Print Report

Manually Operated Seed Sowing Machine For Sorghum

II SHRI RAM II

ABSTRACT

India is widely known in the world for its agricultural activities. Farming is one of the

important commercial businesses. Still in our country enough importance is not given

to the improvements in the agricultural field. The traditional methods of farming are

not able to satisfy all the need of the farmers effectively. The current growth in the

agriculture sector is not very satisfactory as compared to other sectors. The farmers

are much dependant on bullocks or tractors and are unable to bear up with its

increasing cost. Hence we can see large number of suicide cases of farmers now days.

Thus there is need to mechanize this sector with the least possible cost.

This project attempts to introduce a modern technology that can be proved

to be effective in seed sowing operation. It is observed that the conventional method

requires bullock and skilled operator during peak season for sowing the seed in the

right quantity at right distance. Thus, the necessity of skilled operator increases the

overall cost of this operation. Hence we are developing a “Low Cost Manually

Operated Seed and Fertilizer Drill for Sorghum ”; as in the Solapur district Rabi

Sorghum is taken on the large scale.

Sowing, planting and transplanting are basic and one of the most

important farming operations. The placement of seed and fertilizer at proper depth in

the soil and placement of fertilizer is very important as far as germination of seed is

concerned. Here fertilizer should not be placed over the seed to avoid chemical injury

to the seed which affects its germination. It is also essential to keep the plant

population optimum in the field to have maximum yield. To achieve the maximum

output, it is necessary to place seeds at desired spacing and depth by avoiding the

wastage of the seeds by using it in right quantity.

This seed and fertilizer drill attempts to fulfill the voids in the traditional

methods of sowing operations by taking care of major variable factors.

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INTRODUCTION

1.1 Sorghum cultivation in India: -

Sorghum is the most important crop in Maharashtra occupying the highest

area of 55 lakh hectares with 36 per cent of the total cropped area under cultivation.

Sorghum is grown both in Kharif and Rabi seasons. There is more area in Rabi season

(about 32 lakh hectares than in Kharif about 23 lakh hectares).

Sorghum popularly known as Sorghum is the most important food and fodder

crop of dry land agriculture. In India, sorghum is eaten by human either by breaking

the grain and cooking it in the same way as rice or by grinding it into flour and

preparing ‘Bhakaries’. Generally the colour of Sorghum grains is pearly white and

very attractive Bhakari (Bread) prepared from Sorghum grains is very tasty and

relished by rural people, particularly by the farming community. It is good for health

also. Sorghum fodder is also nutritious and commonly fed to farm and dairy animals.

This grain is also fed to cattle, poultry and swine. Sorghum grain contains about 10-12

per cent protein, 3 per cent fat and 70 per cent carbohydrates; therefore, it can

satisfactorily replace other grains in the feeding programme for dairy cattle, poultry

and swine. Its industrial use has tremendous scope. Cultivation of Sorghum is mainly

concentrated in peninsular and central India. Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra

Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh (the Bundelkhand

region) and Tamil Nadu are the major Sorghum-growing states. Other states grow

sorghum in small areas primarily for fodder.

1) Season: -

Sorghum can be grown under a wide range of climatic conditions although

ideally it requires warm climate. It is grown from sea level to as high as 1500 meters.

Sorghum plants can tolerate high temperatures throughout their life cycle better than

any other cereal crop. It can tolerate drought conditions very well because it remains

dormant during moisture stress conditions but resumes growth when favorable

conditions reappear. It has a low transpiration ratio and a large number of fibrous

roots. It can also tolerate waterlogging conditions better than any other cereal except

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rice. Therefore, sorghum can be grown successfully in areas having an average annual

rainfall between 600 and 1000 mm. It is grown as a kharif crop in northern India. In

western and southern parts of the country it is grown as a rabi crop. The minimum

temperature for the germination of sorghum seeds is 7-10 Degree Celsius. It needs

about 26-30 Degree Celsius temperature for its optimum growth. Sorghum is a short

day plant. Flowering is hastened by short days and delayed by long days. The time of

heading in sorghum is influenced by temperature as well as photo-period. Sorghum

varieties vary in their sensitivity to both temperature and photo-period.

2) Soils: -

Sorghum is grown in a variety of soils in India. Soils with clay loam or loam

texture, having good water retention capacity are best suited for sorghum cultivation.

It does not thrive in sandy soils but does better on heavier soils. It does well in pH

range of 6.0-8.5 as it tolerates considerable salinity and alkalinity. The black cotton

soils of Central India are very good for its cultivation.

3) Cultivation: -

Sorghum seed should be drilled in a well prepared seedbed free from weeds.

The first ploughing should be done with soil turning plough so that 20-25 centimeter

deep soil may become loose. It should be followed by two to three harrowings or

three to four inter-crossing ploughings with country plough. Thereafter planking

should be done to break the clods and to level the field. In black cotton soil area, if the

land is badly infected with weeds, ploughing followed by harrowings is usually

practiced, but where land is free from weeds or with few weeds, the land is cultivated

only with bakhar (blade harrow).The seed should be purchased from a reliable source.

It is advisable to always use certified seed. If seed is not already treated, it should be

treated with chemicals like Thiram or Agro-san G. N. at the rate of 3 gm per kg seed.

In case of hybrids, new hybrid seeds should be used every year.

4) Sowing: -

8-16 kg seed per hectare is considered sufficient to ensure a good stand. There

should be 1,11,000 plants per hectare to attain maximum yield. The seed should be

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sown in rows 45 centimeter apart. Plant to plant distance should be 20 centimeter.

Seed should be sown at a depth of 3-4 centimeters. It should not be sown more than 5

centimeters deep in any case. In Northern India sorghum is sown either by

broadcasting or in rows behind the plough. Seeds of new hybrids and varieties should

always be sown in lines for obtaining higher yield. Sowing in rows is common in

black cotton soil. In northern India sorghum is sown only in Kharif season. In

irrigated areas, first week of July has been found most suitable for sowing of most

hybrids, and improved varieties. Under un-irrigated conditions, sowing should be

done preferably within one week of the onset of first monsoon showers. Timely

planted crop escapes the damages due to shoot fly and midge. Late planting may not

fit well in multiple rotations.Rabi sowing is done mainly in Maharashtra, Karnataka

and Andhra Pradesh. Rabi sowing should be done from the second fortnight of

September to the middle of October. Summer crop of sorghum is sown in the month

of January and February in irrigated areas of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and some

areas of Karnataka.

5) Fertilizer Management: -

As sorghum removes nutrients in heavy amount from the soil it requires heavy

doses of fertilizers. Manure and fertilizers both play important roles in the sorghum

cultivation. In the rain fed areas, application of farm yard manure or compost at the

rate of 10 to 15 tones per hectare improves the water holding capacity and microbial

activities in the soil, besides providing essential nutrients to the crop. Farm yard

manure or compost should be added in the field at the time of last ploughing.The

quantity of fertilizers to be applied varies according to the fertility status of the soil.

