Unit 3

Sowing and fertilizing equipment

Prepared by
Jeshwin Giftson S P
AP/AGRI
Crop planting methods

Sowing is an art of placing seeds in the soil to have good germination in the field.

A perfect sowing gives

a. Correct amount of seed per unit area.

b. Correct depth of sowing

c. Correct spacing between row-to-row and plant to plant.

d. Correct seed rate

SOWING METHODS

(i) Broadcasting (ii) Dibbling (iii) Drilling (iv) Seed dropping behind the plough

(v)Transplanting (vi) Hill dropping (vii) Check row planting.

(i) Broadcasting

Broadcasting is the method of random scattering of seeds on the surface of seedbed. It can
be done manually or mechanically. When broadcasting is done manually, uniformity of seed
placement depends upon the skill of the man scattering the seeds. Soon after broadcasting
the seeds are covered by planking or some other devices. Usually higher seed rate is obtained
in this system. Mechanical broadcasters are used for large-scale sowing. The device scatters
the seeds on the surface of the seedbed at controlled rates.

(ii) Dibbling

Dibbling is the process of placing seeds in holes made in the seedbed and closing the seed
with soil. In this method, seeds are placed in holes made at definite depth at fixed spacing.
The equipment used for dibbling is called dibbler. It is a conical shape instrument used to
make proper holes in the field. Small hand dibblers are made with several conical projections
made in a frame. This is very time consuming process, so it is not suitable for small seeds.
Mostly vegetables are sown in this way.

Prepared by
Jeshwin Giftson S P
AP/AGRI
(iii) Seed dropping behind the plough

It is a very common method of sowing followed by farmers in villages. This method is used
for seeds like maize, gram, peas, wheat and barley. A woman/ man walk behind a plough
ploughing the land and drop the seeds in the furrows made by the plough. Sowing behind
the plough can be done by a device known as malobansa . It consists of a bamboo tube
provided with a funnel shaped mouth. It is fitted to the handle of the plough. One man drops
the seeds through the funnel and other man handles the plough and the bullocks. This method
is a slow and laborious method.

(iv) Drilling

Drilling consists of dropping the seeds in furrow lines in a continuous stream and covering
them with soil. The spacing between the seeds is not uniform. Seed metering may be done
either manually or mechanically. The number of rows planted may be one or more. This
method is very helpful in achieving proper depth of sowing, proper spacing between seeds
and proper seed rate. Drilling can be done by using seed drills of tractor drawn and animal
drawn types

(v) Transplanting

Transplanting consists of rising the seedlings in a nursery bed and then planting the seedlings
in another field (main field). It is commonly done for paddy, vegetable and flowers. It is a
time consuming operation. Equipment used for planting the seedlings in the main field is
called transplanter.

(vi) Hill dropping

In this method, few seeds are dropped as a hill at a fixed place and not in a continuous
stream. The spacing between hill to hill in a row is constant. The equipments are called
planters.

(vii) Check row planting

It is a method of planting, in which row-to-row and plant-to-plant distance is uniform. In

this method, seeds are planted precisely along straight parallel furrows. The rows are always
Prepared by
Jeshwin Giftson S P
AP/AGRI
in two perpendicular directions. A machine used for check row planting is called check row
planter.

Crop planting system

● Adaptable to a variety of crops by merely changing seed plates.

● Requires precise row spacing and even spacing of plants within the row
● Planted in rows far enough apart to permit operations of machinery such as
cultivators and harvesters

Planting may be done on the flat surface of a field in furrows, or on beds. Furrow planting(or
lister planting) is widely practiced under semiarid conditions for row crops such as corn,
cotton, and grain sorghum because this system places the seed down into moist soil and
protects the young plants from wind and blowing soil. Bed planting is often practiced in
high-rainfall areas to improve surface drainage. Flat planting generally predominates where
natural moisture conditions are favourable.

Prepared by
Jeshwin Giftson S P
AP/AGRI
 Unit 3
Sowing and fertilizing equipment

Prepared by
Jeshwin Giftson S P
AP/AGRI
 Seed metering

● The device includes a seed disk which contains a plurality of seed containment pockets.
The seed metering device contains a plurality of seed containment pockets that can be
depressurized by imparting a partial vacuum.
● The seed disk sits between a manifold and a housing, and as the disk rotates, seeds are
pressurized and transported to the seed release point where they are released through a
seed release opening.

Seed metering devices will meter the seeds at their

Desired depth

Desired location

Desired pressing

It can be classified into :

Bulk seed metering device

Single seed metering device

A) Bulk seed metering device

1) Stationary orifice with agitator

● Low cost

Prepared by
Jeshwin Giftson S P
AP/AGRI
 ● Size of
the orifice is controlled by sliding plate

● Consequently the seed rate also will be controlled

2) Flute roller

● Widely used in seed drills

● Made of cast iron, aluminium or plastic

● Handles wheat, gram, green gram, soyabean and sorghum seeds

● Seed rate is controlled by exposure length of roller

3) Stud type roller

● Widely used in European design seed drill

● Studs are present on the periphery

● Application rate is changed by multi speed gearbox

4) Rotating drum with orifice type

● Popular for paddy crops

● Consists of a horizontally positioned cylinder drum

● The drums have rows of closely spaced holes punched along the periphery
● Seed rate depends on the size of the holes in the drum

● Seed rate depends on the size of holes in the drum

● Seeds are soaked prior to sowing and then soaked seeds are put into the drums.

