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Design and Development of a Seed-cum-fertilizer Distributor for Small Farm Holders

A. T. M. Ziauddin
Department of Farm Power and Machinery, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh.

Poritosh Roy
Graduate Student
Department of Farm Power and Machinery, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh.

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

A low cost seed-cum-fertilizer distributor was developed and tested tor broadcasting seeds and fertilizers in the field. The materials to be distributed fell down by the gravity from a tank on a fixed metallic plat form. A hand-operated rotor distributed the material uniformly. This simple mechanical device was designed to carry on the shoulder of an operator during operation. The Uniformity Coefficient of Distribution was determined for fine urea, granular urea and wheat and was compared with that of traditional hand broadcasting method. The distributor could spread fine urea at a field capacity of 0.g5 ha/hr to l.32 ha/hr. granular urea at a field capacity of 1.18 ha/hr to 2.0 ha/hr and wheat at a field capacity of I .40 ha/hr to 2.02 ha/hr, depending on the rotor speed of the distributor. Normally, the Uniformity Coefficient of Distribution of traditional broadcasting system is about 30 percent to 43 per cent, depending upon the skill. The average coefficient of the device (at 500 rpm of the rotor) for fine urea, granular urea and wheat were found to be82.32 per cent, 80.43 per,cent and 85.66 per cent, respectively. The performance tests indicated that the seed-cum-fertilizer distributor could be used in the small field with high satisfaction.

Keywords: Manually operated, Low cost seed-cum-fertilizer distributor, Device, Small farm holders, Design and Development.

Location: Department of Farm Power and Machinery, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh.

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Farm Mechanization

Commodity: Seeder

Objectives:

1. To develop a manually operated low cost seed-cum-fertilizer distributor, and

2. To test the device in the field.

Methodology:

There are different types of rotor used to distribute seeds and fertilizers in the field by machine -broadcasting method. Among the various types of rotor suitable for broadcasting of seeds and fertilizes namely, i) spinning disc type distributor ii) distributor type rotor iii) pneumatic distributor iv) oscillating spout machines v) plate and flicker machines, the rotor type distributor was selected because of its simplicity of fabrication and operation. The materials to be distributed were contained in a hopper and allowed to fall on to a plate by gravity flow from where the materials were distributed by a distributor type rotor. The rotor had three arms that offered beating action to the material to be distributed. The plate was fixed horizontally with the frame. The materials were dropped through an adjustable slider at the bottom of the hopper, which controlled the discharge rate. The rotor received power through a-belt-pulley system. The large pulley was powered by the operator's hand and the small pulley received power from the large pulley through a belt-pulley system. The velocity (v) of the rotor arm at point P where fertilizer or seed falls by gravity. Two kg of urea of two different types (fine and granular and two kg wheat were used for each test. Thirty paper boxes of 250 mm X 250 m X 100 mm size were placed on a 2.286 m X 9.144 m plot which was divided into 100 small division of equal size and the boxes were placed at the centre of the small plots randomly. At full hopper opening, the application rate of the material was calculated using by A = D/C, where A is the application rate of the material in kg/ha, C is the actual field coverage of the distributor in ha/ha, and D is the discharge rate of materials in kg/hr. The actual field coverage by the distributor is: C = SWE/10, where S is the average walking speed of the operator in km./hr, W is the swath width of the distributed material in m, and E is the efficiency of the distributor in decimal.

Source of Information: Journal of the Institution of Engineers. Bangladesh Agricultural Engineering Division. Vol. 25/AE, No. l, Dec. 1998

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

The distributor was very simple in operation. One person can operate the device successfully in the field. It can be used for multipurpose use such as, spreading fertilizers, seeds and insecticides in the field. The distributor was capable of spreading materials over 4 to 6 times the area that can be covered by the hand broadcasting process. The average UCD of material and the average field capacity of the device were 80.05 per cent and 1.5 ha/hr, respectively. The cost of fabrication of the distributor was only Tk. 600 (US$ 15) in 1994. This low cost seed-cum-fertilizer would be very useful to the farmers of developing countries. Therefore, it may be concluded that small farm holders in developing countries may use the device with high satisfaction.

Knowledge Management: Journal