However, when soil tests data are not available, apply 100-120 kg nitrogen, 50 kg

P2O5 and 40 kg K2O per hectare for hybrids and improved varieties of sorghum under

irrigated condition. Half dose of nitrogen and total amount of phosphorus and potash

should be applied at the time of sowing. The basal dressing can be done with the help

of fertilizer-cum-seed drill. The fertilizer should be placed 3-5 centimeter to the side

and 3-5 centimeters below the seed. If ferti-seed drill is not available fertilizer mixture

may be spread uniformly in the field and mixed thoroughly in the soil with the help of

a harrow or cultivator. The remaining half quantity of nitrogen should be top dressed

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after 30-35 days of sowing. In light soils top dressing should be done in two splits.

Half of the above dose should be applied in case of local varieties for better results. In

case of rain-fed crop, quantity of fertilizer should be reduced to half of the irrigated

and the entire quantity should be applied 10 cm deep in soil at the time of sowing.

Fertilizers are required where soils are deficient in plant food elements. When land is

planted to crops over a long period of years, plant food elements are reduced and

yields of crops are lowered. Sandy soils loose plant food elements rapidly because

these are leached out by heavy rainfall or applications of irrigation water. Some clay

soils in low rainfall areas lose plant food elements much more slowly than sandy

soils. It is now recognized that higher yields can be expected from most soils in all

areas if the right type of fertilizer is properly applied.

6) Thinning: -

In sorghum cultivation, thinning is very important operation for maintaining

desired plant populations. 12-15 centimeter plant-to-plant spacing in a row by

thinning out extra plants at two stages should be ensured. First, thinning should be

done 10-15 days after emergence and second, when crop is 20-25 days old. All

disease and insect infested plants should be removed while thinning.

7) Water Management: -

Usually, sorghum is grown as a rain fed crop. The irrigation should, however,

be provided whenever, rains are not received. At the time of flowering and grain

filling stages, the crop requires more water. If enough moisture is not there in the soil

at the time of flowering and grain filling, it should be irrigated at once. At no stage,

the plants should be allowed to wilt. Suitable drainage conditions should be provided

for the removal of excess rainwater from the field.

8) Harvesting and Threshing: -

Most of the high yielding sorghum hybrids and varieties take about 100-115

days to mature. The crop should be harvested immediately after it is mature. The right

stage for harvest is when grains have become hard having less than 25 per cent

moisture. It is advised not to wait for stalks and leaves to dry because plants of hybrid

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sorghum appear green even after the crop is mature. Harvesting is done by cutting the

entire plant or removing the ear heads first and cutting down the plants later on. In the

areas where there is danger of rain at the time of harvesting, the mature ear heads

should be harvested first and plants cut and heaped later on. Threshing is done with

the help of threshers or by beating the ear heads with sticks or by trampling bullocks.

The threshed grain should be cleaned and dried in sun for about a week to bring the

moisture content down to 13-15 per cent for safe storage.

1.2 Area under cultivation for Sorghum in India: -

STATE-WISE AREA, PRODUCTION AND YIELD OF SORGHUM

2003-04

STATE AREA(M.HECTS)

% OF TOTALAREA

PRODUCTION(M.TONNES)

% OF TOTALPRODUCTION

YIELD(KGS/HECT)

% COVERAGEUNDER

IRRIGATION

1 2 3 4 5 6 12

ANDHRA PRADESH 0.76 6.9 0.55 6.9 727 1.7

GUJARAT 0.28 2.6 0.23 2.9 806 5.2

KARNATAKA 1.9 17.3 1.63 20.4 855 7.3

MADHYA PRADESH 0.9 8.2 0.75 9.4 833 0.1

MAHARASHTRA 5.5 50.1 3.78 47.4 687 7.8

RAJASTHAN 0.56 5.1 0.27 3.4 476 0.2

TAMIL NADU 0.53 4.8 0.39 4.9 732 10.2

UTTAR PRADESH 0.38 3.5 0.34 4.3 882 0.9

OTHERS 0.17 1.5 0.04 0.5 , .

ALL-INDIA 10.98 100 7.98 100 727 7.0

1.3 Varieties of Sorghum: - The different varieties of sorghum are as follows: -

Variety No of seeds per pound

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Sooner miloFeteritaAtlas sorgoPink kafirEarly kaloEarly sumac

126001590020900224002320033400

1.4 Past Trends: -

Broadcasting seeds over the broken soil and covering them with some type of

harrow was the common method of planting until about 1840. It is used to sow grass,

rice and other crops. In this method the seeds sown are not spread uniformly either

over the field surface or in depth. This method is used where other methods are not

applicable.

E.g. - grains. William T. Pennock of East Marlboro, Pennsylvania, was the first to

start manufacturing grain drills, although the first patent was granted to Eliakim in

1799.

The earliest type of row-crop planter was perhaps a wooden peg with holes around the

centre to permit seeds to drop out. Later on man realized the potential of animals for

carrying out agricultural activities and then bullocks were primarily used for

agricultural operations in order to increase the yield. It was possible to cover an area

of 2.5 acres with use of a pair of bullocks.

1.5 Present Practices: -Following are the different methods of sowing and planting adopted currently

in agriculture practices-

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1) Row sowing:

Row sowing of grains, commercial crops ,vegetables and other plants is done

in furrows with identical inter row spacing varying from 12 to 15 cm with an average

seed spacing of 1.5 to 2 cm in the furrow. The shape of nutrient area of the plants is

rectangle; the ratio of its sides varies from 1:6 to 1:10.

e.g.-Vegetables and commercial crops.

2) Cross sowing:

It is done by passing the seed drill in two mutually perpendicular directions.

In such pass, half the seeds are sown. This type of sowing improves the uniform

distribution of seeds over the crops. The inter row spacing is same as in row sowing

and the minimum distance between the seeds is kept 3 to 4 cm.

e.g. - Grains, vegetables, commercial crops.

3) Narrow row sowing:

It is in contrast to row sowing and is done with a smaller inter row spacing,

that is, from 5 to 8 cm. For such sowing, the shape of the nutrient area is close to

square, which enhances the yield. It becomes most effective when the rate of seed

sowing is increased by 10 to 15 % over that of row sowing.

e.g. - Vegetables.

4) Wide row sowing:

It is mainly used for growing row crops and to plant tubers, bulbs and

seedlings. Depending upon the type of crop, the soil the climatic conditions as well as

technical and economical factors, inter row spacing is 30 to 100 cm.

5) Strip sowing:

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It is a variation of wide row sowing. In this method several rows are sown

close to each other (15cm).These rows form a strip. The spacing between such strips

of several rows is greater than 45 cm that between individual rows.

6) Single grain sowing:

It is used for sowing the sugar beet. Here the seeds are distributed in the rows

at equal intervals from each other; this prevents their crowding and bunching, reduces

the quantity of seeds used and decreases the expenditure involved in raising the

plants.

7) Hill drop sowing:

It differs from the wide row sowing in that in this method the seeds are not

planted individually but severally in a cluster. All efforts are made to keep equal

spacing between clusters in a row (15 to 25 cm) and between rows (30 to 100 cm).

e.g.: - corn. Sunflower, cotton.

8) Square and square hill drop sowing:

This method of planting tubers and seedlings provides an optimal nourishment

area for the plants. This rectilinearity of the rows in two directions perpendicular to

each other facilitates mechanization of soil working in the inter-rows in both

directions; this greatly reduces the labor in raising the plants since the efforts can be

mechanized to great extent.

9) Random sowing:

This method of sowing is used to sow seeds in a wide strip of 90 cm or more;

this helps to obtain uniform spread of seeds over a field.

