DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF FERTILIZER APPLICATION ATTACHMENT TO FOUR WHEEL RICE TRANSPLANTER

Abstract

In India about 65 per cent of population eat rice and it is the main income source and the demand for rice is growing with ever increasing population. Manual transplanting of rice is a labour intensive, time consuming and causes drudgery. To overcome these problems a self-propelled rice transplanter was used which ensures more yield, labour efficiency and faster transplanting operation. In addition to this basal application of fertilizer in the paddy field immediately after rice transplanting is done as it increases the yield and protects the crop from diseases. Therefore, this study has envisaged to design and develop a basal fertilizer applicator attachment to the four- wheel riding type transplanter for the simultaneous operation which makes an effective operating cost. A fertilizer combination was prepared with the Urea (46:0:0); Ammonium phosphate (16:20:0); Potash (0:0:60). A Crank-rocker mechanism was used for the fertilizer drill for better distribution efficiency. The actual field capacity and field efficiency of the developed transplanting cum fertilizer applicator unit was 0.418 ha h-1 and 72.7 per cent at an operating speed of 3.2 km h-1; 0.54 ha h-1 and 72.1 per cent at 4.2 km h-1 speed and 0.743 ha h-1 and 71.2 per cent at 5.8 km h-1 speed. The observed field capacity and efficiency when the transplanter was operated without fertilizer applicator was 0.429 ha h-1 and 74.5 per cent at an operating speed of 3.2 km h-1; 0.572 ha h-1 and 75.7 per cent at 4.2 km h-1 speed and 0.768 ha h-1 and 73.6 per cent at 5.8 km h-1 speed. Maximum field capacity and field efficiency was observed at 3.2 km h-1. The observed average percentage of missing, buried, floating hills and planting efficiency of the machine was minimum at an operating speed of 3.2 km h-1 which is 7.68, 0.96, 2.88 and 88.6 per cent and maximum at an operating speed of 5.8 km h-1 which is 8.65, 6.72, 3.84 and 81.6 per cent respectively. This is due to the higher rotation of the transplanting fingers, which made the transplanting fingers unable to pick the rice seedlings properly. But overall, there is no much variation in the planting efficiency of the machine. The application rate of fertilizer combination from the outlet of drill was analysed by selecting three different speeds viz., 3.2, 4.2 and 5.8 km h-1; three different swing angles of the crank rocker mechanism viz., 124°, 97° and 90° and with three different types of slot types on nylon rollers Slot 1, Slot 2, Slot 3. The maximum (optimum) fertilizer application rate was observed at the combination of transplanting speed of 5.8 km h-1 at a swing angle of 124° for Slot 1 (Segment type slot) which is 410.1 kg ha-1 with minimum coefficient of variation of (CV) of 9.9 per cent and the minimum application rate was observed at the lower operating speed 3.2 km h-1, lower swing angle 90° and Slot 3, where the application rate was 343.3 kg ha-1 with the (CV) of 17.26 per cent. The application rate was varied from 410-340 kg ha-1. The cost of operation of mechanical transplanting and fertilizer applicator was 1202.3 Rs h-1 (1618.2 Rs ha-1) and the cost of operation of manual fertilizer broadcasting operation after mechanical transplanting was 1251.7 Rs h-1 (1753 Rs ha- 1). The cost saving of 50 Rs h-1 was attained with the mechanical fertilizer application over manual application. The payback period for the developed fertilizer applicator attachment to the transplanter was 8 months.