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Development and Adoption of Two Wheel Tractor Operated Potato Planter (2019-20)

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

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

M R Karim
Farm Machinery & Postharvest Process Engineering Division, BARI, Joydebpur, Gazipur, Bangladesh

B C Kundu
Farm Machinery & Postharvest Process Engineering Division, BARI, Joydebpur, Gazipur, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Potato planting operation is carried out manually by laborers which is time consuming. Labour crisis creates problem of timely planting. Due to delay planting, farmers could not get better yield as compare to their high investment. A power tiller operated cup type potato planter was developed in Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) which can plant whole tuber potato seeds in furrows. The experiment was undertaken to evaluate its performance during 2019-20 at 18 fields in different locations in Bogura and Jashore. There was a special program at Panchagarh during 2019-20. Yield of BARI Alu-7, BARI Alu-41 and BARI Alu-25 was not significantly varied with the planting methods. Yield of machine planted BARI Alu-36 was significantly higher than the manual planted potato. Potato planter saved 90% labour requirement and 81% planting cost, respectively compared to manual potato planting method.

Keywords: Potato planter, Fabricatd potato planter, Adoption

Location: Tubercrop Reserch Sub-station, BARI, Bogura and RARS, BARI, Jashore

Start Date: 00-00-2019

End Date: 00-00-2020

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 the previous version is shown and that of the improved version is also shown . The planter was design for ‘A’ grade (28-40 mm) potato seeds. 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 2019-20 with a view to observe the accuracy of planting, mass awareness. The evaluation was also done in sixteen farmer’s field of Bogura and Jashore to popularization mechanized seeding among the farmers during 2019-20. The potato planter works as tilling, placing potato seeds in regular interval and earthing up simultaneously at one operation. BARI Alu-7, BARI Alu-25, BARI Alu-36 and BARI ALu 41 were selected for the trials. Date of planting at Bogura and Jashore were 24-27 November 2019, and 20-24 November 2019 respectively. The harvesting dates were 07-10 March 2020 at Bogura. The harvesting dates were 20-22 February 2020 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. Economic analysis: Economic analysis of the potato planter was done. Operating cost of the machine included the fixed cost and variable cost. Fixed cost of the machine included capital consumption and shelter. Variable costs included labour, fuel, repair & maintenance. One labour was required for operating the machine. Fixed cost- Fixed cost of the machine included annual depreciation, interest on investment, and shelter. Capital consumption included depreciation and interest.

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

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Effective field capacity of the potato planter was 0.115 ha/h and field efficiency 78.57%, respectively. Yield of BARI Alu-7, BARI Alu-41 and BARI Alu-25 was not significantly varied with the planting methods. Yield of machine planted BARI Alu-36 was significantly higher than the manual planted potato. Potato planter saved 90% labour requirement and 81% planting cost, respectively compare to manual potato planting method.

Knowledge Management: Report/Proceedings