1.6 Proposed project work: -

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The major focus of the project is to minimize the cost of sowing operation.

The dependency on the bullocks is to be completely eliminated because there is

severe scarcity of bullocks in peak seasons. Moreover the cost of various agricultural

equipments is also increasing at an alarming rate. Hence, a low cost, single person

driven handy machinery is developed.

The use of the indexing mechanism in agricultural machinery for a human

operated machine is an innovative concept applied in this vast sector of agriculture.

This has significantly reduced the quantity of seeds as well as fertilizers.

A single person can easily operate this seed-sowing machine. It consists of bucket

with two compartments. One for fertilizer and other for seeds. The compartment of

fertilizer is larger than that of seeds (i.e. 3 kg of seeds capacity and 6 kg of fertilizers).

The bevel gear transmits power from wheels to the indexing plate, which has slots

for seeds as well as fertilizers. Accordingly, seeds and fertilizers are carried along the

pipes, which are connected to furrow opener at the bottom. The furrow opener helps

in loosening of the soil. The seeds should be placed at or sowed at 20 cm from each

other along with depth up to 2.5cm in soil. The chain placed below mechanism helps

in covering the seeds and fertilizers by soil. Approximately 0.3 to 0.4 hectares (ha) of

land can be covered in single working day of 8 hours of operation with speed of

machine about 1.5 kmph.

2.1 Development of Machines for Sowing

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Earlier majority of the operations were performed manually. It required large

time and much human effort. Then man began to harness animals to fulfill hid

agricultural requirements by using animals. This saved his time and increased the

yield. Later, the use of tractors increased on large scale and it increased the

agricultural productivity substantially.

Structural Design for tractors: -

The sowing machine is semi-mounted, aggregated into the tractor arms

complete with braking transport axle. The axle is fitted with wide wheels having very

low soil pressure. The axle location allows for full use of the tractor’s small scrub

radius (minimization of time losses when turning at headland). With folding side

frames the machine will not exceed 3 m width when in the transport position.

The base of the sowing machine is its share frame comprising of three rows of arrow

(duck-foot) shares. While in its operating position the machine moves along rubber

rollers that enable fair contouring & deep guiding of the shares even on uneven land.

There is a massive bed bearer fitted in front of the face roller to level the land & to

crush big clods of earth. The aforementioned rubber roller and arrow shares carry out

further soil cultivation (stiffening, earth breaking) along with preparing a seedbed.

Seed is laid behind the shares under a stream of cut soil. Then harrowing in with

harrow-in equipment follows. You can control the height (pressure) of the harrow-in

equipment and the slope. The surface soil is then firmed by a rear rubber roller.

The roller adjustment can be changed via the tensioners to accommodate the

working depth. Each tensioner has been equipped with a scale to ensure simple &

exact adjustment. When in the operating position the machine moves along the rollers

freely contouring the soil surface in lateral & longitudinal planes.

The Machine is fitted with a spacious seed hopper of ca 2.50 m filling height.

The Seed-metering device has electronic control of seeding amounts when in use. The

sowing machine is equipped with electronic monitoring & control systems. For the

maximum operating efficiency the control panel is inside the tractor cab offering

comfortable control of all the machine’s functions.

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Electronic systems enable the following: -

Formation of track rows & their marking via an hydraulic-controlled marker

Seeding amount control upon work ride performance

Additional fertilizing control and monitoring

Control of all the machine’s hydraulic functions

Semi-automatic control of the hydraulic functions normally applied when in

operation (marker control, machine lifting)

The Electronic system offers maximum comfort for operators along with high

operating performance (shorter time required for turning at the headlands, etc.)

Electronic system monitors the following: -

Fan speed

Seeds passing through seed tubes

Number of hectares actually worked

Seed level in the hopper

Additional Fertilization: -

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http://www.farmet.cz/gallery.php?lang=en&id=211




The machine has the option to be equipped with liquid fertilizer “fixed

underneath”. The system consists of a tank with overhead or bottom fillings, filter,

pump, control system, manifold complete with safety drip valves, and of special

shares with blades fitted with sintered carbide tips.

On the EXCELENT 6, 8 & 9 machines the system is electronically controlled as per a

set dose. The operator can alter the dose from the cab while driving.

The fertilizer dosage is fed into a furrow formed by the share blade 4 cm below the

seed level. The seed is embed along the furrow sides to form strips. The share blades

make a furrow 15 mm wide, so as to accomplish accurate shaping of the furrow with

low energy demands.

Application Options: -

Seeding straight into uncultivated soil

Seeding into shallow loosened soil

Seeding into deeply loosened soil

Seeding into ploughed land

Direct sowing

Sowing in the stubble ploughed under or in

cultivated soilSowing after ploughing

Major Technological Advantages: -

While in the operating position the machine moves along the rollers - even

when the stiffening of the soil across the entire engagement width, the

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machine does not sink even when in deeply loosened (ploughed) soils, with its

weight distributed (60% on front roller, 40% on rear roller) has a lower weight

on the rollers compared to rival manufacturers.

Land stiffening - soil gets stiffened appropriately - compacted, optimal

conditions created for soil water capillary rise towards the seed, disintegration

of clods due to resilient deformation of special rubber segments when rolling

aside.

Rollers do not get clogged with wet soil - the special rubber segments are

self-cleaning so no soil clogging occurs when the ground is sticky.

Seedbed - soil stiffened by thee front roller gets cut with seed share, the seed

is embedded on the solid bed and then covered by loose soil, a harrow levels

the surface while fine soil gets to the seed with clods remaining on the soil

surface, the rear roller flattens the surface with soil the remaining porous.

Soil cultivation while sowing - the soil gets cultivated within the depth of

drilling, weed killing

Perfect soil surface leveling - with the machine in operation a perfect plane is

created, minor unevenness are leveled without affecting the accuracy of the

drilling depth. This is very important for instance when sowing Soya that

requires absolutely flat land.

Clod breaking and major leveling - the front skid levels larger troughs, and

together with the front roller breaks the clods properly. Sowing shares then

operate at an exact depth with the seed embedded on the seedbed created. The

EXCELENT is therefore capable of carrying out high quality sowing even in

poorly cultivated land.

Arbitrary depth of presowing soil loosening - The EXCELENT is capable

of operating in shallow loosened soils as well as in deeply loosened or

ploughed land with no land packing required. Seedbeds can always be made

complete with precise depths of drilling. Soil conditions may alter even with

the same piece of land, the depth of drilling precisely controlled.

Application within all technologies - general purpose machine designed for

companies using various land cultivation technologies.

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Accurate guide of the shares - sowing shares are guided firmly within a

precise depth, no oscillation occurs. Ideal when seeding at small depth (1 - 2

cm).

Sowing of all kinds of crops - sowing of cereals, legumes, oil bearing crops,

clovers, grasses, corn (broadways or in rows 75 cm – no accurate sowing is

involved). Depth of drilling 0 - 10 cm.

High lifetime of shares - shares made of hardened boron steel of high quality,

additional fertilizing shares fitted with sintered carbide tips.

Low energy demand - very low relative energy demand compared to the

number of operations the machine is able to carry out.

Wide range of operating speed (8 - 15 k.m.p.h.) - the machine operates

trouble-free from 8 kmph. which guarantees low energy consumption with the

possibility of adapting operating speed to land conditions.

