Sultan Ahmmed
Sci. Officer
Agric. Eng. Div. Bangladesh Agric. Res. Institue, Joidebpur, Gazipur, Bangladesh
C.P. Gupta
Professor
Div. of Agric. and Food Eng. Asian Institute of Technology G.P.O. Box 2754, Bangkok. Thailand
Small seeds planter, Performance, Electrostatic Planter, Metering mechanism
Agric. Eng. Div. Bangladesh Agric. Res. Institue, Joidebpur, Gazipur, Bangladesh
Farm Mechanization
Laboratory Performance Test: The following laboratory performance tests were undertaken. Test of metering mechanism The objective of this test was to examine the performance of the metering mechanism the result of which can provide the basic data for field performance. In the case of electrostatic planter the driving wheel was jacked up and the metering device was rotated by turning the wheel for 20 revolutions. The delivery rate per hectare was calculated knowing row spacing, weight of seeds discharged from the delivery tube and distance traveled by the seeding machine in 20 revolutions. Tests with 10 replications were carried out. This test was also undertaken by running the machine with full outfit over greased board or a layer of white powder of lime at the same speed as in the field. The seeds were trapped on the board or the layer of powdered lime at the point where they fell. The parameters measured, observed and recorded in the test were damage to seeds caused by metering mechanism and pattern of seed deposition.
Germination test - Certified 100 jute seeds of variety C. Cap- sularis / C. Olitorius were kept on a filter paper soaked with water in a petri dish. After 3 days the germinated seeds were counted to calculate the percentage of germination.
Field Performance Test: The field performance test was conducted in order to obtain actual data for overall machine performance, operating accuracy, work capacity, field conditions and field efficiency. The field was prepared to create optimum conditions for germination. The field was ploughed by discplough, harrowed by disc harrow and tilled twice by a rotavator and leveled by leveler/ladder. The field plots of 50 m x 10 m were marked by bamboo stakes and rope. The test was conducted with four replications and one treatment. The seeds used for this test were the same as those used for the metering mechanism test. Each plot measured 0.05 ha for this machine. The plot was rectangular with the sides in the ratio of 5: 1 as far as possible. The parameters that were measured and observed were as follows:
Performance and accuracy - These parameters considered seed rate, spacing of planted rows, distance between hills, population of seeds planted in a unit area, population of established plants in a unit area, ratio of established plants to seeds planted, depth of planting, slippage of driving wheel, ease of handling and operation, soil moisture content, and cone index.
Work rate and labour requirement- Measurements were made of this actual average traveling speed, actual number of operating hours, time spent for turning at head-land, time spent for supply of seeds, time spent for adjusting the machine, working capacity, field efficiency, required number of workers and man hours, draft and push force, and power requirement. Operational Cost: Whenever a new technology is introduced, the basic question which arises in the mind of a common user is whether the new technique is economical to adopt or not.
VOL.25 NO.2, pp.29-34, 1994 AGRICULTURAL MECHANIZATION IN ASIA, AFRICA AND LATIN AMERICA
Journal