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Development of Cost Effective Small No-till Seeder for Two Wheel Tractor in Bangladesh

Md. Israil Hossain ,
Chief Scientific Officer
FMP Engineering Division, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Gazipur

M.K. Gathala ,
Cropping Systems Agronomist
CIMMYT Bangladesh, Dhaka

T.P. Tiwari ,
Cropping Systems Agronomist
CIMMYT Bangladesh, Dhaka

M. Jahedul Islam ,
Scientific Officer
On Farm Research Division, BARI, Rajshahi, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Two wheel tractor (Power tiller) is the common means of soil tillage and other farm operations in Bangladesh due to easy access in fragmented land size with affordable price. A low cost and small robust 2WT driven (12 hp) No-till seeder has been developed with press wheel attachment and inclined plate seed meter assembly in Farm Machinery & Postharvest Process Engineering Division, BARI, Bangladesh for seeding different kinds of seeds. This is a pull type implement hitched at drawbar point of 2WT replacing the regular rotary part. The developed No-till seeder was used in the farmer’s field of Rajshahi areas for wheat, maize, pulses, and rice establishment during the year 2011-2014. The planter can pull 4 tynes in soft and medium hard soil but 3 tynes for hard soil. The planter was capable to apply seed and fertilizer in the furrows. The width and depth of the furrow opening were 30 mm and 60 mm, respectively. The planting depth, row spacing and seed rate can be adjusted according to standard practices. The No-till seeder works effectively through high density crop residue (1.5-2.4 t/ha) without any problem as there are sufficient residue clearances between toolbar and ground surface. Depending on the level of weed situation, round up herbicide was applied 2 days before of planting. There were significant yield difference in wheat, pulses but rice yield was lower than conventional transplanting method. No-till planted crops show less lodging tendency compare to conventional planted crops. There were significant cost differences between no-till and conventional method. The planting costs of wheat and maize in No- till system were 60% and 86% less than conventional planting method. It also reduces the average turn around time 7-9 days between the two crops. The effective area coverage by the seeder was 0.13ha/hr. The No-till seeder is a low cost (US$ 350-400; without power unit), light in weight and local manufacturer can fabricate complete unit within a short period of time. The No-till seeder can be used in other countries where 2WT is the common farming equipment.

Keywords: Two wheel tractor, No-till seeder, Residue clearance, Turn around time, Inclined plate seed meter, Tyne opener.

Location: In the farmer’s field of Rajshahi areas

Start Date: 00-00-2011

End Date: 00-00-2014

Program Area: Socio-economic and Policy

Commodity: Seeder

Objectives:

The specific objectives of this study are
i)   To develop a cost effective No-till seeder for better establishment of crops
ii)   To demonstrate the No-till seeder in the farmer’s field ; and
iii)   To compare the cost of planting of the seeder over conventional method

Methodology:

Two wheel tractor (2WT) operated No-till seeder is a pull type seeder and it has been developed in Farm Machinery & Postharvest Process Engineering Division, BARI, Bangladesh. The major components of the seeder are hitch plate, toolbar frame, seed and fertilizer box, with improved “T” furrow opener, press wheel and chain-sprocket power transmission.The toolbar frame facilitates fittings different types of seed metering devices (Inclined plate seed meter, flute type and cup feed type seed meter as required), furrow openers, seed box. The No-till seeder has been improved with locally available materials such as M.S. angle, stainless steel bar, M.S sheet, ball bearing etc (Fig.1). All accessories were set up under the handle bar of the 2WT , which was not the case in earlier versions. Field performances and adaptive trials of the seeder were conducted in the farmers’ field, by attaching a 12 hp Chinese Dongfeng 2WT. In North West drought prone area during 2011- 14; wheat, mungbean, chickpea, maize and rice were successfully established using this seeder. Wheat, maize, chickpea planted after rice harvest in the month of November and mungbean planted after wheat harvest in early April. The seeder used effectively in the rice and wheat residue condition (1.5 - 2.4 t/ha) without any problem as there are sufficient clearance between toolbar and ground surface. The variety of wheat, maize and mungbean used for calibration and experimentation were Prodip, NK 40, BARI Mung-6, respectively. Di- Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) fertilizer 130 kg/ha was applied along with the planting operation of wheat and maize in the farmer’s field. Operation view of press wheel attached No-till drill was shown in Fig.2. The planting depth and seed covering mechanism were adjusted during the field operation. Before planting operation started Roundup herbicide was applied @100 ml in 10 lit water for 5 decimal land irrespective of existing weeds. Field performances data of the seeder were recorded as per Regional Network of Agricultural Machinery (RNAM) Test Code. Fuel consumption, operation time, etc. were also collected to compare the cost saving over conventional method.

Data collection
The following data were collected - i) Depth of seed placement, cm ; ii) Travel speed, km/hr; iii) Effective field capacity, ha/hr ; iv) Field efficiency, % ; v) Fuel consumption, l/hr ; vi) No. of plants/m2 and viii) Crop yield, kg/m2. Cost was calculated according to the farm machinery utilization method (Anon., 1991; Hunt, 1995).

Source of Information: Bangladesh J. Agril. Res. 42(1): 27-34, March 2017 ISSN 0258-7122 (Print), 2408-8293 (Online)

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

•   The small 2WT (9 kW) No-till seeder can pull 4 tynes in soft to medium hard soil but 3 tynes in hard soil.
•   Interchangeable inclined plate seed metering device can handle efficiently most of the seeds sizes like wheat, maize, chickpea, rice and other pulses seeds.
•   Yield of wheat, mungbean, rice, maize and chickpea was not reduced in No-till as compared to conventional method.
•   No-till seeder cost to be reduced for growing different crops substantially with reduction around time, so it can be made in local manufacturer.
•   No-till seeder is low cost (US$ 350-400; without power unit), lighter in weight and local manufacturer can fabricate complete set within a short period of time.

Knowledge Management: Journal