Variation in seeding shares - you can opt between wide (all-area cultivation)

or narrow shares (row cultivation).

Additional fertilizing available - use the additional fertilizing system to apply liquid

fertilizer to so called “under bottom” in the course of seeding

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2.2 Planting Equipments

The art of placing the seed in soil to obtain good germination and stands

without having to replant is the goal of all who grow crops. There are number of

factors that influence the germination of the seeds and the emergence of seedling

plants.

These are:

Quality of seed planted,

Viability of the seed,

Treatment of the seed with chemicals to kill some microorganisms,

Uniformity of seed size,

Planting depth,

Type of soil,

Moisture content of the soil,

Type of the seed dropping mechanism,

Uniformity of the distribution of the seed,

Type of furrow opener,

Prevention of loose soil getting under the seed,

Uniformity of coverage,

Type of covering device,

Degree of pressing and firming of the soil around the seed,

Cleanliness and condition of the seed bed,

Time of planting in relation to the season,

Temperature of the soil,

The good judgment, skill, and attention of the operator

History of Planter Development: -

Broadcasting seeds over the broken soil and covering them with some type of

harrow was the common method of planting until about 1840. Willium T. Pennock of

East Marlboro, Pennsylvania, was the first to start manufacturing grain drills,

although the first patent was granted to Eliakim in 1799. The earliest type of row-crop

planter was perhaps a wooden keg with holes around the centre to permit seeds to

drop out.

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Classification of Planting Equipments: -

Planting equipment is here considered to be any power operated device used to

place seeds, seed pieces or plant parts in or on the soil for propagation and production

of food, fiber and feed crops. It is classified as follows.

Row crop planters

Trailing

Drill

Hill-drop

Narrow-row

Rear tractor mounted

Drill

Hill-drop

Transplanter or plant setters

Broadcast crop planters

End gate seeders

Narrow and wide track and weeder mulcher

Airplanes

Grain drills

Planting attachments for other equipment

1) Row crop planters: -

Planters designed and developed to plant seeds in rows far enough apart to

permit cultivation of the crop are termed row-crop planter. Many row-crop planter are

designed to plant seeds of only one certain crop, while others can be adapted to plant

more than one crop by means of interchangeable hoppers, agitators, plates, and the

speed control mechanism of the seed metering parts. Generally row crop planters can

be divided into 5 classes, named according to the kind of crop the planter is specially

designed to plant. The classes are corn, cotton, sorghum, vegetable, beet and potato.

Equipment for placing growing plants or plant parts in the soil is called as

transplanter.

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2) Sorghum, pea and peanut planter: -

The eminent scientist Hurlbut found that more satisfactory seeding rates were

obtained by using plates made especially for sorghum rather than by attempting to use

a regular or revamped corn plate. He also found that the lower part of the plate seed

hole should be taper-reamed to prevent sorghum seeds sticking in the hole and

clogging it. A 15° bevel of the seed hole on the upper side helped to prevent the seeds

from wedging between the sharp edge of the hole and the cutoff.

The number of seeds per pound varies with different varieties of sorghum.

3) Grain Drills: -The grain drill is a machine designed and built to place the seeds of small

grains and grasses in the ground inch & narrow rows spaced at 6 to 8 in 15.2cm apart

a uniform depth. The principal parts are the main frame, transport and drive wheels, a

box for the seed, a device meter the seed out of the hopper in uniform quantities,

furrow openers to open the furrows for the seeds and covering devices.

Grain drills are classified as plain drills and fertilizer drills. A plain drill has a hopper

and feeds for the drilling of seeds only, while the fertilizer drill has a large seed box

which is divided lengthwise into two compartments one for seed and other for

fertilizer. Some drills are provided with grass seed attachments. The fluted force feed

and the double run feed are used on both the plain and fertilizer drills.

2.3 Soil & Seed Bed Preparation

Soil Preparation: -

If at all possible, use existing soil as the primary source to fill the beds. If your

garden site is elevated and blessed with good quality soil, consider scraping off an

appropriate amount of top soil during site preparation and setting it aside. This

procedure is recommended only for sites located on high ground. The depression

created will be prone to flooding unless water can be channeled off the site.

The same scenario occurs when soil located in pathways between the beds is removed

and used to fill the beds. A heavy rain will fill the lowered pathways, turning them

into quagmires. Unless the water can be channeled away from the plot to a lower area,

the problem will remain.

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The ideal soil for your beds is a loam. Loam soils contain varying amounts of sand,

silt and clay. Most gardeners prefer a sandy loam because of its favorable drainage

characteristics and ease of tilt.

By design, raised beds are endowed with superior drainage characteristics.

Consequently, they can utilize a broad spectrum of soil types and be effective. Clay

loam soils, often unacceptable on certain sites, can work quite nicely in raised beds if

amended with sand and organic matter.

In situations where existing soil quality, quantity, or site topography is inadequate, an

alternative source of fill will be needed. Ask to examine any sample of fill you are

considering purchasing. Spend a few dollars to have the soil tested for salt content and

texture in addition to nutrient content.

For best results, consider amending the fill soil with additional materials. Several

types of amended soil mixes can be used. The most popular combination is equal

parts soil, organic matter (such as compost, peat moss, etc.), and sand. If the soil is

coarse, or sandy, side, eliminate the sand and increase the organic fraction. Avoid

using sand exclusively or in combination with only organic matter. Sand, even with

copious amounts of added organic matter, tends to excessively drain, making it prone

to nutrient leaching.

If you are working with large numbers of beds, the amount of organic matter

recommended might be cost prohibitive. Don't worry. Simply use the amount you can

justify. With continued applications of organic matter, the tilt, water and nutrient

holding capacity of the soil will be improved over time.

Calculate the amount of fill required by determining the total volume of your beds.

Multiplying width time’s depth time’s length will give volume. As an example, the

volume of a 3.33-foot wide (40 inches) bed times 1/2-foot deep (6 inches) times 30

feet long is equal to 50 cubic feet or approximately two cubic yards (27 cubic

feet/cubic yard). If you constructed 10 of these beds, you would need to order 20

yards of fill. Do not consider volume of organic matter in your calculations, as it

compresses easily and once mixed with soil, doesn't displace much volume.

Begin the soil preparation process by spading or tilling the existing soil as deep as is

feasible. Tilling a tight clay soil to a depth of 6 inches can be quite a chore, requiring

M.I.T., PUNE 19


several passes of the rototiller. If you've got a strong back and are not opposed to hard

work, consider turning the soil with a fork or spade. Turning the soil prior to tilling

makes the tilling process much easier. If the site was thoroughly worked during site

preparation, this process of loosening the subsoil prior to adding fill will proceed

better. Don't disturb the soil when it's wet. If soil won't dislodge easily from your

spade while digging, you shouldn't be working the soil. Serious damage to soil

structure can occur when working with soil that is too wet, especially with clay soils.

Be sure and mix a small amount of fill with the existing soil prior to adding the

remaining fill. This will help to avoid the problems that can arise from having two

different soil layers. Plan on incorporating about 2 inches of fill into the existing soil.

Don't attempt to uniformly blend a full bed of soil, compost and sand with one pass of

the tiller. Rather, spread an inch layer of organic matter, an inch of sand or soil, etc.