● Then the seeds are allowed to fall on the field which posses some amount of moisture
(muddy condition)

● Therefore the seeds can be positioned perfectly at same row to row spacing

● It is possible to get more yield through this device

● This is an effective method compare to energy spent in transplanting

Prepared by
Jeshwin Giftson S P
AP/AGRI
 ● Seed
weed growth is slightly high in this method

B) Single Seeds:

Single seed metering devices that do not have cells are used for all type of corn
seeds. In this twelve spring-loaded cam operated fingers on radial arms rotate,
gripping one or more seeds as they pass through the seed reservoir. One seed is
released as each finger passes over to small indents near top of stationary disk. As
finger continues to rotate it throws the remaining kernels into one of 12 cells in the
adjacent, rotating seed wheel and seed wheel discharge the individual kernels into
furrows.

1) Horizontal plate planter

● It has a spring loaded cut-off device that rides on top of the plate and wipes off excess
seeds as the cell moves beneath it.

● A spring loaded knock-out device pushes the seeds from the cells when they are over
the seed tube.

● Plate has seed holding cups or seed holding locations and that rotates

Prepared by
Jeshwin Giftson S P
AP/AGRI
● The
metering unit has an edge-cell plate with sizes available to fit various kinds of small
vegetable seeds.

● Commonly used for maize

● Wide range of plates with varying size and number of cells are provided for
different seeds

2) Inclined plate metering devices

● This device have cups or cells around the periphery that pass through a seed reservoir
fed under a baffle from the hopper, lift the seeds to top of plate travel and drop them
into delivery tube.

● A stationary brush is provided for more positive unloading.

● Seeds are handled more gently than with horizontal plate unit because there is no
cut-off device.

● Easy construction

● Inclined plate rotates at an angle of about 60 degree with the horizontal

● Plate and surrounding ring are accurately machined to provide uniform cell sizes for
precision metering.

● Commonly used for sowing of legumes, sorghum and peanut

Prepared by
Jeshwin Giftson S P
AP/AGRI
 3)
Vertical-rotor/roller cell metering devices

● This device is used for precision planting of vegetables and sugar-beets.

● Good for small seeds like mustard and jute

● Rotor is positioned vertically at the base of the seed hopper

● Seeds are picked up into the cells and are dropped one by one

● In some units seed tube is omitted and rotor placed as low as possible and
discharge seeds directly into the furrow.

● These units also have seed cups which move up through a shallow seed reservoir,
pick-up single seed, carry them over the top of the circle and discharge them
during the downward travel.

● The vertical plate will have small holes on the periphery

● As this rotates the seeds will be picked up within the cup

● Then the seeds delivery will take place

4) Belt with cell type metering

● It is also another type of precision metering device in which seeds are fit to size.

● Seeds from hopper enter the chamber above the belt through opening and are
maintained at a controlled level.

● As belt moves clockwise, counter-rotating seed repeller pushes back excess seeds
so there is only one in each cell.

● Seeds in cells are conveyed over the base and discharged from belt beneath the
seed repeller wheel.

● Lack of positive unloading device causes some variability in seed spacing.

● Metering holes is provided at equal spacing on an endless belt

● The belt can be changed according to the seed type

Prepared by
Jeshwin Giftson S P
AP/AGRI
5) Cup feed metering device

● It is used where seed damage due to rough mechanical handling is not

desirable

● It’s is applicable for planting of garlic, cloves and sugarcane buds

● Size of the spool depends upon the size of seed

● Seed rate depends on no.of spool and rotational speed

● Size of the cup can be changed depending upon the size of the seeds

Prepared by
Jeshwin Giftson S P
AP/AGRI
 6) Pneumatic metering device

Uses air suction for picking the seeds

Aspirator blower is used to create a pressure of 3-5 kpa in the blower inlet chamber

Blower inlet chamber is connected to the vaccum disc of the planter unit

Seeds are moved up and released when the pocket pass a baffle that cut the vacuum
and drop seed into furrow by gravity

Pneumatic metering device has 99-100% cell fill efficiency, 99-100% single seed
picking efficiency

Less or no damage of seeds

Vacuum Pick-Up Devices

● In this there is a central vacuum pump with valves to each pick-up orifice, seal
between stationary piping and rotating pick-up assembly.

● A stationary cam extends the piston to produce pressure for unloading the seeds
and a spring retracts it to develop the vacuum for seed pick-up.

● Vacuum pick-up devices can perform effectively with small, irregular shaped seeds
like lettuce. These are sensitive to dust and dirt.

Prepared by
Jeshwin Giftson S P
AP/AGRI
 Unit 3
Sowing and fertilizing equipment

Prepared by
Jeshwin Giftson S P
AP/AGRI
TYPES OF FURROW OPENERS

The furrow openers are provided in a seed drill for opening a furrow. The seeds

travel through the seed tube and reach the furrow

Different type of furrow openers are in use

(1) Shovel type

(2) Shoe type

(3) hoe type

4) Disc Type (single disc, double disc)

(1) Shovel Type

Shovel type furrow openers are widely used in seed drills. There are three types

of shovels in use. They are: (a) reversible shovel (b) single point shovel and (c)
spear

head shovel. Shovel type openers are best suited for stony and root infested
fields. The shovels are bolted to the shanks at their bottoms. Boots are fitted at
the back of the shovels which carry the delivery ends of the seed tubes. In
cultivator type seed drills shovel type furrow openers are used.

(2) Shoe Type

It works well in trashy soils where the seed beds are not smoothly prepared. They
are made from two flat pieces of steel welded together to from a cutting edge. It
is specially suited for black soils. Bullock drawn three tyne seed drills are
provided with shoe type furrow openers.

(3) Disc Type

They are two types: (a) Single disc and (b) Double disc types.

