Harvesting of Paddy (Oryza sativa L.)

• Timely harvesting ensures optimum grain quality, higher market and consumer acceptance, since the grain is less likely to break when milled.
• When harvesting is not done in time, grain may be lost due to shattering, lodging, damage by rats, birds and insects etc.
• Timely harvesting also keeps seed dormancy within safe limits.

Sign of the crop to harvest:

•  Depends on photoperiod sensitivity of the variety.
•  The average growing period of a variety may serve as guide in deciding when to harvest. 

Steps to be followed for harvesting:

•  Drain the field 7 to 10 days before the expected harvest date or when the upper grains in most of the tillers are in the hard dough stage and turning from green to yellowish.  This operation hastens maturity of crop. 
•  Dehull a few grains from the upper portion of the matured panicles and observe their translucence and firmness.  Grains when ready for harvest are clear and firm.  The upper portion (80%) of the spikelets should be straw coloured.
•  Inspect the same from the base of the panicles.  When most grains (20%) at the base are in hard dough stage, the panicles are ready to harvest. 
• About 80 per cent panicles should have 80 per cent ripened spikelets at the time of harvest.  
•  At the time of harvest the grains should contain about 21% of moisture.  High or low moisture content at the time of harvest later on badly affects the rice recovery. 

Mechanical harvesting

• Machines are also available for harvesting rice. 
• The machine cuts the paddy stubbles and laid down the harvested crop in the field.
• Later, the harvested rice stem should be bundled and stacked in a dry place if not threshed immediately.

Combine harvester

• The combine harvester combines operations such as cutting, handling, threshing and cleaning.
• The combine paddy harvester can harvest 10 acres per day and can be operated in fields as small as 30 cents.
• It needs only a driver and helper to operate the machine. 
• There is no wastage of grains and the cost of operation is equal to the wages paid for manual labour. 

 

Combine harvester

Paddy harvester

Reaper

•  Labour requirement – one driver and two labourers per day
• Area covered per day – 0.12 ha
• Saves 90 % of labour requirement and 30 % of  harvesting cost
• Cost of Power tiller – Rs. 30,000

Machine driven paddy harvester

Sl. No.	Particulars	Reaper	Machine driven harveste
1.	Special features	It harvests the crop at once covering a width of 1m and arranges the straw systematically in the field. Easy transportation of the harvested crop
2.	Labour requirement/day	1 Driver + 2 labourers	1 Driver + 2 labourers
3.	Area covered/day	0.12 ha	0.13 ha
4.	Savings	90 % labour   + 30 % harvesting cost	90 % labour   + 38 % harvesting cost
5.	Cost of power tiller	Rs. 30,000	Rs. 75,00