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ThesisItem Restricted Development and evaluation of vertical disc type vegetable transplanter for cell type nursery(2018) Bhambota, Shiva; Dixit, A.K.A tractor operated semi-automatic two row vegetable transplanter using plug type nursery was developed. The machine released the seedlings close to the ground in near vertical position without any damage. Coco-peat, vermiculite and perlite in the ratio of 3:1:1 on volume basis (M1) and another media recommended by Punjab Agricultural University (M2), the contents of which are not yet in public domain were studied. The cell volume of the three cells (C) studied were: 63.8 cm3 (C1), 18.70 cm3 (C2), and 16.28 cm3 (C3). Higher values of all the plant growth parameters were observed in cell size C1 as compared to cell size C2 and C3 which had non-significant differences, for the same media and seedling age. Higher values of all the plant growth parameters were observed for media M2 as compared to media M1 at all stages of growth for all cell sizes. The effect of media, however, varied with the crop as well as the plant growth parameter. Plucking rating was highest in lowest cell size (C3) with media (M2) at higher stage of plant growth. Nursery used for field evaluation of all the crops studied was grown in with media M2 in cells C3. Plant missing and heart rate increased with increase in feed rate for all the subjects. However, the effect of cell size (C) on plant missing and heart rate was non-significant. Plant missing and plant doublings in both the field conditions (i.e. with or without raised bed) were similar which increased with increase in forward speed for all the crops studied. The plant missing on raised beds, in the range of forward speeds studied (1.00 km/h to 1.50 km/h), were: 3.70% to 28.40%, 0.0% to 13.73% and 0.0 % to 2.80% in case of tomato, brinjal and chilli respectively. Plant doubling in the field with raised bed was observed only at speed of 1.50 km/h which were: 7.41% and 2.33% in case of tomato and brinjal respectively. No plant missing or doubling was observed in case of chili even at forward speed of 1.50 km/h. All the plants transplanted were erect (plant inclination less than 30o) at average depth of planting ranging from 4.0 cm to 7.0 cm. for all the crops and field conditions studied. No plant mortality was observed for the crops transplanted with the machine. Estimated field capacity of the machine was 0.103 ha/h, 0.126 ha/h, and 0.152 ha/h for tomato, brinjal, and chili respectively at the recommended forward speed of 1.00 km/h, 1.25 km/h, and 1.50 km/h respectively for these crops. Savings in labour and transplanting cost was 84.71% to 86.20% and 24.07% to 31.46% respectively, as compared to manual method.