Paddy cultivation requires a unique tillage process known as puddling—churning the soil in standing water to create a soft, impermeable layer. While specialized implements like puddlers and rotavators are common for this task, the Hydraulic Reversible Plough can also play a vital, and sometimes initial, role, especially in fields where deep inversion is needed or where a mouldboard is used to initiate the wet-tillage process.

However, transitioning an implement like the Shakti Balram Fix from dry-land ploughing to the slick, waterlogged conditions of puddling requires specific adjustments to maintain control, efficiency, and safety.

1. The Role of the Mouldboard Plough in Puddling

Puddling is the process of breaking down soil aggregates in the presence of water (typically 5–10 cm deep) to reduce water percolation and create a soft seedbed for rice transplanting.

• Initial Tillage: A mouldboard plough can be used for the initial dry or semi-dry ploughing to invert the soil and incorporate stubble/green manure before flooding the field. This ensures deep incorporation of organic matter.

• The Wet Challenge: Operating a mouldboard plough in already flooded, muddy conditions requires significant power and is generally not as efficient as a specialized puddler. It's often used as an initial breaking tool before the final passes with a harrow or rotavator.

2. Key Adjustments for Wet/Muddy Conditions

When the soil is saturated or waterlogged, the plough's settings must be altered to manage the reduced friction and increased suction.

A. Depth and Pitch Control

In wet conditions, the soil provides less resistance against the plough body, making it easier to sink too deep.

• Reduce Working Depth: The primary goal of wet tillage is mixing and pulverizing, not deep inversion. Reduce the working depth (adjusted via the depth control wheel and the lower lift arms) to ensure the plough is working primarily in the top 10–15 cm of the puddled layer.

• Adjust Top Link (Pitch): The top link controls the pitch (fore and aft tilt). In very soft soil, shortening the top link can slightly raise the share heel, preventing the plough from diving too aggressively and reducing the high suction forces that strain the hitch.

B. Ensuring Stability and Traction

Traction loss is the main threat in puddling.

• Check Tractor Ballast: Tractor tyre pressure and ballast become paramount. Adding water ballast to the rear tyres is highly recommended to increase the tractor's grip and reduce wheel slippage in the slick, wet soil. Proper ballast ensures the drawbar horsepower is effectively utilized.

• Stabilizer Chains/Sway Control: The tractor’s lower link arms (right and left) must be restricted using check chains or sway bars to limit lateral movement of the plough. Excessive sway in mud can lead to unstable tillage and stress on the linkage.

C. Operating Speed

You must adapt your speed drastically from dry-tillage standards.

• Maintain Constant, Low Speed: A slow, constant speed is necessary. High speed in standing water will lead to excessive splashing, create massive side drafts, and cause the tractor to lose stability.

3. The Structural Advantage

Ploughs used in wet conditions, even if only for initial tillage, must be structurally sound. Models like the fixed Shakti Balram Fix are often chosen for their robust, simple frame, which holds up against the persistent drag and suction forces of heavy, wet soil. Durable frames and strong weld joints are non-negotiable when working in a medium as unpredictable and heavy as mud.

By making these precise hydraulic and mechanical adjustments, you can successfully leverage your hydraulic plough to assist in preparing the perfect wet seedbed, ensuring maximum benefit before the final puddling and leveling passes begin.