Till until thoroughly mixed and repeat the process until the bed is full. The growing

mix will settle over time, so don't be afraid to overfill the beds.

If you plan to use plastic mulch over the beds, you'll want to prepare enough mix to

form a nice crown on the bed. A crowned bed is essential to insuring a tight fit of the

plastic to the soil surface. During the mixing process, some of the mix will spill over

into the pathways. Be sure and utilize this fallout to insure a crowned bed. Once

you've filled a bed, you'll have a better idea of how much material to add to produce

the crown you want.

If you use quite a bit of composted manure in your growing mix, plan on having the

finished product tested for salt content. Manure is high in soluble salts, which act to

inhibit water uptake by plants, causing wilting and even foliar burn in extreme cases.

If salts are present in excess, a thorough watering to leach excess salts from the soil

mix is recommended. A good soaking rain will suffice. This practice is especially

important if you plan on using plastic mulch as the beds become "leach-proof" once

the mulch is applied.

M.I.T., PUNE 20


Seed Bed Preparation: -

A good seedbed needs to be prepared prior to planting. Based on a soil test

report, evenly apply fertilizer to beds and incorporate with a rototiller. In the absence

of a soil test, apply a complete fertilizer such as 13-13-13 at the rate of 1 pound /100

square feet. Replace any of the mix displaced during tilling. Then smooth the soil

surface using a garden rake. When preparing crowned beds, use a garden rake to work

soil towards the middle of the beds to form a high crown down the center. Gently

lower the crown by working the soil back towards the edges, forming a uniformly

curved surface crowned a few inches in the middle. (Note: Before proceeding with

seed bed preparation, you'll need to install drip irrigation if you plan to use plastic

mulch. Refer to the following chapter for details.)

Next, firm the soil surface. This can be done one of two ways. A commonly

practiced method is to thoroughly soak the beds. If the surface has dried before you

start watering, it might shed water. If this is the situation, apply several light

sprinklings until the surface is sufficiently moist to break the surface tension. Once

the surface tension is broken, you can water the beds heavily.

An even better way to firm the soil surface is to use a turf roller. A couple of

trips over the beds using the roller create a smooth, firm seed bed. Normally there is

no need to fill the roller with water. Most turf rollers are heavy enough empty to do a

good job for this particular purpose. Test bed firmness by gently pressing on the

surface with an open hand. If no depression is created, you're ready to proceed to the

next step.

M.I.T., PUNE 21


3.1 Concept of Combining Seed Sowing and Fertilizing

As far as traditional methods are considered the sowing and the dropping the

fertilizer operations are carried out separately. This unnecessarily consumes more

time causing ultimate reduction in the yield. Also the requirement is that the seed and

fertilizer should be nearly 2 cm offset to each other, so as to avoid the chemical injury

to the seed, which is not exactly possible with the conventional methods.

By developing the concept of combining sowing and fertilizing in a single

operation, much of the time is saved and the purpose of the dropping of fertilizer as

per the requirement is also fulfilled. The required depth of the seed to be sown is

achieved by modifying the outlet opening of the seed tube that is both these outlets

are spaced in such a way that the distance between these two openings is maintained

at an offset of 2 cm.

3.2 General Components of Seed Drill: -

The major component of the seed drill or fertilizer drill and their functions are as-

1) Hopper:

The hopper contains seed and fertilizer. The metering unit is attached to the

hopper. There may be individual hopper for seed and fertilizer or a common hopper

may have compartments for seed and fertilizer. In same planters individual seed and

fertilizer hoppers are provided for each row.

2) Furrow opener:

It is the soil working component of a seed drill / planter that penetrates the

soil and a furrow is opened in which the seeds and fertilizer are placed.

Seed beet and fertilizer beet are attached behind the furrow opener to which the seed

and fertilizer tubes are connected. They help in proper placement of seed and fertilizer

in the soil.

The role of the furrow openers is very important in a seed, fertilizer drill so far as

placement of seed and fertilizer in the soil is concerned. The seed should be placed in

moist soil and covered for proper germinations. Fertilizers may be placed:

M.I.T., PUNE 22


1) Agitator with adjustable gate.

2) Fluted roller

3) Roller with cells- --Vertical roller or plate with cells.

--Horizontal plates with cells.

--Inclined plate with cells.

4) Cup feed type metering.

5) Pneumatic metering system-

3) Seed and Fertilizer tubes:

Seed and fertilizer tubes carry the seeds and fertilizer from the metering units

to the furrow opener. They may be simple transparent plastic/ polythene tubes or

flexible metallic tubes. The former is preferred because of low cost and visibility of

seeds and fertilizer dropping through them.

4) Metering unit:

It is the functional unit in a seeding machine which determines and drops the

desired amount of seed and fertilizer in the field.

5) Ground Drive Wheel:

As the name suggests the ground drive wheel drive power from the ground for

transmitting power to the metering unit.

6) Power Transmission system:

The power from the ground wheel is transmitted to the metering unit through

the transmission system. It may be a chain and sprocket system, gear system, belt

drive, crank mechanism or a combination of two or more of the above system.

7) Power cut-off system:

The power to the metering system may be disconnected by the power cut-off

system. It may be simple dog clutch, jaw clutch, locking pin or by lifting the ground

M.I.T., PUNE 23


wheel from soil. During transport, turning at the need land or idle running the power

is cut-off from the ground drive wheel so that seed and fertilizer do not fall through

the metering unit.

8) Agitator with Adjustable Gate

Agitators over an adjustable gate or opening provide simple metering system

for seed and fertilizer. It is inexpensive device and widely used for fertilizer seed

distribution pattern by an agitator system is not of good uniformity. However for close

growing crop this system may be suitable. The agitator is usually a circular disc of

rubber-impregnated canvas, for seeds and metal for fertilizer. The weight may be of

diamond shape with one fixed diamond and one sliding diamond gate so to provide an

adjustable opening size to vary the seed or fertilizer rate. A rate with caries of holes of

different sizes may also be provided for varying the seed or fertilizer rates.

9) Fluted Roller

Fluted rollers are widely used for metering seeds and many seed drills are

provided with fluted roller type metering system. The flutes exposed to meter the

seeds can be varied for varying the seed rate. The distribution pattern of seeds is quite

uniform by a fluted roller and the system is quite suitable for metering the close

growing crops. The fluted rollers are mostly made from aluminum and their

specifications have been standardized. Fluted rollers are also suitable for metering

granular fertilizers.

10) Roller with cells

Rollers with cells are suitable for dropping seeds one by one. Thus seed to

seed distance in the field can be maintained. This system is suitable for planting of

seeds like maize, pea, sorghum, groundnut etc.

In this system the rollers have to be changed for different crops. The cells sizes in the

rollers for in hand are separated from the seeds. Following are some of the commonly

seed furrow openers used with seed fertilizer drills.

M.I.T., PUNE 24


Sr.No Furrow Openers

Sub types

1) Shovels a) Reversible shovels

b) Single point shovel

c) Spear point shovel

2) Shoe type furrow openers -

3) Disc type furrow openers a) Single disc type with concave

discs, with or without notches

b) Double disc type

4) Runner type furrow openers -

The shovels are widely used in light soils of sandy soils, loam and sandy loam soils.

