Introducing Rotary Disc Drill (RDD) for Sustainable Residue Management: Features & Benefits

Crop residue burning has long been a prevalent issue in the northern Indian Plains, causing detrimental effects on soil health, nutrient loss, environmental pollution, and global warming. In a breakthrough development, the ICAR-Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research (IIWBR) in Karnal has introduced an innovative solution to combat this problem—the Rotary Disc Drill (RDD). This cutting-edge technology offers a sustainable approach to residue management while revolutionizing farming practices in the region.

Features of the Rotary Disc Drill (RDD):

The RDD falls under the category of active-type implements, operated through a power take-off (PTO) mechanism. It is equipped with a rotary cutting unit at the front, featuring Soil Razor disc blades, followed by a seeding attachment with double disc furrow openers at the rear. This triple-disc mechanism allows for efficient direct seeding of various crops, including wheat, rice, soybean, pea, barley, gram, soybean, and pigeon pea.

The Soil Razor discs in the rotary cutting unit rotate at a speed of 380-400 rpm, synchronized with the standard PTO speed of 540±10 rpm. The RDD is designed to operate in fields with anchored and loose crop residue, making it advantageous over existing direct seeding machines. It can effectively handle moist residue, allowing farmers to work during the early morning and late evening hours.

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Benefits of the Rotary Disc Drill (RDD):

1. Enhanced Residue Management: RDD offers a sustainable alternative to crop residue burning. By directly seeding crops in fields with rice residue (anchored + loose residue load up to 8 t ha-1) and sugarcane trash (residue load up to 10 t ha-1), the RDD helps retain precious nutrients, maintain soil health, and prevent environmental pollution caused by burning.

2. Improved Efficiency and Cost Savings: RDD demonstrates remarkable efficiency with a field capacity of 0.4-0.5 ha h-1. Moreover, it reduces specific fuel consumption to 12-15 L ha-1, depending on soil conditions and residue load. By utilizing RDD for direct sowing of wheat under rice residue, farmers can save approximately Rs. 4200 per hectare in input costs compared to conventional tillage practices.

3. Increased Yields: Field demonstrations of RDD in Karnal district (Haryana) and Shamli district (Uttar Pradesh) have showcased similar or higher yields compared to conventional practices. This innovative technology empowers farmers to achieve productivity while minimizing the impact on the environment.

4. Expanded Crop Choices and Profitability: RDD allows farmers engaged in rice-wheat and sugarcane-wheat crop rotations to cultivate an additional crop such as wheat or pulse crops like moong bean. This increased cropping intensity in sugarcane-based systems opens avenues for higher profitability and greater financial stability.

5. Timely Sowing and Expanded Wheat Cultivation: Direct seeding of wheat into sugarcane trash accelerates the sowing process, addressing the issue of delayed wheat cultivation. It holds significant potential for expanding wheat cultivation areas, particularly in sugarcane-based cropping systems.

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Additional Information: 

The Rotary Disc Drill (RDD) represents a significant leap forward in sustainable farming practices, providing a solution to the long-standing problem of crop residue burning in the northern Indian Plains. With its ability to effectively manage residues, increase efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance yields, RDD offers a ray of hope for farmers seeking a more sustainable and profitable future. By adopting this innovative technology, farmers can contribute to the preservation of soil health, reduction of environmental pollution, and mitigation of global warming, while achieving improved productivity in their agricultural endeavors.

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