Design, development and evaluation of electronic metering mechanism for liquid urea application in straw mulch field.
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Date
2022
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Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana
Abstract
Currently, granular urea (most commonly used fertilizer) is applied through broadcasting by the farmers in the field. While surface application of urea not only contributed to higher losses and low use efficiency, applying liquid fertilizer below the soil surface gave better utilization by the plant and lower losses. A tractor operated liquid urea injector was developed for injecting measured quantity of liquid urea, under pressure, into the soil surface through a surface mulch of crop residue. The prototype was used to apply liquid fertilizer below soil surface under high mulched no till condition. The machine had five wheels, spaced 40 cm apart, and with periphery mounted 8 injectors. Pressurized liquid fertilizer was supplied to the central hub of the wheel and metered into soil using electronically controlled cut-off mechanism. The electronic mechanism consisted of limit switch, sensor, solenoid valve and relay whereas flow measurement mechanism consist of flow sensor, communication module, power module and display screen. Evaluation of developed machine was done in lab as well as field conditions. In lab conditions, the maximum discharge obtained at maximum operating pressure (P3) was 11.3 L/min. whereas minimum discharge at operating pressure P1 was 3.86 l/min. The field evaluation of the machine was conducted on two different locations having different type of soil using three forward speeds [F3 (1.8 km/h), F2 (2.7 km/h), F1 (3.6 km/h)]. The control was broadcasting method of applying urea to the crop which is used by the farmers. Combined optimum performance in soil S1 (sandy loam soil) and S2 (loamy soil) was obtained of machine at forward speed F2 (2.7 km/h) without affecting crop yield. At this operational parameter the application rate was 1090.85 l/ha and 1035.18 l/ha, field capacity 0.36 ha/h and 0.35 ha/h, and crop yield 39.50 q/ha and 39.63 q/ha, respectively for two soil types. Cost of operation of machine was found 1996.53 Rs/ha. The developed prototype has high field capacity of mechanically injecting liquid fertilizer in the crop root zone. This technology also contributes to the adoption of precision agriculture practices.
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Parveen (2022). Design, development and evaluation of electronic metering mechanism for liquid urea application in straw mulch field. (Unpublished Ph.D. Dissertation). Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India.