Single disc type

Disc type furrow openers are suitable to fields where plant residues or trashes
are used as mulches. It consists of a curved disc made of hardened steel. It is set
at an angle which while working shifts the soil to one side making a small furrow.
Prepared by
Jeshwin Giftson S P
AP/AGRI
Seeds are
placed in the furrows. The disc is kept clean by two scrapers, one toe shaped at
the convex side and one ‘T’ shaped at the concave side. It works well in sticky
soils also, but the discs are costly and maintenance is bit difficult.

Double disc type

In double disc furrow opener there are two flat discs, set at an angle to each other.
The discs open a clean furrow and leave a small ridge in the center. The seeds
are dropped between the two discs, providing more accurate placement. It is
suitable for trashy lands. Seed drills operated at high speeds, usually use this type
of furrow openers.

Furrow closers

These devices fill the furrow by moving the loose soil from the edges of the
furrow to cover the seed. The covering and compacting devices should place the
moist soil over the seed, press the soil gently around the seed, cover them to a
proper depth and yet leave the soil above the seed loose enough to minimize
crusting and promote easy emergence. There are different type of covering and
compacting devices, but these are not integral part of Indian drills. Separate
operations are performed to cover and compact the soil. The brief description of
types of covering and compacting devices are given:

Types of furrow closers

1) Drag or fixed type of covering unit

The drag type covering devices include covering chains, drag bar, scraper blade,
drag roller and wooden planks. These devices are attached behind the drill with
rear of furrow opener/frame of drill and cover the seed. Drag type devices are
used for shallow-seeded crops. The compactness of the soil around the seed will
differ with the weight of the device. The performance is greatly affected by the
amount of loose soil present in immediate vicinity of the device. Some of them
are as follows:

i) Covering paddles: one or two opposing elongated blade like soil deflectors or
scrapers are positioned along the edge of the seeded furrow with curved trailing
ends for moving the soil into the furrow. The paddles may be equipped with
downward forcing springs. The paddles may be 3-6 mm thick, 25-76mm wide
with varying length.

ii) Covering knife: one or two sharp elongated blades placed opposite to each
other on either side of the seeded furrow. The knives may be straight or curved
inward or rearward. The depth can be adjusted as per the requirement. The width

Prepared by
Jeshwin Giftson S P
AP/AGRI
and
thickness of knives may be 50-100mm and 6-12mm, respectively with variable
length and curvature.

iii) Covering chains: Chains of various length and design can be used as seed
covering device. It drags the available loose soil along the edges of seeded furrow
to cover the seed. The covering chain may be a loop type, both ends of chain
connected behind the furrow openers or trailing type which has multiple chain
links dragging over seeded furrow.

Rolling type disc

Rolling type disc are as follows:

i) Covering disc: These are rolling type furrow covering and firming devices. It
is of two types namely, single disc type and double disc type. Single covering
disc consists of a single sharp, flat or concave disc positioned upright at an angle
from the direction of movement at the side of seeded furrow. Soil cutting and
moving over furrow is adjusted by changing the angle and depth. The thickness
and diameter of the disc blade varies 3-10mm and 15-300mm respectively.
Double covering disc has two opposed disc blades positioned evenly or in
staggered manner on each side of the seeded furrow to cover the seed in the
furrow. Pressure applied at seed level in range of 34.47 to 68.95 kPa (5-10 psi)
on the soil help Improved emergence when adequate moisture is available below
the seed.

ii) Press wheel: These are also known as seed furrow closure and firming devices
and are positioned to follow the furrow openers. The soil firming wheels have
positive effect on soil compaction and seed germination. These are wheels of
different width, diameter and are arranged with or without scrapers. It moves the
soil laterally to cover the seed and apply surface pressure on one or both sides of
the furrow either in vertical plane or at an angle to the vertical to firm the soil
over or around the seed. These wheels may be fixed type or floating type with
ballast or spring loaded. The press wheel diameter may vary from 305-660 mm.
press wheels of various types such as flat face, open in the the centre, concave in
the centre, zero pressure pneumatic press wheels are commonly used as
compacting devices. No soil built up takes place when rubber wheel is used
reducing seed displacement in furrow.

The types of press wheels are:

a) Wide press wheel: It is a single semi-pneumatic or steel wheel having width

more than 100mm and positioned over the centre of the row

b) Ribbed press wheel: It is a single semi-pneumatic or steel wheel with one or

two circumference ribs in the centre. Single ribbed wheel concentrate soil firming
Prepared by
Jeshwin Giftson S P
AP/AGRI
directly
over the seeded furrow whereas double ribbed press wheel firm the soil on each
side of the seeded furrow.

c) Narrow press wheel : It is a single semi-pneumatic or steel wheel narrower

than 100mm and centered over the seeded row and may have v-shaped or
rounded surface. Wheels with v-shaped circumference firm the soil directly over
the seed whereas rounded circumference wheel firms the soil over the width of
wheels.

d) Dual angled press wheels: In this case two wheels are positioned at an angle
less than 30 degree from vertical towards the opposing wheels at the bottom. The
wheels may be directly opposed or staggered to reduce blockage

e) Split narrow pre wheels: Two narrow vertical steel wheels positioned closely
on a common axle to firm the soil on each side of the seeded furrow. The surface
of the wheel may be flat, inward angles or outward angled.

f) Dual wide press wheels: These have two wide vertical steel wheels fixed on
a common axle and are spaced wide enough. It is used to avoid furrow
compaction and wheel sinkage.

Prepared by
Jeshwin Giftson S P
AP/AGRI
 Unit 3
Sowing and fertilizing equipment

Prepared by
Jeshwin Giftson S P
AP/AGRI
Seed Drill
A seed drill is a device or an agricultural tool that helps in sowing the seeds for a crop by
metering or measuring the seeds and placing them in the soil at the appropriate depth and
distance. It covers them with soil to a particular average depth, preventing birds from eating
the seeds by covering them with mud. Sowing with agricultural seed drills can increase crop
productivity while also saving time and effort.