In case of reversible shovels, when one point is worn out it can be reversed so that the

other point is in working position. The single point shovel is replaced by a new one

when the point is worn out. The spare point shovels provide wider furrow during

operation.

Shoe type furrow opener is especially suitable for heavy soils e.g. clay

and clay loam soils. They may dig deep into the soil and can easily penetrate the hard

soils. By changing the angle of penetration, the depth of cut can be changed in case of

shoe type furrow openers.

The disc offers least soil resistance during operation, hence machines

with large number of rows are provided with disc type furrow openers. But their cost

is the maximum, as a result in this country; drilling machines are rarely provided with

disc type of furrow opener.

The runner type of furrow opener is suitable if the depth of placement

of seeds required is low. In case of obstruction they tend to run over it so they may be

used in stony soils.

M.I.T., PUNE 25


11) Metering System

The most important functional component of a seed cum fertilizer drill is its

metering system. The function of the metering is to drop the desired amount of seed

and fertilizer in the field with uniform distribution pattern. The important and

commonly used metering systems are:

Different crop systems are different according to seed size. The rollers may be made

from wood, plastic, aluminum or other metal. The rollers with cells or the vertical

plates with cells are often used for planting of widely spaced crop seeds. The

horizontal plates with cells are used in same seed fertilizer drills. The inclined plate

with cells is a very good metering system for drilling and planting of seeds.

-- Cup Feed Metering

In thus type of metering, a number of spoons are fitted over a disc which picks

up seeds from the hopper while rotating. The size of the spoons is varied for different

seeds. The seeds picked up by spoons are dropped through funnel to reach to the

furrow opener. Cup feed type metering provide uniform seed distribution pattern and

is suitable for drilling and planting of seeds.

-- Pneumatic Metering System

In pneumatic metering system, the seeds are picked up by suction through

orifice/nozzle one by one and dropped through an outlet part when the suction is cut-

off. A suction pump is employed for the purpose, which may be driven by tractor or

by a small engine. The metering system is very accurate and seed are picked up one

by one. The system is suitable for drilling and planting of small and bold seeds.

Precision drills and planters employ this metering system.

M.I.T., PUNE 26


3.3 Calibration of Seed Drill:-

A seed cum fertilizer drill is adjusted for desired seed and fertilizer rates in the

laboratory before it is taken to the field, which is known as calibration of a seed drill.

The procedure of calibration is as follows:

1) Theoretical calculation is made to know how much seed or fertilizer should

drop for 50 revolutions (or known number of revolutions) of the ground drive

wheel at the desired seed.

2) Seed and fertilizer hoppers are filled with the desired seed and fertilizer and

sampling bags are tied with each seed/fertilizer tubes.

3) The machine is lifted up so that ground drive wheel is above ground drive

wheel is above ground and is free to rotate.

4) The ground drive wheel is manually rotated for 50 revolutions in the forward

direction with a speed of approximately that of the operating speed of the

machine disc on the field.

5) The individual samples are weighed and the weight of total sample is also

noted.

6) If the calculated value as at Sr.No 1 matches the value at Sr.No 5 then the

machine is calibrated for the particular seed. If the observed value is less than

calculated then discharge rate is increased and the process is repeated until the

two value matches. Thus it is a trial and error method.

Calculations:

Say, No. of rows in the machine = N;

Desired row spacing = W cm;

Desired seed/fertilizer rate = R kg/ha;

Diameter of ground drive wheel = D cm;

Weight of seed/fertilizer for 50 revolutions of ground drive wheel = wg(Total of all

rows);

Working width of the machine = (NW)/100 m;

Distance moved for one revolution of the ground drive wheel = ∏ D cm;

Distance traveled for 50 revolutions of the round drive wheel = (50∏D)/100 m;

M.I.T., PUNE 27


Area covered for 50 revolutions of the

ground drive wheel of the machine = (50∏DNW)/ (100100) m2 ;

Desired seed rate = (R1000)/10000 g/m2;

Amount of seed that should drop in the field

for 50 revolutions of the ground drive wheel = (AR1000)/10000 g;

Now,

(50NWR)/100000 = (DNWR)/2000.

If the calculated value as at Sr.No.1 is equal to the observed value W at Sr.No. 5 then

the machine is calibrated.

M.I.T., PUNE 28


3.4 Major Components of the Human Operated seed &

Fertilizer Drill

1) Frame-

The frame is usually made of steel angle, well braced and reinforced at the

corners. It is necessary that the frame should be strong enough to prevent sagging

and to hold the parts in alignment, as all parts are connected to the frame. The axle

is carried beneath, with the wheels on each end of it. The seed box is carried

above while the furrow openers are suspended below. Roller bearings are usually

used on each end of the axle.

2) Wheels-

Most grain drills are equipped with rubber tubeless tyred wheels. These

wheels are placed on the main axle of the drill. When smaller rubber tired wheels

are used on this equipment, they are placed on stub jackshaft to elevate the drill to

its regular height, so that the same drawbars and pressure rods and springs can be

used with either type of wheels. The implement tire size for grain drills is usually

6.7×15. The operator’s manual should be studied to determine if a correction

factor should be used in setting the seedling rate.

3) Bucket: Bucket holds the seed and fertilizer. It is having two compartments-

A) Seed Compartment-

It should have a large capacity. A tight fitting lid should be provided to keep

out rain. It is having a capacity of 4 Kg.

B) Fertilizer Compartment-

It is having a capacity of 7 Kg. It is provided with stirrer for agitation or

loosening of the fertilizer. The power is given to the stirrer through bevel gear

mechanism from the driving wheels of the machine.

4) Indexing Plate: ( moving plate)

Indexing plate serves the purpose for the dropping of seed and fertilizer. It is

made up of Bakelite (Hylem) material. Use of this material reduces the friction

between moving plate and fixed plate.

M.I.T., PUNE 29


5) Bevel Gears:

Bevel gears are used for transmission of the power from wheels to the

indexing plate. The bevel gears are having the module 2.5 and velocity ratio as

unity.

The bevel gear shaft is extended and serves the purpose of agitator which loosens

the fertilizer.

6) Furrow Opener:

Furrow opener is at the centre of the machine is the medium through which the

seed and fertilizer drops. It is made up of cast iron. It first loosens the soil by

going into required depth after which actual sowing and fertilizing is carried out.

7) Fixed Plate:

Fixed plate is rectangular plate of M.S. and placed at the bottom of the bucket.

It is fixed to the frame of the machine.

M.I.T., PUNE 30


DESIGN OF COMPONENTS

4.1) Design of Indexing Plate-

Diameter of the wheel = 508 mm

Circumference of the wheel = πD = 1600 mm.

i.e.; in 1 complete revolution linear distance covered by the machine will be 1600

mm.

Since seeds are at a distance of 200 mm apart,

No of holes on indexing plate = (160/20) = 8

i.e.; 8 holes are placed at (360/8) = 45˚ apart from each other on moving indexing

plate.

Diameter of indexing plate is taken as 220 mm.

Hence at a radius of 40 mm from the center 8 holes are drilled for fertilizer & at a

radius of 90 mm from the centre 8 holes are drilled for seeds. The diameter of

Sorghum seed is approx. 1.5 mm. Hence, in order to drop 2 seeds the diameter is

taken to be 4 mm & the hole diameter for fertilizer is 8 mm.

