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Optimizing the Performance of Precision Seeder for Conventional and Strip-till Sowing of Maize (2019-20)

M A Matin
Farm Machinery & Postharvest Process Engineering Division, BARI, Joydebpur, Gazipur, Bangladesh

M N Amin
Farm Machinery & Postharvest Process Engineering Division, BARI, Joydebpur, Gazipur, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Reduction of production cost and mitigating labour crisis is a major challenge in Bangladesh agriculture. Seeding is one of the most crucial agricultural operations which is still done manually in primitive ways that involves lots of drudgery and labour and huge cost in line sowing. Mechanical seeders can bring down the drudgery, labour, cost and time requirements significantly. However, small scale low cost seeders available in Bangladesh suffer from low accuracy (multiple seeds per hill, missing and seed locking) when maize and other bold seeded crops (requiring sowing seeds one by one) are planted in lines. Further, furrow backfill usually is low (leaving seeds uncovered) and seed furrow compaction is inadequate during strip-till planting. To overcome these limitations in strip-tillage, a prototype precision seeder (PS) was developed at the FMPE Division of BARI, Gazipur in 2018 and improved in 2019. The PS used precision seed meter that has high seed singulation capacity and zero seed locking/blockage. Comparison of performance of the (PS) with that of BARI inclined plate model 2 seeder (BS) and conventional practice (hand planting) for strip-till planting of hybrid maize (Elite) at the research field of the FMPE Division, BARI, Gazipur was done. Results indicated that the PS produced 50% more backfill, 67% less uncovered seeds, optimally compacted seed furrow, and reduced number of multiple seedlings by 184% compared to the BS. After thinning out the multiples, the PS established more plants compared to the BS or control plot. However, all these improvements in backfill providing better seed cover, optimal compaction of seed furrow and reduced multiples did not contribute to differ yields significantly between the seeders. The plots planted by the seeders yielded 11–13% higher compared to hand planting. This result is promising considering the scope of expanding mechanized crop production in winter fallows of southern Bangladesh where the soil retains excessive soil moisture at planting. In order to test suitability of the seeders in varying soil and cropping conditions, wide field testing of PS for conventional and conservation agriculture is suggested.

Keywords: Seeder, furrow strip till, Maize

Location: Research farm of FMPE Division, BARI, Gazipur

Start Date: 00-00-2018

End Date: 00-00-2019

Program Area: Farm Mechanization

Commodity: Seeder, Maize

Objectives:

Develop a guideline on operational settings of seed meter for sowing maize, wheat, pulses and oilseeds
Improve the design and settings of the rotary blade to optimize strip-till furrow cutting
Improve the design and settings of the furrow opener to reduce residue raking and improve uniformity of seeding depth
Improve the design and settings of press wheel for optimum compaction of furrow seedbed
Evaluate field performance of the precision seeder for sowing maize and other crops

Methodology:

