Lecture -8

PLANTER - PROBLEMS RELATED TO SEED DRILLS AND PLANTERS.

PLANTER
Planter is normally used for those seeds which are larger in size and can not
be used by usual seed drills.

Function of planter: (i) to open the furrow (ii) to meter the seed (iii) to deposit the seed
in the furrow (iv) to cover the seeds and compact the soil over it. A planter consists of:
(i) hopper (ii) feed metering device (iii) knock out arrangement (iv) cut-off mechanism
(v) furrow opener and (vi) other accessories. 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. (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 m 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. 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 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. 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.

Potato planter
Potato is an important crop in India. It requires a lot of labour for sowing yhrseeds in the
fields. Potato planter have two types of potato dropping mechanisms
i. automatic
ii. Semi-automatic
Potato (planter automatic)
The automatic potato consists of a hopper for each row and cups with chain
drive mechanism. The graded potatoes are picked up by the cup and carried to furrow
opener spout and released in the furrow. A feeder roller connected to compensating tray
which contains spare potatoes checks each cup. If a cup is 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 potato. 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 metering disc which
contains a number of compartments. This disc is rotated through gear drive mechanism.
The potatoes drop due to gravity in the furrow openers. The ridges are also formed by the
furrow openers . It may plant in 2-4 rows Field capacity is 0.15-0.35 ha/hr
Manual Rice Planter

It is used for transplanting of paddy seedlings. The unit consists of skid

frame, movable tray and seed picking fingers. Mat type seedlings are placed on the
inclined trays. When the fingers are pushed downward they pick up the seedlings and
place them in the ground. Seedlings are left on the ground during return stroke. The plant
to plant spacing can be controlled by the opener. It may be 5-6 rows with comb type
finger. Its working capacity may be 0.2 – 0.25 ha/8 hrs.

Japanese Rice Transplanter

Rice transplanter has become very successful in Japan after 1970. Rice
transplanting by hand is very arduous, expensive and labour consuming operation.
Development of any machine for successful transplanting would save enormous labour
time and money. Several unsuccessful attempts were made in Japan earlier but recent
designs of rice transplanter has become very successful among the farmers. More than
60% of the land of Japan at present is covered by paddy transplanter. If this machine is
modified and improved according to Indian condition, it will be very useful machine for
rice growing areas in India.

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

Seedlings: Growing of seedlings for this transplanter is most difficult work. Seedlings
are grown in special seedling trays. It is called mat seedling. Mat seedlings are grown by
some standard procedure in controlled environment in a nursery.

Operation: The seedlings are raised in special trays as mat seedlings. The mat seedlings
are placed on the seeding table of the transplanter in slanting position. When the engine
is started, the running clutch and planting clutch are operated. Four bar linkage
mechanism is there to catch 3 or 4 seedlings at a time and to separate them from the mat
and fix in the puddled soil. A float is there to support the machine on the water while
working in the field. There are two ground wheels made of iron for facilitating the
movement of the transplanter. There is a marker also which demarcates the transplanting
width while in operation.

Power from the engine goes to the main clutch from where it is divided into
two routes, one goes to planting clutch and the other goes to running clutch. Unless
planting clutch is operated , the four bar linkage mechanism does not work. The engine
is of about 1.2 to 1.8 HP only. The machine maintains row to row spacing of 28 cm to 30
cm and plant spacing of 14 cm to 16 cm only. The planting capacity of the machine is
about 0.05 to 0.1 hectare per hour.

Calibration of seed drill:

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:
i. Determine the width of sowing of seed drill (W)
W = M x S,
Where,

M = Number of furrow openers

S = Spacing between the furrow openers, meter
ii. Find the length of the strip of land (L) considering the width of sowing
(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 = xDxN = 400/W
N = 400/ 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/ x D x N,
revolutions
viii. Weigh the quantity of seed collected in the container and record the
observation.
ix. Calculation for 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.

Solved examples
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.30/- per
pair, hire charges of seed drill Rs.15/- per day and wage of operator Rs.30/- per day
of 8 hours.

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

Area covered ha/hr =

Time taken to cover one hectare = 1/FTT = 1/0.33 = 3.03 hrs.

Cost of seeding/ha =

Cost of seeding per hectare = 3.03 x 9.37 = Rs.28.39

2 The following results were obtained while calibrating a seed drill. Calculate the
seed rate per hectare.

(i) No. of furrows = 10 (ii) Spacing between furrows = 20 cm (iii) Diameter of drive
wheel = 1.5 metre (iv) RPM = 500 (v) seed collected = 20 kg.

Sol. Effective width of seed drill = 10 x 20 cm = 2 m

Circumference of drive wheel =  x 1.5 m
Area covered in one revolution =  x 1.5 x 2 m
Area covered in 500 revolution =  x 1.5 x 2 x 500 = 4712.3m
Seed dropped for 4712.3 m = 20 kg
20 x 10000
Seed dropped/ha = ------------------- = 42.22 kg.
4712.3
3 Calculate the time required for sowing 1.6 hectares of land by five furrows seed
drill going 12.5 cm deep. The speed of seed drill is 3.2 km/hr and pressure exerted
by the soil on the seed drill is 0.42 kg/cm. The space between furrow openers is 10
cm and loss in turning is 10%.

Sol. Total width of seed drill = 5 x 10 cm = 50 cm

50 3.2 x 1000
Theoretical area/hr = ---------- x -------------------- = 0.16 ha
100 10000

0.16 x 90
Actual area/hr = --------------- = 0.144 ha
100

1.60
 Time for sowing 1.6 ha = --------- = 11.11 hrs.
0.144

4. Calculate the seed rate/hectare of a 7 x 17 cm seed drill whose main drive wheel
is 124 cm diameter and total weight of grain collected in 20revolutions is 0.423 kg.

Sol. Total width of seed drill = 7 x 17 = 119 cm = 1.19 m

Circumference of main drive wheel =  x 124 cm = 3.90 m
Area covered per revolution = 1.19 x 3.9 = 4.64 m
10000
No. of revolutions/ha = ---------- = 2155.17
4.64

20 revolutions required 0.423 kg of seed.

2155.17 x 0.423
Seed required for 2155.17 revolution = ------------------------
20
= 45.58 kg.
Seed rate = 45.58 kg.

Model questions:
1. State the functions of a planter
2. List the advantages of seed planter over seed drills
3. List the types of seed planter mechanisms
4. Mention the conditions where in you will use transplanters
5. Differentiate trans planter and planter.
6. Explain about mechanical rice transplanter
7. Explain about manual rice transplanter
8. What do u understand by calibration of seed drills
7. The following observations are recorded while calibrating the seed drill.
Number of furrows = 10
 Spacing between the furrows = 20 cm
Diameter of the ground wheel = 1.5 m
Speed of rotation of ground wheel = 500
Weight of seed collected = 20 kg.
Calculate the seed rate.
8. . Seed metering mechanism used in cultivator seed drill is
a. Fluted rollers b. Cup feed mechanism c. Brush feed mechanism
d. Auger feed mechanism

9. In most of the seed drills drive for seed metering mechanism is taken from
a. PTO shaft b. Engine c. Hydraulic system d. Ground wheel

10. A five row 20 cm manual transplanter is pulled at a speed of 1.0 km/h. How
much area will be planted in one day of 8 hours if field efficiency is 80 %
a. 0. 50 ha b. 0.60 ha c. 0.64 ha d. 0.70 ha

11. Knock out mechanism is a device which knocks out the seeds from the cells or
picker heads of the mechanism. True/False