The use of a seed drill greatly boosts the average crop output. No-till planters are drill
devices that are used to meter out seeds for planting. A system that takes up seeds from a
seedbox and plants them down a tube is developed in the concept. Disc seed drills are a type
of agricultural technology that can also be used to disperse fertilizer on the ground. A seed
drill with a mechanical seed metering system is made up of the following components: (I)
the frame (ii) the seedbox (iii) the covering device (iv) the transport wheels.

Let’s break down each of these components.

1. Frame - The frame of the seed drill is usually made of angle iron along with a suitable
cover. The frame is made strong enough to handle all the types of loads which come with
the working condition.

2. Seed box - It can be composed of a mild steel sheet or galvanized iron with the appropriate
cover. To keep seeds from clogging, a tiny agitator is occasionally included.

3. Covering device - It's a tool for filling a furrow after the seed has been planted. Patti,
chains, drag, packers, rollers, or press wheels are commonly used to cover the seeds. They
come in a variety of sizes and shapes.

4. Transport wheel - The main axle is equipped with two wheels. Pneumatic wheels are
also available on some seed drills. The wheels are equipped with the necessary
attachments to convey power to the seed-dropping mechanism

A seed drill machine is of great help to farmers as it can handle multiple functions:

i) To transport the seeds: Seed drill machines come equipped with a seed hopper that
serves as a storage container for seeds. The machine is responsible for carrying the seeds
from the storage location (such as bags or bins) to the field where they need to be sown. The
seed hopper can hold a significant quantity of seeds, allowing the machine to cover large
areas without frequent refilling.
Prepared by
Jeshwin Giftson S P
AP/AGRI
ii) To meter
the seeds: Seed drill machines have a seed metering mechanism that controls the rate of
seed flow from the seed hopper to the planting mechanism. The metering mechanism ensures
that a consistent and precise amount of seeds is released at regular intervals as the machine
moves through the field. This helps achieve uniform seed distribution, which is crucial for
even germination and plant growth.

iii) To open the furrow to a regular depth: Seed drill machines are equipped with discs or
coulters that create furrows or trenches in the soil at a regular depth. The depth is adjustable,
allowing farmers to set the optimal planting depth based on the type of seed and soil
conditions. This feature ensures that the seeds are placed at the right depth, which is essential
for successful germination and establishment of the plants.

iv) Cover the seeds and compact the earth around them: After the seeds are dropped into
the furrows, seed drill machines are designed to cover them with soil. Some machines have
specific components like seed tubes or press wheels that gently cover the seeds with soil
while also compacting the earth around them.

v) Place the seed in furrows in an acceptable arrangement: Seed drill machines are
designed to ensure proper seed spacing and arrangement within the furrows. The seed
metering mechanism and the precise placement of the furrows help achieve the desired seed
spacing, preventing overcrowding and facilitating optimal plant growth. Proper seed
arrangement also allows for efficient use of resources and maximizes the yield potential of
the crop.

Advantage of a seed drill

Precise and uniform seed placement: Seed cum fertilizer drill machines use a metering
mechanism to dispense seeds at regular intervals and a consistent depth. This ensures even
seed distribution across the field, leading to uniform germination and plant growth.

- With accurate seed metering, seed drill machines help optimize seed usage. Farmers can
avoid over-seeding and reduce seed wastage, resulting in cost savings and improved crop
yields.

- Seed cum fertilizer drill machines automate the process of sowing seeds, reducing the need
for manual labour. They cover large areas quickly and efficiently, saving valuable time
during planting operations.

Prepared by
Jeshwin Giftson S P
AP/AGRI
- Seed cum fertilizer drill machine creates furrows and place seeds directly into them,
minimizing soil disturbance compared to traditional broadcasting methods. This helps retain
soil structure, reduces erosion, and preserves soil health.

- Many seed drill machines are designed as fertilizer drills as well, allowing simultaneous
application of seeds and fertilizers in one pass, saving time and money.

- Proper seed-to-soil contact is achieved by the seed drill's covering and pressing wheels
enhances seed germination and improves the chances of successful crop establishment.

- It helps create an environment that reduces weed competition as appropriate depth and
space between seeds can be maintained.

- It improves water utilization as the accurate placement of seeds and proper soil coverage
leads to minimize evaporation and water runoff.

- It encourages enhanced crop yields by proper seed placement resulting in optimal growing
conditions.

Disadvantage of a seed drill

While a seed drill is a great machine to own to promote optimal seed placements and growth,
it's not free from disadvantages. It has evident downsides like:

They are expensive machinery to purchase which may pose a financial challenge for small-
scale or resource-constrained farmers.

They require regular maintenance and occasional repairs. These maintenance costs can add
up over time and become huge.

It only performs expectedly under certain soil and weather conditions. It’s not useful in very
rocky or heavily compacted soils. Hence, it’s not meant for everyone.

Seed cum fertilizer drill machines are most effective when used in fields that have been
properly ploughed or prepared. They may not perform as well in fields with significant crop
residues or debris.

While seed drills are versatile, there may be better options for some types of crops. Some
crops, such as small-seeded or irregularly shaped ones, may require specialized planting
equipment.

Proper operation of seed drill machines requires training and skill. Inexperienced users
may not achieve optimal results in term.

Prepared by
Jeshwin Giftson S P
AP/AGRI
Strip-drill

It consists of a standard seed drill with a rotary attachment mounted in the front. The rotary
system has C-type blades, which prepare a 75 mm wide strip in the front of every furrow
opener. Thus with every row, 125 mm of the strip is left untilled and only 40 percent of area
is tilled. Tilling and sowing is done simultaneously.

