PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF TRACTOR DRAWN AQUA PLANTER
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Date
2018
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Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University
Abstract
Agriculture is one of the most important sectors of Indian economy both in
terms of gross national product and number of productive workers employed. Dry
farming or dry land farming is a practice of growing a profitable crop without irrigation
in areas, which receive an annual rainfall of 500 mm or even less. Dry land agriculture
plays an important role in the progress of agriculture in the Indian economy. India is
basically dependent on rain fed agriculture. About 44 per cent of total food production
comes from 67 per cent of total cultivated area, which is rain dependent. India has about
47 million hectares of dry lands out of 108 million hectares of total rain fed area. Dry
lands contribute more than 40 per cent food grains (80 per cent maize, 95 per cent of
pearl millet and sorghum). About 95 per cent of pulses and 75.5 per cent of oil seeds are
also grown in these areas. Thus, dry lands and rain fed farming will continue to play a
dominant role in agricultural production.
Groundnut and redgram is generally sown after commencing of the normal on
set of monsoon. However, the erratic onset of monsoon and commencement of sowing
rains, sometimes force the farmers to sow the crop late in the season. Yield of rain-fed
crop is affected by the commencement of sowing rains during the recommended period
of sowing.
It is absolutely crucial for the seeds that moisture should be available in the first
few days itself after sowing to achieve 100 per cent germination. Aqua sowing is the
simultaneous sowing of seeds and delivery of an equitable quantum of water, just right
for the seeds to germinate irrespective of whether it rains or not for the next few days.
This is a new technology developed for the benefits of dry land farmers, and specially
for sowing of seeds during contingency season of delayed monsoon.
Seed rates for the groundnut and redgram dry seed observed were 105.47,
108.46, 118.55 kg ha-1 and 10.27, 11.44, 10.66 respectively. The breakage of dry
groundnut and redgram seed was observed 1.8, 5.4 and 6.8 g and 0.6, 1.2 and 1.8 g for
vertical, inclined and horizontal plate metering mechanisms respectively. The breakage
of dry groundnut and redgram seed was found to be less percentage in case of vertical
plate metering mechanism. Hence vertical plate metering mechanism was selected for
sowing in the field.
The breakage of the groundnut and redgram soaked seed at all the soaked
intervals and also for all the three seed metering mechanisms were found to be at higher
rate i.e. more than 5%. Hence it was found that the seed drill could not perform
effectively for sowing soaked groundnut and redgram seed under laboratory conditions
for all the three seed metering mechanisms. Hence soaking of sowing groundnut and
redgram seed was not considered for sowing under field conditions.
The application rate of water in a test plot of 30 m x 30 m were found to be
highest for 120 L/min i.e. 49655.17 and 17266.18 liters at an average speed of 2.7 and
2.5 kmph for groundnut and redgram respectively. The field capacity was found to be
0.145 ha h-1 0.417 ha h-1 for groundnut and redgram with field efficiency of 88.90 and
69.50 per cent at an average speed of 2.72 and 2.50 kmph for aqua planter.
The highest average germination of crop sown by aqua planter was observed
with 120 L/min discharge rate was 95% and the lowest germination of crop was 75%
for both the groundnut and redgram with 60 L/min discharge. The highest plant
population per square meter and plant height in cm for groundnut and redgram was
found to be 22.8, 11.2 and 21.06, 127.8 with 120 liters discharge rates. The highest 100
seed weight was found with120 L/min discharge rate and the lowest seed weight was
found with 60 L/min discharge rate. The highest pod/seed yield obtained for groundnut
was found to be 619.38 kg ha-1 and 514.90 kg ha-1 with discharge rate of 120 L/min
whereas the lowest pod yield was found to be 334.15 kg ha-1 215.73 kg ha-1 with
discharge rate of 60 L/min. The cost of sowing operation of aqua planter with tractor for
groundnut and redgram was Rs. 5140 and Rs. 1815 per hectare respectively.
Key words: Planter, seed rate, breakage, discharge, germination, field efficiency, yield
Description
D5572
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