Design, Fabrication And Performance Evaluation Of Two-Wheel Tractor Drawn Six Row Wheat Seed Drill

Abstract

Wheat Is One Of The Leading Food Crops In Ethiopia. In Ethiopia Broadcasting System Of Sowing Is Prevalent Up To Date. Animal Drawn Seeders Are Developed For Sowing Wheat But Proper Seed Rate Is Not Maintained And Uneven Seed Delivery Was Observed. The Small Power Operated Two-Wheel Tractors Are Being Used By Farmers For Various Farm Operations. The Objective Of This Study Was To Design, Fabricate And Performance Evaluation Of Two-Wheel Tractor Drawn Wheat Seed Drill. In Ethiopia There Is A Limitation On Tractor Drawn Planters Attached With Those Two-Wheel Tractors. Therefore, This Thesis Work Intended To Avail A Suitable Low Cost Seed Driller. The Physical Properties Of Five Varieties Of Wheat Were Studied. The Sphericity Result Was 61 % To 67 %. The Angles Of Repose Of All Varieties Were Nearly Equal To 260. The Developed Two-Wheel Tractor Drawn Wheat Drill Machine Consists Of Trapezoidal Shape Hopper, Cup Feed Seed Metering Mechanism, Shovel Type Furrow Opener, Ground Wheel And Furrow Covering Device. Row To Row Spacing Can Be 20 Cm And Depth Also Adjustable To 3 To 5 Cm As Per Wheat Agronomic Requirement. The Developed Two-Wheel Tractor Drawn Wheat Seed Drill Was Tested In The Laboratory And Field. The Seed Rate Was Calibrated And Observed That 112 Kg/Ha With A 4.5 Mm Cups Depth Adjustment Which Is Laying In The Acceptable Range Of 100 To 125 Kg/Ha. There Was No Visible Damage Observed. The Preliminary Test Conducted At Speed Of 1.4, 2 And 2.5 Km/H Speed Shows Good Seed Rate But 2.5 Km/H Speed Gave Better Operation Result Than Other Operating Speeds. 350 To 372 Plants Population Per 1.2 M2 Area Were Observed During Field Germination Count. The Theoretical Field Capacity, Effective Field Capacity And Field Efficiency Of The Machine Were 0.30 Ha/Hr., 0.23 Ha/Hr. And 77.91 % Respectively. The Performance Of Two-Wheel Tractor Drawn Six Row Wheat Drill Was Good For Working In The Well Prepared Seed Bed For Sowing. Key Words: Cup Feed Seed Metering, Design, Seed Drill, Seed Rate, Two Wheel-Tractor, Wheat