ABSTRACT
Conventional zero-till seed-cum-fertilizer drills introduced in north-western India during the mid-1990s were suitable for sowing of crops in manually harvested fields from which the crop residues are taken out for threshing. Increasing adoption of combine-harvesters led to the crop residues remaining on the field and their widespread burning caused serious environmental problems. Considering this, a variant of zero-till machine known as the ‘happy seeder’ was developed about a decade ago, which could sow the seeds in combine-harvested residue-retained fields. The happy seeder technology was introduced for sowing of wheat from the early 2010s. There has been a significant increase in the number of happy seeders over the years and the coverage of area under this technology in Punjab, Haryana, and elsewhere in India is estimated at nearly 1 M ha. This machine is becoming popular for sowing of most crops in many regions where the crops are harvested with combines, and has the potential to promote the adoption of conservation agriculture in India.
