Bahraich Farmer With 50 Years Of Experience Shares The Secret Fertiliser-Water Schedule For Paddy After Transplanting

Poor fertiliser and water management after transplanting can cut paddy yields sharply, Bahraich farmer Surendra Singh, who has 50 years of farming experience, shares a day-wise schedule to fix that.

Paddy is one of the biggest crops for farmers across Uttar Pradesh, grown on a massive scale throughout the state. Sowing and transplanting rarely trouble farmers much, but the real test begins right after transplanting is done, when the crop needs careful, consistent attention. Without the right fertiliser and water at the right time, paddy plants fail to grow properly and yields drop sharply, hitting farmers directly in their pockets.

Where Farmers Get Stuck After Transplanting
Once transplanting is complete, the biggest question farmers face is how exactly to look after the crop. Most are unsure at which stage the plants need fertiliser and at which stage they only need water. This confusion often undoes months of hard work, since fertiliser applied at the wrong time or excess standing water can damage both the roots and the overall growth of the plant.

Lessons From 50 Years Of Farming
Surendra Singh, a farmer from the small village of Tikuri in Bahraich district, has practical answers to this exact problem. He is no newcomer to farming, he has been growing paddy using improved techniques continuously for close to 50 years. Drawing on five decades of experience, he says the earliest days after transplanting are the most delicate, since this is when the roots grip the soil firmly and tillers begin to emerge. Even a small mistake at this stage can directly affect the final yield, which is why extra care is needed.

Rushing With Fertiliser Is A Common Mistake
Surendra Singh advises against applying fertiliser to paddy indiscriminately. Nitrogen and other essential nutrients should be given in balanced quantities only after the transplanted plants have firmly taken hold in the soil. According to him, most farmers make the mistake of applying far more fertiliser than the crop actually needs, which hurts the plants instead of helping them and unnecessarily pushes up farming costs. Likewise, keeping the field flooded with excess water at all times is not the right approach either. Instead, the water level should be maintained according to the soil's moisture and the plant's actual needs, so that enough air and sunlight reach the roots. He also points out that a lack of awareness often leads farmers to spray more chemicals than necessary, which not only raises costs but also damages soil health over the long run. This straightforward, practical advice from the village of Tikuri works as a guide for paddy growers who want record yields from their fields at a lower cost.

The Full Day-Wise Fertiliser And Water Schedule
According to experienced farmers and agricultural experts, each stage after transplanting calls for a fixed fertiliser and water routine. For the first 15 days after transplanting, the field should be kept continuously flooded with 2 to 3 inches of water to let the roots set, and if DAP, potash and zinc have not been applied yet, they should be added within 7 days.

Tillers begin to emerge 20 to 25 days after transplanting. During this period, the water level should be reduced to half an inch to 1 inch, and the first dose of urea, 5 to 6 kilograms per bigha, should be applied. The growth phase follows 40 to 45 days after transplanting, when only light moisture should be maintained in the field, along with a second dose of urea, again 5 to 6 kilograms per bigha.

Panicle formation, considered the most crucial stage of the crop, takes place 55 to 60 days after transplanting. At this stage, the field should always be kept flooded with 2 inches of water, and the final dose of urea, 5 kilograms per bigha, should be applied. Moisture must be maintained until the grains fill with milk after the panicles emerge, and the field should be drained completely 12 to 15 days before harvesting so the crop gets the right conditions to ripen. Surendra Singh says that if farmers manage fertiliser and water on time by keeping these points in mind, paddy farming can deliver a strong profit even at a lower cost.

Agricultural experts believe this entire stretch after transplanting is the most sensitive period for a paddy crop, since the right fertiliser and water management at every stage, from root strength to grain filling in the panicles, decides how much the field ultimately yields. Following Surendra Singh's advice means neither rushing with fertiliser nor keeping the field drowned in excess water, but acting at every stage based on what the plants genuinely need.

What this means for you
• Across India: Paddy farmers who follow the right fertiliser and water schedule after transplanting can see better yields and lower input costs.
• In Bahraich: Farmers in areas like Tikuri village in Bahraich can directly use Surendra Singh's day-wise fertiliser and water schedule to improve their paddy yield and profit.

Questions & Answers

1. What is the first big precaution needed after transplanting paddy?
For the first 15 days after transplanting, the field should be kept continuously flooded with 2 to 3 inches of water to help roots set, and DAP, potash and zinc should be applied within 7 days if not already done.

2. When and how much of the first urea dose should be applied?
20 to 25 days after transplanting, when tillers emerge, the water level should be reduced to half an inch to 1 inch and the first urea dose of 5 to 6 kilograms per bigha should be applied.

3. What water level should be maintained when panicles are forming?
55 to 60 days after transplanting, during panicle formation, the field should always be kept flooded with 2 inches of water, and the final urea dose of 5 kilograms per bigha should be applied at that time.

4. When should the field be drained before harvesting?
The field should be drained completely 12 to 15 days before harvesting so the crop can ripen properly.

5. Who is farmer Surendra Singh and why does his advice matter?
Surendra Singh is a farmer from Tikuri village in Bahraich with nearly 50 years of experience growing paddy, and his advice helps farmers get higher yields at a lower cost.

6. What happens if farmers apply too much fertiliser or water?
Excess fertiliser hurts the crop instead of helping it and raises costs, while keeping the field flooded beyond what is needed stops enough air and sunlight from reaching the roots.

https://trendkia.com/en/business/tikuri-ganva-ke-kisana-surendra-singh-ki-salaha-paudha-ropane-ke-bada-khada-pani-ka-yaha-shedyula-dilaega-bnpara-paidavara-9118
TrendKia — Har trend, sabse pehle.