. Sompan Pha Pao and the other to Mr. Boonsong Rachawong. The technique can now be adopted to reduce cost of rice farming in this area.
Photos: Chalee Prom-in, Phakapapha Wechakit, Chanachai Ritsongmuang
[ Thai ]
