Transplanting
Harden the seedlings by slightly reducing water and exposing them directly to sunlight 6-9 days before transplanting. Thoroughly water the seedlings about 12 hours before transplanting to the field. A good seedling is in the 4-5 leaf stage which is about 4 weeks old.
Transplanting is done in the late afternoon or on a cloudy day to minimize transplant shock. The seedling is inserted in a hole so the cotyledons appear above the surface. Tall, spindly seedlings should be buried deeper. Press soil firmly around the root, and water around the base of the plant to settle the soil. It is important to water the field as soon as possible after transplanting.
Plant spacing varies with cropping system either using single or double rows. Using two rows spacing is 60 cm between rows and 40 cm between plants. This gives a plant population of over 33,000 plants per hectare. Using single row and spacing of 40 cm between plant population is just over 16,000 on a hectare.
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