International Journal of Agricultural

Science and Research (IJASR)

ISSN(P): 2250-0057; ISSN(E): 2321-0087
Vol. 6, Issue 5, Oct 2016, 227-232
TJPRC Pvt. Ltd

COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF CONVENTIONAL SAPLING

TRANSPLANTATION METHOD WITH THE NEW TECHNOLOGY PACKAGE
(SAPLING TRANSPLANTER AND SAPLINGS CARRIER) IN VEGETABLE
PRODUCTION SYSTEM
A. MRUNALINI 1 & J. DEEPIKA 2
1

Professor and University Head, Department of Resource Management and Consumer Sciences,

Faculty of Home Science, Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
2

Research Associate, Department of Resource Management and Consumer Sciences, Professor Jayashankar
Telangana State Agricultural University, Hyderabad, Telangana, India

ABSTRACT
The present paper evaluated the comparison of conventional sapling transplantation method with the new
technology package (sapling transplanter and sapling carrier) in vegetable production system of farm women through a field
study conducted by AICRP- Home Science, PJTSAU, and Hyderabad. Thirty women were selected to conduct the study
workload, pace of work, analysis of posture, strain index of upper limbs and musculoskeletal disorders. The results of the
study revealed that Physiological load as per heart rate was reduced by 30 b.min-1 over conventional transplantation method
of bending and transplanting. Postural improvement was observed as per reduced trunk flexion. The carrier was perceived
as helpful giving comfort while handling transplanter individually. Drudgery perception scores were reduced.
KEYWORDS : Sapling Transplantation, Thirty Women, Drudgery Perception

Original Article

belonging to 20-40 years in both the seasons i.e., Kharif and Rabi. The variable selected for the study was physiological

Received: Aug 21, 2016; Accepted: Sep 15, 2016; Published: Sep 24, 2016; Paper Id.: IJASROCT201627

INTRODUCTION
Transplantation is the process of transplanting specifically raised saplings or seedlings on the field with
desired spacing. Transplanting and planting vegetables in traditional way, is of hard job and women labour dependent
activity. In addition, land preparation and transplantation should be done in a period of short time as per season.
Mechanical transplanting of vegetables seedlings is necessary to save labor time and energy costs and to mitigate
drudgery of women of extreme forward trunk flexions. Depth of planting seedlings, operational comfort, postural
convenience, time and labour saved are the factors to be considered for evaluation of these transplanters.
Hossen (2003) reported that manual transplanting operations was done with labour involvement, it consumed
one third of the total cost of production in Bangladesh. It also revealed that transplanting was not a healthy method as
the farmers were to bend their heaps and stoop while transplanting rice seedlings which cause often health hazard in
the older age. A study was conducted by Mruanlini and Deepika (2016) on the effect of season on the physiological
stress of women working in paddy transplantation activity. The study revealed that 30 per cent of additional
physiological stress over rest in women due to working in prolonged bending posture. There was significant
difference between age groups and seasons in physiological stress.

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Mrunalini & J. Deepika

A study was conducted to compare the manual hand transplanting with the power operated eight row paddy
transplanter among female farm workers on economic cost and human drudgery (Pragya and Seema, 2014). The results
revealed that working heart rate, energy expenditure, Total Cardiac Cost of Work (TCCW) and PCW was maximum in manual
hand transplanting method when compared with eight row paddy transplanter. It also revealed that the economic cost of
mechanized transplanting was 47 per cent less than conventional method.

Figure 1

METHODOLOGY

Research Method: Field Experimental Design was selected for the study

Season: Kharif, 2015

Treatments to be Cozmpared : Conventional transplantation X sapling transplanter with sapling carrier ( PJTSAU)

Number of Replications: 6 in farmers field

Saplings: Tomato, Brinjal and Chilli

Variables to be Observed: saplings standing; physiological load as per heart rate, pace of work, analysis of posture,
strain index of upper limbs, musculoskeletal disorders and drudgery perceptions.

Data Collection: Interview Schedule was developed to collect the data.

Statistical Analysis: Frequency, Percentages and t-test.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

The results of the study are presented below
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF FARM WOMEN
Age, work experience, labour wage per day, working hour per day, body mass index, blood pressure and grip strength
was selected for the study.

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.8136

NAAS Rating: 3.53

Comparative Evaluation of Conventional Sapling Transplantation Method with the New Technology
Package (Sapling Transplanter and Saplings Carrier) in Vegetable Production System

229

Table 1: Physical Characteristics of Farm Women N=30

Characteristic Features
Age (yrs)
Work Experience (yrs)
Labour wage/ day
Working hours/day
Body Mass Index (BMI) According to NNMB (2006)
Diastolic
Blood Pressure
ESC/ESH Guidelines of management
Systolic
arterial hypertension published in 2007
Right
Hand
Grip Strength
Left
Hand

Mean
33.7
12.4
143.3
8.0
20.8
85.9

S.D
7.1
4.6
36.5
0.0
2.6
6.6

121.9

6.7

16.6

1.8

15.5

3.0

From the Table 1 It was revealed that the young adults to middle aged participated in transplanting activity. Women
were regular workers in the farm and mostly family labour with assistance of hired labour was attending to transplantation
activity.
According to NNMB (2006) Body Mass Index (BMI) of farm women were normal (20.8). Mostly farm women blood
pressure was pre-hypertensive.
It also revealed that the mean sample of the right hand grip strength was 16.6 whereas left hand grip strength was
15.5.
Physiological Workload
Physiological load as per heart rate was reduced significantly over conventional transplantation method. The PCW
was 30 b.min-1. .Table 2 indicates the physiological work load compared.
Table 2: Physiological Work Load Compared between Conventional and
Improved Methods of Sapling Transplantation N=30