Uses:

It is used for sowing wheat after paddy without any prior seed bed preparation. It can save
50-60 % fuel and 65-75 % time as compared to conventional method The machine also helps
in increasing the yield because of timely sowing of crop.

Features:

Zero-till-drill consists of frame, seed box, fertilizer box, seed metering mechanism, fertilizer
metering mechanism’, seed tubes, furrow opener seed/fertilizer adjusting mechanism and
transport cum power transmitting wheel. The frame is made from mild steel box section.
The tynes are mounted with the help of clamps, to obtain infinite row spacing. The main
difference between zero-till drill and conventional drill is that it has inverted T-type furrow
opener fixed on the tynes instead of reversible shovels type furrow openers. The main
advantage of inverted t-type furrow openers is non formation of clods, lower draft
requirement and easier penetration in the soil.

Uses:

Zero-till-drill
Prepared by
Jeshwin Giftson S P
AP/AGRI
These are used
for sowing wheat crop in unprepared field after harvesting of paddy.

Mounted rice seed drill

It is an attachment the commercially available tractor mounted cultivator for direct sowing
of paddy in dry land conditions. The direct seeder consists of seed box, seed metering disc,
ground wheel, cultivator shovel, furrow closer, clutch lever, power drive system, and frame.
The seed metering mechanism consists of discs fitted with cups mounted close to its
periphery. During operation, discs rotate, the cup pick up rice seeds

The procedure of testing the seed drill for correct seed rate is called calibration of seed drill.
It is necessary to calibrate the seed drill before putting it in actual use to find the desired
seed rate. It is done to get the pre determined seed rate of the machine. The following steps
are followed for calibration of seed drill.

Procedure:
Prepared by
Jeshwin Giftson S P
AP/AGRI
i. Determine the
nominal width (W) of seed drill .

W = M x S,

Where, M = Number of furrow openers

S = Spacing between the openers, m

ii. Find the length of the strip (L) having nominal width (W) necessary to cover 1/25 ha (1
/25 x 10000 m2).

L = 400/W, meter

iii. Determine the number of revolutions (N) of the ground wheel of the seed drill required
to cover the length of the strip (L).

L = P x D x N = 400/W

N = 400/P x D x W revolutions per minute

iv. Jack the seed drill so that the ground wheels turn freely. Make a mark on the drive wheel
and a corresponding mark at a convenient place on the body of the drill to help in counting
the revolutions of the ground wheel.

v. Fill the selected seed in the seed hopper. Place a container under each boot for collecting
the seeds dropped from the hopper.

vi. Set the seed rate control adjustment for maximum position and mark this position on the
control for reference.

vii. Engage the clutch and rotate the ground wheel for N = 400/P x D x N, revolutions per
minute.

viii. Weigh the quantity of seed collected in the container and record the observation.

ix. Calculate the seed rate in kg/ha.

x. If the calculated seed rate is higher or lower than the desired rate of selected crop, repeat
the process by adjusting the seed rate control adjustment till the desired seed rate is obtained.

Prepared by
Jeshwin Giftson S P
AP/AGRI
Problem 1:

Calculate the cost of seeding one hectare of land with bullock drawn seed drill of 5 x 22 cm
size. The speed of bullocks is 3 km/hr. Hire charge of bullocks Rs.200/- per pair, hire charges
of seed drill Rs.50/- per day and wage of operator Rs.150/- per day of 8 hours.

Solution:

Width of seed drill = 5x22 = 110 cm = 1.1 m

Area covered/hr = width x speed = 1.1 x 3x1000 m = 0.33 ha

Time taken/ha = 1/0.33 = 3.03 hrs.

Hiring cost of per hour = 200+50+150/8 = Rs 50.

Cost of seeding per hectare = 3.03 x 50= Rs. 151.50

Planter

A planter is an agricultural farm implement that is used for planting seeds that are larger in
size and cannot be used by usual seed drills.

Parts of a planter
A planter consists of hopper, seed metering device, knock out arrangement, cut-off
mechanism, furrow opener and other accessories.

Hopper

A planter has seed hopper for each row. Hopper is usually made of mild steel or any other
suitable material.

Seed metering device in a planter

There are a number of seed metering devices in a planter but the most common device
consist of a rotating plate at the bottom of seed hoppers. In some planters, vertical rotors as
well as inclined rotors are also used.
The most common is the horizontal seed plate used in planters. The horizontal seed plates
have got suitable notches or holes called cell. Depending upon the type of notches on the
plates, it is of three types.

Prepared by
Jeshwin Giftson S P
AP/AGRI
(i) Edge drop
(ii) Flat drop
(iii) Hill drop.

The edge drop carries the seed on edge in the cell of the plate. The flat drop carries
the seed on a flat in the cell of the plate. Only one seed is allowed in the cell at each
time. In hill drop, the cells round the edge of the plate are large enough to admit
several seeds at a time.
The rotating plate receives the seeds from the hopper.

Cut off mechanisms

The plate moves under an arrangement called cut-off which allows only those seeds which
are accommodated in the cells. Cut-off mechanism cuts-off or brushes out excess seeds from
the cells of the feed mechanism.

Knock out arrangement

This mechanism is a device which knocks out the seeds from the cells or picker heads of
the mechanism. It consists of rollers, star wheels or rounded points which are forced into
the cells by the pressure of a spring and eject seeds out of the cells.
The spacing of seeds or hills in the row is determined by the ratio of linear or peripheral
speed of the cells to the forward speed of the planter and by the distance between the cells
in the metering unit.

Prepared by
Jeshwin Giftson S P
AP/AGRI
 Unit 3
Sowing and fertilizing equipment

Prepared by
Jeshwin Giftson S P
AP/AGRI
PLANTER
The accuracy of the planter depends upon several factors such as:

(i) speed of seed plate

(ii) shape and size of cells
(iii) shape of hopper bottom and
(iv) uniformity of seed size.

