SCIENCE CITY OF MUÑOZ (PIA) — The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) promotes the use of drum seeder technology to help farmers achieve faster, more efficient, and cost-effective rice planting.
PhilRice Science Research Specialist Tyrone Juganas said the drum seeder is a direct seeding equipment designed to evenly distribute rice seeds in straight rows across prepared fields.
“The drum seeder produces well-aligned rows that make field management easier, unlike manual broadcasting where the lack of defined rows leads to uneven rice growth,” he explained.
Reduced seed use lowers production costs and allows farmers to save on farm inputs.
Juganas furthered that properly aligned rows make weed and pest management easier and enable the use of mechanical weeders, further reducing labor expenses.
He advised farmers to ensure clean and level land with well-maintained dikes before using the drum seeder to support smooth operation and effective weed control.
“Before using the drum seeder, farmers must complete Palay Key Check Two by ensuring clean, level fields with well-maintained dikes and properly decomposed weeds to allow smooth planting and effective weed management in direct seeding,” he emphasized.
Juganas noted that the recommended seeding rate is 30 to 40 kilograms per hectare for inbred varieties and 20 to 25 kilograms per hectare for hybrid rice.
He said the technology helps reduce overall production costs by eliminating seedbed preparation and transplanting while avoiding rice planting shock that can affect crop growth.
PhilRice continues to encourage farmers and farmer groups to coordinate with the institute for training and information on drum seeder use as part of its mechanized rice farming initiatives. (CLJD/MCAL, PIA Region 3- Nueva Ecija)