Resting Heart Rate

Working Heart Rate
Recovery Heart Rate
Cardiac Cost of work
(CCW)
Cardiac Cost of Recovery
(CCR)
Total Cardiac cost of work
(TCCW/30 min. duration)
PCW

Sapling Transplanter
Method
Mean
S.D
77.4
5.4
105.5
3.3
90.4
6.4

Conventional Method
Mean
78.0
109.0
85.4

S.D
5.0
4.6
7.3

t Test
0.4
3.38*
2.82*

p Value
0.7
0.0
0.0

843.9

163.5

930.8

172.2

2.00*

0.0

64.7

29.8

118.2

43.0

5.59*

0.0

908.6

178.1

1048.9

190.8

4.29*

0.0

30.3

5.9

35.0

6.4

2.94*

0.0

Pace of work was significantly slow compared to traditional transplantation. Table 3 indicated the pace of work
compared

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Mrunalini & J. Deepika

Table 3: Pace of Work Compared between Conventional and Improved Methods of Sapling Transplantation N=30
Sapling Transplanter
Method
Mean
S.D
Time for Transplanting /
4046.86 sq.m (acre)
Man days needed for
transplanting/4046.86 sq.m
(acre) (8 hrs of work = 1
man day)

Conventional Method
Mean

S.D

t test

p value

7.59

2.7

6.33

2.3

2.0075*

0.0494

0.95

0.3

0.79

0.3

1.29ns

0.2018

Postural improvement was significant as per reduced trunk flexion. Table 4 indicated the analysis of posture
compared
Table 4: Analysis of Posture Compared between Conventional and
Improved Methods of Sapling Transplantation N=30
Sapling Transplanter
Method
Mean
S.D
Degree
plumb
posture
Degree
plumb
posture

Conventional
Method
Mean
S.D

of neck deviation as per

line compared to erect

1.30

0.47

1.20

of Trunk deviation as per

line compared to erect

2.00

0.00

4.00

t test

p value

0.41

0.87ns

0.38

0.00

From the Table 5, it revealed that significant relief in upper limb strain index was achieved for right and left limbs.
Table 5: Strain Index of upper Limbs Compared between Conventional and
Improved Methods of Sapling Transplantation N=30
Sapling Transplanter Method Conventional Method
Mean
S.D
Mean
S.D
5.48
0.3
6.22
0.8
5.83
0.8
7.74
1.8

Left Hand
Right Hand

t-Value
4.74*
5.3110*

p-Value
0.0001
0.0001

From the Table 6, it revealed that significant relief in musculo-skeletal disorders was achieved.
Table 6: Musculoskeletal Disorders Compared between Conventional and
Improved Methods of Sapling Transplantation N=30
Sapling Transplanter Method
Names
Score
Presence of Non Specific
symtoms in body parts

Palm, Fingers, Ankles and Feet

Shoulder, upper arm, Lower arm,

Presence of Specific symtoms in Wrist, Palm, Fingers, Chest, Upper
body parts
back, Lower back, Hips, Upper legs,
Lower legs, Feet
Shoulder, upper arm, Lower arm,
Wrist, Palm, Fingers, Chest, Upper
Tolerance of symtoms
back, Lower back, Hips, Upper legs,
Lower legs, Feet

Level of pain

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.8136

Shoulder, upper arm, Lower arm,

Wrist, Palm, Fingers, Chest, Upper
back, Lower back, Hips, Upper legs,
Lower legs, Feet

0.4

0.4

0.8

0.9

Conventional Method
Names
Shoulder, Upper arm, Wrist, Palm,
Fingers, upperback, upper legs,
Ankles and Feet
Neck, shoulder, upper arm, Lower
arm, Wrist, Palm, Fingers, Upper
back, Lower back, Hips, Upper
legs, Lower legs, Ankles, Feet
Neck, shoulder, upper arm, Lower
arm, Wrist, Palm, Fingers, Upper
back, Lower back, Hips, Upper
legs, Lower legs, Ankles, Feet
Neck, shoulder, upper arm, Lower
arm, Wrist, Palm, Fingers, Chest,
Upper back, Lower back, Hips,
Upper legs, Lower legs, Ankles,
Feet

Score

T-Value

P-Value

1.1

2.02*

0.04

0.5

1.56*

0.12

1.4

2.68*

0.0094

1.6

2.24*

0.02

NAAS Rating: 3.53

Comparative Evaluation of Conventional Sapling Transplantation Method with the New Technology
Package (Sapling Transplanter and Saplings Carrier) in Vegetable Production System

231

CONCLUSIONS
From the results it was revealed that Physiological load as per heart rate was reduced by 30 b.min-1 over
conventional transplantation method of bending and transplanting. Postural improvement was observed as per reduced trunk
flexion. The carrier was perceived as helpful giving comfort while handling transplanter individually. Drudgery perception
scores were reduced.
REFERENCES
1.

Mrunalini, A and Deepika, J. 2016. Physiological stress of women working in paddy transplantation activity. International journal
of agricultural science and research, 6(2): 263-268.

2.

Hossen, M. A., Huda, M. D and Islam, M.S. 2013. Test and evaluation of mechanical Rice Transplanter collected under DUART
project Investigators of the experiment Farm Machinery and Post Harvest Technology Division, Bangladesh Rice Research
Institute (BRRI), Gazipur 1701, Bangladesh, unpublished data.

3.

Pragya, O and Seema, K. 2014. Analysis of different paddy transplanting methods in northern India: Ergo economic study.
Journal of applied and natural science, 6(2): 654-658.

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