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Development and Adoption of Two Wheel Tractor Operated Potato Planter (2018-19)

M A Hoque
Farm Machinery & Postharvest Process Engineering Division

M I Hossain
Farm Machinery & Postharvest Process Engineering Division

B C Kundu
Farm Machinery & Postharvest Process Engineering Division

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

A power tiller operated cup type potato planter was developed in Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) which can plant whole tuber potato seeds automatically in furrows at predetermined regular intervals. An experiment was taken to improve the potato planter and evaluate the performance. During 2017-18, some modification of the planter was done. Mould casted metallic cups of 40mm size were used instead of plastic cup. There were 10 cups instead of 13 pairs of potato cups fixed on a 40 mm flat belt, forming an endless loop. According to the design criteria, potato cups were positioned 110mm apart from each successive cup which was changed to 90 mm with transmission ratio 1.15 in the improved model. Forward speed of 2.4 km/h was the best in respect of uniformity of spacing and missing seeds. Potato planter was evaluated at ten locations of Bogura and Jashore and there was a special program at Panchagarh during 2018-19. Similar yield was found in machine planted field and manual planted field in all location with BARI ALu 36 and BARI Alu-41 except Jashore with BARI Alu-36. Total 7.11 ha area was planted with potato planter in different districts of Bangladesh. The experiment will be continued in the next year.

Keywords: Two wheel operated tractor, Potato planter, Fabricatd potatoplanter

Location: TCR Sub-station, Bogura and RARS, Jashore

Start Date: 00-00-2017

End Date: 00-00-2018

Program Area: Farm Mechanization

Commodity: Planter, Potato

Objectives:

To improve the potato planter
To evaluate and demonstrate the performance of the potato planter
To compare the economic benefit of the potato planter with conventional manual planting

Methodology:

BARI Power tiller operated potato planter was improved during 2017-18. The main working mechanism was redesigned and a drawing was drawn with AutoCAD software. The redesigned working parts were constructed with the available materials from local market. The steps of conventional hand planting method were considered and incorporated within the potato planter construction. The main functional part of the potato planter of previous and improved versions were shown. The planter was design for ‘A’ grade (28-40mm) potato seed. Line to line distance to be maintained as 600 mm and seed to seed distance to be maintained as 250 mm. Fabrication of potato planter: Potato planter was fabricated with locally available materials MS sheet, angle bar, steel shaft etc. Main functional components are (i) Potato seed hopper (ii) Gang of rotary blades (iii) Cup type metering mechanism (iv) Roller type bed maker. It acts as tilling the soil, place the whole tuber seeds in pre-determined distance and earthing up simultaneously. Fig.3 shows the power tiller driven potato planter. Performance test of potato planters: The modified potato planter was evaluated at Tuber Crops Research Sub-station, Bogura and Regional Agricultural Research Station, Jashore during 2018-19 with a view to observe the accuracy of planting, mass awareness. The evaluation was also done in four farmer’s field of Bogura and Jashore to popularization mechanized seeding among the farmers during 2018-19. The potato planter works as tilling, placing potato seeds in regular interval and earthing up simultaneously at one operation. Two variety of BARI namely BARI Alu 36 and BARI ALu 41 were selected for the trials. Date of planting at Bagura and Jashore were 18-19 November 2018, and 26-27 November 2018 respectively. The harvesting dates were 18-19 February 2018 at Bogura. The harvesting dates were 22 February and 13 March 2018 at Jashore. The planter was also widely used at Breeder Seed Production Centre, Debigange, Panchagarh for material strength analysis and perfection. The machine planted fields were compared with the manual planting. Fertilizer, irrigation, pesticides and all others inputs were applied equally.

Source of Information: Annual Research Report 2018-2019, BARI, Gazipur, Bangladesh

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

1.

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Based on the results and discussion following conclusions are made: Two-wheel tractor of 9 kW power can operate the planter maintaining the standard spacing and depth; potato yield was almost similar both potato planter and conventional method; local manufacturers can fabricate the potato planter with locally available materials within short period of time; and initial price of potato planter seems to be high, so subsidize rate can attract to the potato growers and accelerate the technology. Recommendations for operation of potato planter at BSPS, Debigang, Panchagarh: Potato planter can accelerate planting operation but need prior preparation; seed should be well graded; labour shortage can be minimized with the potato planter but labour management system should be revised; and potato planter to be improved again for cut piece seed planting more accurately.

Knowledge Management: Report/Proceedings