Planter is usually used for those seeds which are required to be sown at equal intervals
between plant to plant.

Types of Planters

Planters can give different types of precision and distribution patterns depending upon
which of the following machines is being used.

Regular drill planter

Check-row planter

Hill drop planter

Regular drill planter

1 In the regular drill-planter, the seeds are individually picked from the hopper by a
circular plate and they are released in the shank to be delivered by gravity to the bottom of
the furrow, Figure 2. With this planter the bouncing of seeds against the shank and the soil
creates some variability in the seed spacing.

Check-row planter

In check-row planting, plants line up crossways for cross-cultivation. It facilitates weed

control in wet years when weeds may get as high as the corn before the first cultivation is
possible.

Chemical weed control has reduced the need for check-row planting to control weeds.

The check-row planter picks the seed from the hopper in the same way the regular drill does,
but they are accumulated in the shank valve before being deposited in the furrow. The valve
is operated by a check-wire which is held at the ends of the field by two anchor stakes
Prepared by
Jeshwin Giftson S P
AP/AGRI
 Every time the
operator reaches the end of the field, he has to turn the tractor into the next row, move the
anchor stake and place the wire in the check head.

A serious disadvantage of check-row planting is the extra time required to handle the wire
and move the stakes.

With the advent of quick-hybrid corn, high application rates of starter fertilizer, and chemical
weed control, the cross cultivation advantage is now not very important.

Hill drop planter

It is a check-planter using an automatic valve tripping mechanism instead of check-wire. It

offers the same advantages of check planting without presenting the greatest disadvantage
of the extra time and labor required for planting. Hill-drop and check planters must be
equipped with valves. The upper, located immediately below the seed plate, collects the
number of kernels for one hill.

The lower valve, located just above the soil surface in the boot, re-groups the kernels and
ejects them into the furrow

Potato Planter

● Planting equipment for commercial crop like Potatoes were considered essential due to
excessive labour requirements in traditional methods of planting these tubers and, therefore,
few machines have been developed and commercialized.
● Potato tubers are planted either on flat bed or on ridgers or in small furrows depending upon
the soil types and moisture content of soils. While planting potato tubers on flats or in
furrows, the ridging operation is carried out at later dates.
● In improved method of potato planting, fertilizers are placed at the time of planting at a depth
greater than that of the tubers. An improved potato planter cum fertilizer applicator is meant
for drilling the fertilizer, dropping of tubers on flat surface and subsequently covering those
with soils making a small ridge in one operation.
● However, the machine has not become a commercial unit for a wide spread acceptance.
Tractor operated potato planter-cum-cultivator is a commercial machine. It is used for
planting tubers with 60 cm spacing of rows. However, the plant to plant spacing can be
adjusted between 20 and 45 cm distance.
● The graded tubers of 2.5 to 4 cm size weighing 50-60 gm each are suitable for machine
planting. By removing the hopper, the furrow opener and power transmitting mechanism,
the machines suits well for earthing operations. Ridgers are so adjusted that earthing
operation suits the row spacing.

Potato planter have two types of potato dropping mechanisms namely

i.) automatic and ii). Semi-automatic

POTATO PLANTER (AUTOMATIC SEED DROPPING)
Prepared by
Jeshwin Giftson S P
AP/AGRI
The automatic
potato planter consists of a hopper for each row and cups with chain drive mechanism. The
graded potatoes are picked up by the cups and carried to furrow opener spout and released
in the furrows. A feeder roller connected to the compensating tray which carrying spare
potatoes checks up each cup. If a cup is found empty, a potato is released from
compensating tray ensuring uniform seed spacing with no missing .The fertiliser and
pesticide can also be placed simultaneously. It can plant in 2-4 rows. Capacity is 6000-
14000 potatoes /hr

POTATO PLANTER ( SEMI-AUTOMATIC)

It is used for planting of potatoes. The semi automatic potato planter consists of a hopper ,
metering disc and furrow openers. The fertilizer application unit can be attached
separately. The potatoes from the hopper are placed in the metering disc which contains
several compartments. The metering disc is rotated by gear drive mechanism. The ridges
are formed by the furrow openers .The potatoes drop in the furrows due to gravity. It may
plant in 2-4 rows. Field capacity is 0.15-0.35 ha/hr

Sugarcane planter
It is used for planting sugarcane sets. Desired spacing between row to row and plant to plant
is maintained for sugarcane planting. The fertilizer and chemical pesticides can be applied
simultaneously. The machine consists of a hopper, two rotating distributor discs, two
fertilizer hoppers, pesticide tank with a distribution value and two furrow openers. All these
components are mounted on a frame and two wheels. Seed distributor box and applicator are
powered from ground wheel through a set of roller chains and gears. Two persons are
required to put sets in seed rotor manually from hopper. Machine is mounted on a tractor.
Output may be 0.6 ha/h and it requires 4-6 men for field operations.
Cuts sugarcane into setts, makes furrow, plant cut sett in furrows, cover the planted sett
with soil and apply fertilizer in a single operation

Adjustable depth of planting

Vertical adjustment for ridgers is provided

High quality and durable planter makes sugarcane planting efficient, faster and cost
effective

Saves 50% cost on planting compared to traditional manual planting

Field capacity 2-3 acres per day

Prepared by
Jeshwin Giftson S P
AP/AGRI
Fertilizer Metering Device

Types of fertilizer metering device

Variable orifice type

This type of metering unit is most commonly used in Indian drills. The fertilizer hopper
has a fixed opening either circular or diamond shape. The later is most preffered shape
of the hole. Just under the hopper bottom, a sliding mild steel flat section having similar
shape and size of holes, as in the hopper bottom is used. This flat can be slided to either
side with the help of a lever provided in the centre of it. While sliding it, the holes in
the flat and hopper bottom coincide. Depending upon the percentage of hole area
coinciding with each other, the fertilizer is dropped through it under the gravity. An
agitator is provided just above each hole in hopper bottom which agitates the fertilizer
while rotating. This helps in free flow of fertilizer without any blockage of holes. The
speed of agitator is normally constant, but the size of opening is varied to regulate the
fertilizer application rate.

