Development and Evaluation of an Engine Operated Paddy Drum Seeder

Abstract

newline The physical and engineering properties of dry, soaked and pre germinated paddy (Basmati-370) seed were studied. On the basis of these properties and agronomical considerations an engine operated paddy drum seeder was designed and developed. The prototype comprised of 6 drums in which three drums are in front for fertilizer application and three drums are in the rear for seed application. The mechanism of machine is such that the furrow opener in front of machine will open furrow for placement of fertilizer and seed at proper depth and a leveler attached behind the machine shall cover the seed and fertilizer with soil. newlineThe developed prototype was evaluated in laboratory for three forward speeds, three type of seeds and three drum fill levels. The prototype was further evaluated in the field in terms of number of seeds per hill, number of hills per metre square, hill missing index (%), number of tillers per metre square, number of effective tillers per metre square, effective field capacity (ha.h-1), field efficiency (%), fuel consumption (l.h-1), seed rate (kg/ha) and yield (kg/ha) for three forward speeds (1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 kmh-1), newlinethree drum fill levels (quarter, half and full) and three types of seed (dry, soaked and pre germinated). The study, in general, indicated that the all the physical and engineering properties i.e. equivalent diameter, aspect ratio, volume, surface area, terminal velocity, bulk density, sphericity, coefficient of friction and angle of repose, increased with the increase in moisture content however the porosity and true density decreased with the increase in moisture content. The performance parameters such as number of seeds/hill, number of tillers/m2, yield (kg/ha) and seed rate (kg/ha) ranged from 1.0 to 7.3, 503.60 to 562.00, 2362.00 to 3539.00 kg/ha and 23.00 to 37.50 kg/ha for all treatments, respectively. newlineThe results indicated that field efficiency (%) and fuel consumption (l.h-1) increased with the increase in forward speed and drum fill level. However, number o