This experiment compared performance of maize crops as planted by two types of seeders (Precision Seeder and BARI Seeder) and manually (hand planting). Details on about the machines, experimental procedure and performance data collection and processing are summarized below. The Seeders: The Precision Seeder (PS) and BARI Seeder (BS) used in the experiment. Key specifications of the machines are presented. In the 2019 model of the PS, the furrow openers were set on a separate frame behind the rotavator (in 2018 model, they were set on the rotavator mudguard that used to bend rearward under load during field operation) to avoid bending as suggested in the previous year’s report. Further, the press wheels were made little bit narrower (38 mm) than the 2018 model (41 mm) to allow easy penetration into the tilled furrows strips and assure optimum furrow compaction. It can be noted that the PS uses Chinese precision seed meters that have high seed simulation efficiency (93–97%), low doubles (<3%) and zero seed locking (Matin et al., 2019; Saha et al., 2018). Operational Settings of Precision Seed Meter: Settings of seed meters for sowing different crops by the PS are shown. Experimental Procedure: Field Preparation and Planting- The strip-till planting experiment was conducted at the research farm of FMPE Division, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Joydebpur, Gazipur during the rabi season of 2019–’20. The soil was clay-loam type. The previous puddled aman rice (monsoon rice) was harvested manually on 3 November 2020 leaving about 250 mm long rice stalks (≡2.57±0.60 t ha^-1 fresh residues) in the field. The field was then applied with herbicide round up (that killed the weeds) and allowed to dry to reach joe condition before strip-till plating of maize. As it rained intermittently during October–November, the process of soil drying was slow and the soil moisture at planting was 31.2±2.4% (dwb) which was wetter than the desired joe condition on the day of planting (5 December 2019). The experimental plots were 13 m long and 3.6 m wide and had 1.0 m footpaths in between them. Hybrid maize variety Elite (95% germination capacity) was planted by both the machines and manually (hand planting) with a targeted row spacing of 0.6 m and plant spacing of 0.2 m. Each plot accommodated 6 rows of maize. Elite variety was chosen due to its dented shape (the most challenging shape to meter accurately) which is prone to high seed metering error compared to flinted/round shaped maize seeds. The seeders completed planting operation (opening strip-tilling furrows, placing seeds, covering seeds with loose soil and compacting furrow) in a single pass of the machines. Contrary, the hand planting operation required tilling the plots three times over the previous week, hand levelling that tilled plots, and at the day of planting manual digging of furrows and seed placement in furrows followed soil covering and furrow compaction by treading. Machine Set up, Operation and Maize Planting- These 1.2 m wide seeders planted two rows of maize in each pass of the machine; thus requiring three passes to cover each plot (6 rows). One person operated the machine and one helper assisted him in setting up, seed filling, etc. Before start of planting in the experimental plots, each machine was calibrated for seeding depth (targeted for 50 mm) and row spacing in the adjacent field. Any residue raked during planting in the experimental plots was cleared by the assistant. During machine planting any seeds left uncovered were not disturbed or put pack into soil. Problems encountered during operation of the seeders were recorded for future reference and their improvement/fine tuning. Crop Management- FRG 2018 (BARC, 2018) recommended package of fertilizer (cow dung 623 t ha^?1, urea 520 kg ha^?1, TSP 250 kg ha^?1, MoP 175 kg ha^?1, Zypsum 250 kg ha^?1, ZnSO₄ 15 kg ha^?1, Boric Acid 7.7 kg ha^?1) was applied (urea was split into one basal dose and two top dressings). In case of machine planting, the basal fertilizers were broadcasted on each plot immediate before planting whilst the top dressed urea fertilizer was applied along the plant rows at 30 DAP and 50 DAP. In case of the control plots (hand planting) the basal fertilizers were applied before the last tillage pass whilst the top dressed urea dosages were applied along the rows at 30 DAP and 50 DAP. It rained a few times over the crop growing period, so irrigation water was applied as and when necessary. Weed control was done chemically (applied PANIDA at 5 DAP @3 ml l^-1 water per decimal of land and Calaris Extra at 25 DAP @6 ml l^-1 water per decimal of land). Thinning of extra maize plants was done at 42 DAP. Data Collection and Processing- Three soil samples were collected from the experimental field on the day of planting using an augur and oven dried at 105 °C for at least 72 hours to determine soil moisture content. Immediate after planting all the plots, number of uncovered maize seeds in each plot was counted and expressed as uncovered seeds plot^?1. Furrow depth and furrow width were measured from 10 locations in a randomly selected furrow in each plot on the same day. Furrow backfill (depth of loose soil in the furrow after planting) were also measured from 10 locations in a randomly selected furrow in each plot on the day. All the data were expressed as their averages for each plot. In order to calculate the emergence rate and days to 50% germination, number of plants germinated each day were recorded from 3 rows (3 m section of each row) from each plot during 5–25 DAP. At 26 DAP, seeding depth was measured by uprooting plants (10 plants per plot) from the sixth row (adjacent to footpath) in each plot. Thus, only five rows of maize plants finally remained in each plot until harvest. Plant height was measured at 35 DAP and at harvest. The crop was harvested on 19 May 2020 (additional days after maturity were allowed for field drying of maize cobs before harvest). Agronomic data (plant population; cobs per plot; cob length and diameter; grains per cob; 100 grain weight; grain and stover yield per plot, and grain moisture content) were recorded. Yield of grain was adjusted at 15% moisture content. The data were analyzed for means (M) and standard deviations (SD). Observation Trials- Three strip-till observation trials were set up on 4 December 2019 at an adjacent field (13 x 3.6 m plots) for wheat, chickpea and soybean. No data were collected except photographs.

Source of Information: Annual Research Report 2019-2020, BARI, Gazipur, Bangladesh

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

1.

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Comparison of the seeding performances of PS and BS with hand planting suggest that no seeds were left uncovered in the control plot, whereas the PS and BS left 4274 and 9829 uncovered seeds ha^-1 most of which did not germinate. The surface following press wheels of PS and in hand planting, the seed furrows were optimally compacted, but the rigid roller of the BS could not. However, as the soil was high in soil moisture, lack of compaction in case of BS did not have any negative effect on seed germination results. Rather, the BS plot completed germination two days earlier than the PS or control plots indicating soil compaction is not critical for seeding in moist soil. The PS seeder produced a high amount of backfill and more securely placed seeds into furrow soil resulting in lesser number uncovered seeds compared to the BS. The PS also reduced the number of multiple seedlings compared to BARI seeder indicating its precision in maize seed metering. The conventional practice did not leave any uncovered seeds or resulted in multiple seedlings. The BS treatment produced the highest grain yield closely followed by the PS, but much higher than the conventional practice. The PS ensured more number of plants per plot compared to BS, but the cobs produced by the BS plot were larger containing more grains and finally resulting in slightly higher yield in BS. Thus, the technology can benefit farmers to gain higher yield at a reduced cost. Both the machines have rooms to improve their performances. With those improvements, technical and economic performances of the strip-till machine planting methods need to be field evaluated covering wide range of soil and cropping conditions.

Knowledge Management: Report/Proceedings