Star wheel mechanism

In this type of metering device, the fertilizer is metertd with the help of a horizontal
plate resembling like a star. Fertilizer is carried between two adjacent teeth of star
wheel up to a delivery tube which has opening in the fertilizer hopper bottom. The
fertilizer drops through this delivery tube under gravity. An adjustable gate is provided

Prepared by
Jeshwin Giftson S P
AP/AGRI
over the star
wheel. The application rate is controlled by raising or lowering the gate, speed of
rotation of star wheel and the quantity of fertilizer carried by individual teeth.

Auger type metering mechanism

In this type of metering unit screw type auger is fitted in a close casing. The fertilizer
is fed at one end of the auger and is delivered at the other end. The shaft of the auger is
rotated at a constant speed, which in turn pushes the fertilizer from one end to delivery
point. Fertilizer from delivery end is dropped under gravity through the fertilizer tube.
The speed of rotation of the auger control the rate of fertilizer to be applied.

Vertical rotor with cells

This type of fertilizer metering device is more common nowadays on the drills/planters.
In this a vertical rotor generally made of cast iron is used which has cells/grooves on
its periphery. It is rotated through a suitable drive in a feed hopper. The feed hopper
receives the fertilizer from the main or primary hopper located just over it through a
pipe. The primary hopper can be raised up or lowered down to regulate the flow of
fertilizer from main hopper to feed hopper. This in turn increase or decrease the
quantity of fertilizer in the feed hopper affecting the discharge rate. The fertilizer is
discharged in a funnel fitted at the discharge end of the rotor. As the rotor rotates, the
cells on the periphery are filled itself and fertilizer is delivered at the other end into the
funnel. Fertilizer rate can be varied by speed of rotation of the rotor as well as by raising
or lowering the primary hopper.

Seed cum fertilizer drill

Seed drills fitted with fertilizer dropping attachments are called seed-cum-fertilizer
drills, They deliver both the seeds and fertilizers simultaneously in an acceptable
pattern. Seed cum fertilizer drill has a large seed box which is divided lengthwise into
two compartments, one for seed and another for fertilizers distribution.

Functions of a seed cum fertilizer drill :

Seed cum fertilizer drill performs the following functions

To carry the seeds and fertilizer in separate compartments.

To open furrows at uniform depths

To meter the seeds and fertilizers

To deposit the seed and fertilizer in the furrows in an acceptable pattern

Prepared by
Jeshwin Giftson S P
AP/AGRI
To cover the
seed and fertilizer and compact the soil around the seed.

COMPONENTS OF A SEED DRILL

A seed drill with mechanical seed metering device mainly consists of:

(i) Frame (ii) Seed box (iii) Seed metering mechanism (iv)drive transmission system v)
Furrow openers (vi) Covering device (vii) clutch viii) hitch frame and ix) Transport
wheels.

Frame

The frame is usually made of mild steel angle section and flats . It is strong enough to
withstand all types of loads in working condition. All other parts of a seed drill are
fitted to the frame

Seed box

It is a box like structure made up of either mild steel or galvanized iron and provided
with a lid. In some designs a small agitator is provided at the bottom of the box which
agitates the seeds while the drill in operation and prevents clogging of seeds. Seed
metering mechanism is placed at the bottom of the box.

Seed metering mechanism

The mechanism which picks up seeds from the seed box and delivers them in to the
seed tube is called seed metering mechanism. Seed metering mechanism may be of
several types: (a) Fluted feed type (b) Internal double run type (c) Cup feed type (d)
Cell feed type (e) Brush feed type (f) Auger feed type (g) Picker wheel type and (h)
Star wheel type. Usually seed metering mechanism is provided at the bottom of the
box.

Drive transmission system

The drive transmission mechanism consists of a wheel, sprocket-chain assembly and a

driven shaft thatcarry the seed picking discs. When the seed drill moves in the field, the
drive wheel rotates due to its contact with soil and the sprocket wheel also rotes. The
chain connecting the drive wheel sprocket and driven wheel sprocket rotates the shaft
carrying the seed metering discs.

Furrow openers

Prepared by
Jeshwin Giftson S P
AP/AGRI
These are the
parts which open up furrows in the soil for placing the seeds. Different types of furrow
openers in use namely 1. Hoe type 2. Shoe type 3. Stub runner type 4. Full or curved
runner type 5. Single disc type 5. Double disc type etc. In cultivator type seed drills
the tines work as furrow openers.

Covering device or furrow closer

It is a device which closes the furrow with soil after the seed has been dropped in it.
Covering the seeds is usually done by chains, bars, packers, rollers or press wheels,
designed in various shapes and .sizes

Transport wheel

There are two wheels fitted on an axle for transporting the drill on roads. Iron wheels
are used as transport wheels . Some manufacturers use pneumatic wheels. One of the
transport wheels is fitted with a suitable attachment to transmit the motion of the wheel
to the seed metering mechanism when the drill is in operation.

