Planting Implements PDF

Chapter 3 Planting equipment By: Husen K. (M.Sc.) What does planting mean?  Planting or Sowing is an art of placing young plants or seeds into the soil to have good growth or good germination in the field. A perfect planting or sowing gives, Correct amount of seed...

Chapter 3 Planting equipment By: Husen K. (M.Sc.) What does planting mean?  Planting or Sowing is an art of placing young plants or seeds into the soil to have good growth or good germination in the field. A perfect planting or sowing gives, Correct amount of seed per unit area Correct depth of sowing Correct spacing between row-to-row and plant to plant. Correct seed rate  The planting operation is one of the most important cultural practices associated with crop production. Increases in crop yield, cropping reliability, cropping frequency and crop returns all depend on the uniform and timely establishment of optimum plant populations. There are two broad areas in optimizing plant establishment. First, plant breeders, seed growers and seed merchants have a responsibility to provide quality seed. Second, farm managers must be aware of the agronomic requirements for optimum plant establishment and be able to interpret this information in a meaningful way so as to assist with the selection, setting and management of all farm machinery, especially planters.  3.1. Planting Methods There are generally 8 major methods of planting and are discussed below. 1. 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. 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. Broadcasting method 2. Dibbling or punching Is the process of placing seeds in holes that are already made in the seedbed and subsequent of closing the seed with soil. In this method, one or more seeds are placed in individual 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. This is very time consuming process, so it is not suitable for small seeds. Mostly vegetables are sown in this way. Dibbling or punching method Dibbler 3. Drilling Drilling is a random dropping and subsequent covering of seeds in furrow lines to give definite rows of randomly spaced plants. Due to the random dropping of seeds, the spacing between the seeds is not uniform in this method. The number of rows planted may be one or more. This method is very helpful in achieving proper depth of sowing and proper seed rate. Plant drilling method 4. Precision drill This method is an accurate placement and subsequent covering of single seeds in furrows at about equal intervals to give definite rows of almost equally spaced single plants. This method is somewhat similar to drilling method and the only difference is the seeds are equally spaced rather randomly placing of the seeds (drilling). 5. Hill dropping This method is an accurate placement and subsequent covering of groups (or hills) of seed in furrows at about equal intervals to give definite rows of almost equally spaced groups of plants. In this method, few seeds are dropped as a hill (group) at a constant or fixed place. 6. Check row planting Is a particular form of precision drill in which seeds spacing along the rows is equal to the row spacing. In this method, the row-to-row and the plant-to-plant spacing/distance is uniform or equal. It is the square-grid planting pattern resulting from the accurate and indexed placement of individual or groups of seed. Individual plants, or groups of plants, are spaced equidistant apart and aligned in perpendicular rows. It is a method of planting, in which row-to-row and plant-to-plant distance is uniform. Check row planting method 7. Seed dropping behind the plough It is a method of sowing seeds followed by farmers. A woman/ man walk behind a plough ploughing the land and drop the seeds in the furrows made by the plough. This method is a slow and laborious method and used mostly for seeds like maize, peas, wheat and barley. 8. Transplanting It consists of rising the seedlings in a nursery bed/site and then planting the seedlings in another field (main field). It is commonly done for rice and horticultural crops (i.e., fruits, vegetables and flowers). It is a time consuming operation. Equipment used for planting the seedlings in the main field is called transplanter.  3.2. Classification of Planting Equipment Basically, there are two types of crop planting equipment namely (i) seed drill and (ii) planter. Let see them briefly. I. Seed drill Is a machine used for placing the seeds in a continuous way in furrows at uniform rate and at controlled depth with an arrangement of covering the seeds with soil.  According to the power source used, seed drills may be classified into 1) Animal drawn seed drills 2) Tractor drawn seed drills In some cases these seed drills fitted with fertilizer dropping attachments are called seed-cum-fertilizer drills. Seed-cum-fertilizer drills deliver both the seeds and fertilizers simultaneously in an acceptable pattern. These drills has a large seed container which is divided lengthwise into two compartments, one for seed and another for fertilizers distribution. Seed drills II. Planter Planter is a sowing equipment used for sowing those seeds which are larger in size and cannot be handled by seed drill. Besides, the space between planting rows is larger than seed drill. Row to row and plant to plant spacing is maintained in a planter. Potato planter, maize planter, cotton planter are popularly used. Just like seed drill, planter is categorized as animal and tractor drawn. Tractor drawn planter Components of Planting Equipment The major components and the working principle of both the seed drill and the planter are similar except for their seed holding devices. Let’s see some of their major parts. A. Seed box and/or seed hopper: basically, seed box is the part of seed drill, whereas seed hopper is the part of planter. However, their function is the same. Their function is that they are a containers that used to store and pour seeds to the other part of the equipment. Their major difference is that the planter has separate seed hopper for each row. But, seed drill does not have a separate seed box rather it is single large device/container.  In some designs a small structure called agitator is provided at the bottom of the seed box or seed hopper which agitates (shakes) the seeds while the planting operation carried out. Its importance is to prevents clogging of seeds in the containers. B. Seed metering device: is a device which picks up seeds from the seed box or seed hopper and delivers/deposits the same amount as predetermined and accurate intervals into the part called seed tube. Usually it is provided at the bottom of the seed box or seed hopper. The working mechanism is called seed metering mechanism. C. Seed tube: is used to transport the seeds from the metering device to the other part called furrow openers. In other words, after the seeds have been measured and dispensed by the metering device, the seed tube carries them to where they need to be planted in the soil. Or simply it act like a channel or pathway for the seeds to move from one part of the equipment to another part. D. Cut-off device: It is the part that cuts-off or brushes out or removes the excess seeds carried away thus allowing corrected number of seeds for delivery. The working mechanism is called cut-off mechanism. E. Knock-out device: is a device that used to knocks out (picks) the seeds from the seed metering device then seeds goes through the seed tube so that they can reach to the part called furrow openers. Simply it has the function of picking the seeds. The working mechanism is called knock-out mechanism. F. Furrow openers: These are the parts which used to open up the furrows and place (put) the seeds in the soil. G. Covering device or furrow closer: is device which closes 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, which are designed in various shapes and sizes H. Transport wheel: There are two wheels fitted for transporting the planting equipment on roads. Iron wheels are used as transport 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 equipment is in operation. I. Frame: All the parts of planting equipment are fitted to the frame. It should be strong enough to withstand all types of loads in working condition. Functions of the planting equipment These implements/machines performs the following functions, 1. To carry the seeds. 2. To meter or accurately picking of the seeds 3. To open furrows at uniform depths 4. To deposit the seeds in furrows in an acceptable patterns 5. To cover the seeds and compact the soil around the seed.  3.3. Calibration of Planting Equipment The laboratory testing of any planting equipment to determine the rate of seed delivery is called calibration of planting equipment. This is done to ascertain whether the planting equipment delivers the seed in accordance with the recommended seed rate or not. If any discrepancy or inconsistency is found between seed delivery of the planting equipment and the recommended seed rate, then the seed metering mechanism or device is adjusted to deliver correct seed rate. This method avoids the difficulty of setting the seed delivery rate of the planting equipment in actual field conditions.