4.2) Design of Bevel Gears-

Calculation of power required: -

Speed of Pinion = Speed of gear= 11 rpm.

Teeth on pinion= Teeth on gear= 20

Intersecting angle between shafts=90°

Hardness of Gear pair= 230 BHN

Effort required for single row human operated seed sowing machine is 200N.

Material selected for gear pair is C.I. having allowable static strength as 260 N/mm².

Pitch angle for pinion=θp= tan 1־ (1/V.R.)

= tan )1 (1־

= 45°

Pitch angle for gear= θg= 90- θp

Pitch angle for gear= 45°

M.I.T., PUNE 31


We have,

Power = Force × Velocity

=200 × r × ω

=200× 0.254× (2×π×11)/60

Power =58.51 Watt

Formative number of teeth on pinion or gear

Z’p= Z’g= (Zp/cosθp) or (Zg/cosθg)

= (20/cos45)

= 28.28

We also have,

Mean pitch Diameter dmp= (ID+OD)/2

= (28+50)/2

= 39 mm.

rmp= 19.5 mm

Hence, rmp= [dp-(b×sin45)]/2

dp = 39+(16×sin45)

Pitch Circle Diameter = 50.31 mm

But, dp =m×Zp

50.31 = m×20

m= 2.5 mm.

Module of Gear = 2.5 mm.

Lewis form factor y’ considering 20° full depth involute tooth system.

y’p= [0.484-(2.87/Z’p)]

= [0.484-(2.87/28.28)]

y’p = 0.3825

Since gear pairs are made of same material hence pinion is weaker than gear. So our

design is based on pinion.

M.I.T., PUNE 32


We have Lewis Beam Strength Equation as

Sb= m×b×σb×y’p×0.67

=2.5×16×86.67×0.3825×0.67

Sb= 883.9 N

Now,

Sw= (b×Q’×dp×K×0.75/ cosγp)

= (161×50.31×K×0.75/cos 45)

But K for C.I gear pair is taken as

K= 0.21× (BHN/100) ^2

= 0.21× (230/100) ^2

K=1.1109

Hence, Sw= (16×1×50.31×1.1109×0.75/cos 45)

Sw= 942.63 N

Since, Sb<Sw so pinion is weaker in bending. Hence we have to design the pinion

against bending failure.

Now,

We have,

Sb= Pteff× F.S

But, Pteff= (Cs×Pt/Cv)

Pt= 200N

Cs=1.25 &

Cv= [6/(6+V)] = 0.955

Hence, Pteff= (1.25×200/0.955)

Pteff= 261.67 N,

Sb= 261.67×F.S

883.9= 261.67×F.S

F.S= 3.37

Since desired Factor of Safety (F.S) is greater than assumed one, Hence our design is

safe.

M.I.T., PUNE 33


4.3) Design of Shaft: -

Pr Pt

Pa

120 mm

300 mm

Torque exerted by shaft is given by

T= P/ω

= [58.51×60/(2×π×11)]

T = 50780 N-mm

We have,

Mean velocity=(π×0.502×11)/60

= 0.289 m/s

Tangential Force =Pt =P/Vm

Pt = 208.96 N

Radial Force= Pr = Pt×tanΦ×cosγp

= 208.96× tan20×cos45

Pr = 53.78 N

Axial Force = Pa = Pt×tanΦ×sinγp

= 208.96×tan 20×sin45

Pa = 53.78 N

Forces on pinion: -

Tangential Force Pt = 208.96 N

Radial Force Pr = 53.78 N

Axial Force Pa = 53.78 N

M.I.T., PUNE 34


For designing the shaft we have to consider the two planes namely as horizontal and

vertical plane.

Horizontal Plane: -

Pr

Pa 19.5 mm

Ra1 A C B 120 mm 300 mm Ra2 C 4291.2 N-mm Rb2

D 3241.8 N-mm

A B

BENDING MOMENT DIAGRAM

Taking moment about A,

Pr×120= Pa×19.5 + Rb2×300

53.78×120=3.78×19.5 + Rb2×300

Rb2 = 18.01 N

Now, taking summation of all vertical components equal to zero.

Pr = Ra2 + Rb2

53.78 = Ra2 +18.01

Ra2 = 35.76 N

Now, taking summation of all horizontal components equal to zero.

Pa = Ra1 = 53.78 N

Bending moment at C =35.76120= 4291.8 N-mm & also

Bending moment at C = 18.01180= 3241.8 N-mm

M.I.T., PUNE 35


Vertical Plane: -

Pt

A C B 120 mm

300 mm Ra1 C 15475.2 N-mm Rb1

A B

BENDING MOMENT DIAGRAM

Taking moment about A,

Pt×120= Rb1×300

208.96×120= Rb1×300

Rb1 = 80 N

Now, taking summation of all vertical components equal to zero.

Pt = Ra1 + Rb1

208.96 = Ra1 + 80

Ra1 = 128.96 N

Bending moment at C = 128.96120= 15475.2 N-mm

Equivalent bending moment can be obtained by

Me = Square root of (50780² + 15475.2²)

Me = 53085.69 N-mm

Hence, Equivalent Bending Moment = 53085.69 N-mm.

Now, Equivalent torque is given by

Te = Square root of (M² + T²)

= Square root of (53085.69² + 50780²)

Te = 73462.27 N-mm

M.I.T., PUNE 36


Hence, Equivalent torque = 73462.27 N-mm

But,

Te = (π×Fs×d³)/16

Where,

Fs = Maximum Permissible Shear Stress &

d = Diameter of the shaft

For the shaft without keyway allowance, the Maximum Permissible Shear Stress is

56 N/mm².

Te = (π×Fs×d³)/16

= (π×56×d³)/16 = 73462.27 N.mm

d = 17.83 mm ~ 18 mm

Hence, Diameter of Shaft = 18 mm

M.I.T., PUNE 37


MANUFACTURING ASPECTS OF SEED CUM FERTILIZER DRILLSr. No

Subassembly Name of part

Dimension(mm)

Materials Qty CostRs.

Manufacturing methods

1 Main frame -- 300×350 M.S. 8 Kg

Welding

2 Fixed Plate -- 25×30×2 M.S. 1 Casting3 Stirrer shaft

with pin1.Shaft2. Pins

Φ 2040

M.S.M.S.

15

Turning--

4 Furrow opener -- 320×40 C.I. 1 2230 Welding5 Seed tubes -- Φ 30 Plastic 2 --

6 Bush bearing -- SKF 6205 Brass 2 Turning7 Gripper -- Φ 19 Rubber 2 --

8 Indexing plate -- Φ 220 Bakelite 1 Std component9 Bevel gear 1.Gear

Pair2.Pinion Shaft

Drg No-06

Drg No-07

C.I.

M.S.

1

1

270

280

Milling/ hobbingTurning

10 Wheel 1. Rim2. Tubeless Tyres

Φ 508 M.S.Rubber

22

915 Milling

11 Stand -- 300 & Φ 4 M.S. 1 45 --

12 Chain -- 460 C.I. 1 145 -- TOTAL 4135

M.I.T., PUNE 38


RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

6.1 Field trials of machine: -

Date: - 7-4-07

Location: - Londhe Farm, Kondi, Solapur.

