Dapog nursery method introduces to Uva by the CSIAP

Dapog nursery method, which is used to produce seedlings for transplant paddy seedlings in the field by using either Mechanical or Manual Paddy Transplanters, is introduced to farmers in Buttala located in Uva province by the Deputy Project Director’s Office (Uva Province) of the Climate Smart Irrigated Agriculture Project.

This nursery is established on polythene or in the transplanting trays. At the inception around 3-4 feet, a wide nursery bed is constructed on the field and lay a polythene sheet on it. Subsequently, a ½ inch thickness mud layer is spread on the polythene, and equally, distribute germinated seed paddy on this mud layer.

This nursery is maintained for around 14 days by daily applying water and fertilizer as required. After 14 days, these seedlings can be  used  for planting by removing the polythene sheet and  cutting the nursery into pieces and inserting them into transplanting trays. There are several benefits of the Dapok nursery. It needs less area to produce seedlings and requires less quantity of seed paddy (12 -15Kgs ) to cultivate 01-acre paddy land. In addition, the uprooting cost of paddy seedlings is very low when compared with the manual transplanting system. Hence it is explicit the Dapog system leads to minimising production cost for paddy farmers and increasing farmer family income.  

Over 120 farmers participated in the 03 training programmes conducted  in Buttala ASC (Agrarian Service Center) division to gain experience in preparing Dapog nurseries and around 400 transplanting trays were given to farmers. Agriculture Instructor Mr. K. D. I. Amitha Premalal (Buththala range), Agriculture Research and Production Assistants Ms. R.M.Kanthy and  Mr. J. Gunadasa conducted the training. 

Story and Photographs by R. Dushyanthan (Agriculture Facilitator), Buththala ASC, UP