Root dipping

• Prepare the slurry with 5 packets (1 kg/ha) each of Azospirillum and Phosphobacteria or 5 packets of (1 kg/ha) Azophos
  inoculant in 40 lit. of water and dip the root portion of the seedlings for 15 - 30 minutes in bacterial suspension and transplant.

Planting seedlings in the main field

• Transplant 2-3 seedlings/hill for short duration and 2 seedlings/hill for medium and long duration varieties.

• Shallow planting (3 cm) ensures quick establishment and more tillers.
• Deeper planting (> 5cm) leads to delayed establishment and reduced tillers.
• Line planting permits rotary weeding and its associated benefits.
• Allow a minimum row spacing of 20 cm to use rotary weeder.
• Fill up the gaps between 7th and 10th DAT.

Management of Aged seedlings*

*Which developed tillers / underwent node elongation in the nursery itself and about half of its leaf producing capacity may be already over.

• Follow the spacing recommended to medium and low fertility soil.
• Plant two to three seedlings per hill
• Avoid cluster planting of aged seedlings, which are hindering the formation of new tillers.
• New tillers alone are capable of producing normal harvestable panicle.
  Weak panicle may appear in the mother culm within three weeks after transplanting and vanishes well before harvest.
• To encourage the tiller production, enhance the basal N application by 50% from the recommended and thereafter
  follow the normal schedule recommended for other stages.

Gap filling

• Fill the gaps if any within 7 - 10 days after planting.