Soil type: - Medium soil

Soil Depth: - 40-50 cm

Row Spacing: - 45 cm

Moisture content: - 24%

1) Plot area=58 m²

2) Average depth of sowing= 5.5 cm

3) Required depth of sowing= 6-7 cm

4) Speed of operation= 0.28 m/s = 1 Kmph

5) Duration of test= 0.33 hrs

6) Seed rate obtained=

58m² of land consumed 1015 seeds

Assuming 1 kg contains approximately 16000 seeds

Hence 63 gms corresponds to 1015 seeds

Hence 63 gms of seeds are required for 58m² of land.

1 acre= 4000m²

1 hectare = 10000 m²

For 1 hectare land 10.5 Kg of seeds are required.

7) Required seed rate= 10 kg per hectare

8) Fertilizer applied

58m² of land consumes 906.25 gms of fertilizer

For 1 acre land 64 Kg of fertilizer is required.

Hence Fertilizer applied per hectare= 160 Kg.

9) Required fertilizer applied= 264 kg per hectare

10) Effective field capacity(ha/hr)

Time of start= 6 PM

Time of stop= 6:20 PM

Area covered= 58 m²

58m² of land requires 8.86 min for sowing.

M.I.T., PUNE 39


Hence for 392.7 m² of land takes 1 hour.

So for 1 acre 10.3 hrs are required for sowing.

Land covered in one day of 8 working hrs= 0.78 acres =0.312 hectares

11) Theoretical Field Capacity= 0.56 hectares per day

12) Field Efficiency= (Effective Field Capacity/ Theoretical Field Capacity) 100

= (0.312/0.56) 100

Field Efficiency= 55.7%

Numerical calculations: -

The agricultural requirement for seed sowing is that the distance between two seeds

has to be maintained as 20 cm & the fertilizer should be 2.5 cm apart from each seed.

The distance between two adjacent rows should be 45 cm.

On an average we will get 12 seeds per revolution of the wheel & the quantity of

fertilizer dropped is 8 gm per revolution.

Assuming average speed of the human to be 1.56 kmph= 0.4167 m/s.

Knowing radius of wheel = 25.4cm,

v= r × ω

0.4167=0.254× ((2×π×N)/60)

N = 16 rpm.

i.e; it covers 16 revolutions per minute.

Distance covered in 1 minute = 16×160 = 2560 cm = 25.6 m

Since, 1 acre is equivalent to a land of area 4000 m² (64×64 m²)

The no of rows = 6400/45 = 142 rows.

Here, 1 row is of 64 m length. Hence, time taken by the machine to cover a distance

of

64 m = 2.5 minutes.

i.e, a machine requires 2.5 mins to cover a single row. Hence for 1 acre land, the

machine will take (2.5×142) = 355 mins.i.e, 6 hours.

Considering 1 working day of 8 hours, the land covered by machine in 1 day = 0.56

hectares.

M.I.T., PUNE 40


6.2 Economic analysis of sowing methods:-

Sr.No. PARAMETERSBULLOCK

OPERATEDTRACTOR

OPERATEDMANUALLY OPERATED

1AREA

COVERED PER DAY

2.5 Acres 4 Acres 1.5 Acres

2SEED

REQUIRED PER ACRE

5 Kg 5 Kg 4 Kg

3FERTILIZER REQUIRED PER ACRE

105 Kg 105 Kg 64 Kg

4

COST OF SEED

SOWING PER ACRE

Rs 260 Rs 500 Rs 73

M.I.T., PUNE 41


6.3 Difficulties faced during the Field Trials:

1) Straight Line Sowing:

It is very necessary for sowing to sow in a straight line. During trials

it is not exactly possible to sow in straight line.

2) Uneven Distribution Of Seeds & Fertilizer:

There is uneven distribution of seeds and fertilizer where the land

is not properly leveled (at some ups & downs) or due to big stones in the way.

3) Speed Of Operation:

For uniform sowing the speed of operation is of prime importance.

More uniform the speed of operation, more uniform will be the sowing resulting

in higher yield. The speed of operation varies in some scale during sowing.

4) Opening of Seeds & Fertilizers:

At some places the seeds and fertilizers had remained open to

atmosphere which is very bad for the germination of the seed. It is due to the

improper leveled land or improper functioning of chain employed for covering the

seeds.

5) Non-Uniform depth of seeds sown:

The depth of the seeds sown is varied at some places. For uniform

depth of the seeds the effort applied to the machine should be nearly constant as

possible.

M.I.T., PUNE 42


CONCLUSION

The economy is the most highlighting feature of this machine as it does not

require any electric power & is independent of tractor or bullocks which are

unaffordable to poor farmers.

Farmers face the problem of non-availability of bullocks as well as tractors during the

peak period of sowing. Hence, they are tempted to hire them at an increased cost. By

making use of manually operated seed cum fertilizer drill, the yield loss can be

substantially decreased. The most important advantage of manually operated seed

cum fertilizer drill is that - it can be easily driven by a single person. There is hardly

any problem of manpower in rural areas where the average size of the family is large.

Thus, if 2 to 3 people are employed for the sowing operations, the area coverage can

be increased.

As far as most of the farmers requirements are considered, this seed and fertilizer drill

is able to satisfy most of them effectively during the peak season.

The low cost of the machine as well as its ability to carry out sowing & fertilizing

simultaneously, is certainly a boon to the farmers thereby saving much of their time.

It results in almost 60 % saving in operational cost and 15% saving in seed

requirements. If the machine is commercially exploited, it can be proved to be

beneficial to poor farmers.

M.I.T., PUNE 43


SCOPE FOR FURTHER WORK

After carrying out the field trials and observing the results, the scope for the further

work is -

1) For better and strong germination of the seeds, the required depth of the seeds

to be sown is to be increased about 8 cm. Thus by employing a different type

of furrow opener having more width can be used for obtaining the proper seed

depth which ultimately increases the yield.

2) For avoiding the wastage of seeds and fertilizer during the turning of the

machine some mechanism can be employed which locks the dropping of seeds

and fertilizer during turning.

3) For avoiding the uneven sowing when proper leveled land is not available

( more ups & downs) , the stability of the machine can be improved by employing

the third small wheel at the center which will improve the sowing more even than

the first, thereby increasing the yield.

4) As far as ergonomic considerations are concerned, the bar of handle of the

machine can be made to slide in a slot as per the height of the operator. Also

an acre meter can be placed on the top of handle so that area coverage can be

known.

M.I.T., PUNE 44


REFERENCES

1) “Agricultural Machines” by N.I.Klenin, I.F.Popov, V.A.Sakun; Amerind

Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd.New Delhi.

2) “Design of Machine Elements” by V.B. Bhandari ;Tata McGraw Hill Publication

New Delhi

3) “Farm Machines and Equipments” by C.P.Nakra; Dhanapat Rai Publication Pvt

Ltd.

4) “Farm Implements” by H.J.Hopfen; Oxford & IBH Publishing Co.Pvt.Ltd.New

Delhi.

5)” Farm Machinery And Equipments” by Harris Smith, Lambert Wilkes; Tata

McGraw Hill Publication .New Delhi

6) “Machine Design-3” by R.B. Patil; Technical Prakashan, Pune

7) “Modern Farm Power” by William. J .Promersberger & Donald.W.Priebe;

Third Edition

M.I.T., PUNE 45