Paddy transplanter

Transplanter is equipment used for transplanting mat type paddy seedlings in the main
field. It is suitable for all types of paddy varieties grown by transplanting. Both
manually operated and mechanically operated transplanters are available. Before
transplanting, the field has to be puddled well and allowed for one or two days for
consolidation of soil so that the machine can work with out sinkage. The rice
transplanter consists of prime mover, transmission, engine, float, lugged wheels,
seedling tray, seedling tray shifter, pickup fork and pickup fork cleaner. It is a walk
behind type rice transplanter using mat type nursery and it transplants the seedling
uniformly without damaging them. The planting depth and hill-to-hill spacing can be
adjusted. Automatic depth control helps in maintaining uniform planting depth. The
machine has safety clutch mechanism, which prevents break down of planting device
from the impact against stones in the field. For operation, the machine is transported to
the field and mat type nursery is loaded in the tray of the transplanter. The machine is
put in transplanting mode and operated in the puddle field. The performance of the
transplanter is checked within 2-3 m of travel for transplanted seedlings for hill-to-hill
distance, depth of placement and number of seedling per hill. If the transplanting is in
order the machine is operated in normal transplanting operation.

MANUAL RICE PLANTER

The machine consists of a seedling tray, six numbers of forks, handle and skids. By
pressing the handle, the forks pick-up the seedlings and plant them in 6 rows. For every
stroke of the handle the seedling tray moves sideways for uniform picking of seedlings
by the forks. The operator has to pull the machine after finishing planting in a row. The
row to row spacing is 200 mm. Plant to plant spacing can be set as per space
Prepared by
Jeshwin Giftson S P
AP/AGRI
recommendation by pulling the unit manually to the required distance. It can cover 0.25
ha/ day. Two men labour are required one for pulling the unit and another for
transporting the mat seedlings. It saves time and money when compared to manual
transplanting

SELF PROPELLED PADDY TRANSPLANTER

The self propelled paddy transplanter consists of (i) Air cooled gasoline engine (ii)
Main clutch (iii) Running clutch (iv) Planting clutch (v) Seedling table (vi) Float (vii)
Star wheel (viii) Accelerator lever (ix) Ground wheel (x) Handle (xi) Four bar linkage
mechanism etc.

The planter is powered by a 1.2-1,8 HP petrol engine. Operation The mat seedlings of
age 15-20 days are used for machine planting. Mats are placed on the seedling table.
After starting the engine, the running clutch and planting clutch are operated. Four bar
linkage mechanism picks up 3 or 4 seedlings in each fork at a time from the mat and
plant them in the puddled soil. A fiber glass float supports the machine on the soil while
working in the field. Two ground wheels driven by the gear box moves the unit. There
is a marker which demarcates the transplanting width while in operation. The machine
maintains a row to row spacing of 28 cm to 30 cm and plant to plant spacing of 14 to
16 cm. The planting capacity of the machine is about 0.05 to 0.1 hectare per hour Power
requirement is about 1.2 to 1.8 HP petrol engine. It saves time and money when
compared to manual transplanting.

NURSERY TRAY MACHINE

Nursery tray machines is used to sow the seeds in proper way & to reduce human efforts.
For seed sowing, earlier there was traditional method, thereafter various mechanisms were
invented and implemented. But local nurseries are still using the traditional way of plantation
and seed sowing. As manual seed sowing in trays is a tiresome job which results in more
time consumption. There may be chances of dropping more than one seed at a time by human
operator. This leads to the wastage of seeds and improper growth of the seeds in single hole
of tray. So proposed systems helps to minimize the human efforts involved in plantation and
save the time. This will give effective plantation with less effort. Method of Operation

A. Roller Type

Considering the problem of local nurseries, at first, the Roller type of mechanism is
proposed for proper plantation and sowing of seeds. The proposed mechanism meets the
requirement of the local nurseries & farmers and will operate effectively.

The mechanism shown in the above figure, gives the overall structure of the roller type seed
sowing machine. Roller is used to compact the seed in the tray holes, then the tray is indexed
towards the vacuum system for seed sowing.

Prepared by
Jeshwin Giftson S P
AP/AGRI
Compression:
After filling the trays, the seed in the holes should be compressed in order to create the small
size holes for seeds. These small holes are required for the proper growing of the seeds in
the tray. For the purpose of punching small holes & compression of seed in the tray, the
tapered section on the roller is provided. Arrangement between tray & roller is provided in
such a way that the tapered section on roller should match with holes of the tray.

Nozzle assembly : The assembly is made by mounting 8 nozzles on a hollow rectangular

bar at the desired spacing. A positioning system for the nozzle assembly is also provided to
pick up the seeds by the nozzles. Nozzles pick up seeds from the seed vibrating bucket and
drop them in tray holes. The rotating motion to the vacuum nozzle system is given by the
electrical motor. The electrical supply was given to the nozzle assembly to facilitate its
retraction to the original position.

3. Seed Singulation and Pickup System: Singulation of seeds and their pickup by the nozzles
is accomplished by a vacuum-based pneumatic system. It consists of a vacuum pump, a
pressure regulating valve, and airflow direction valve and air pipes.

B. Ram Type

At first we need to fill the tray with the required amount of seed from the seed box After
filling the trays with required amount of seeds we need to punch the holes in the cavities of
the tray. For the purpose of punching holes in the tray, herein we are using different method
for it. The bottom part of it is having exact cross section as that of the tray, such that when
the vertical ram is forced to punch holes exact replica is produced. For the purpose of doing
this, same vacuum injection system is adopted. It wholly works with the pneumatic system.
Thus when the punching is done, tray moves in forward direction where the vacuum injection
system is provided. When tray is passing through the vacuum system, the injections attached
to the horizontal column pick up the seeds and releases it in the punched holes. Thus proper
sowing of seed is done by the vacuum injection seeder

Prepared by
Jeshwin Giftson S P
AP/AGRI