Versatile Low-Cost Planter with Fertilizer Applicator and Manually-Operated Corn Jabber Planter for Zero Tillage Rafael 0. Sarmiento Associate Professor College of Engineering University of Southern Mindanao Kabacan, North Cotabato Abstract The versatile single and double row planters developed at the University of Southern Mindanao Agricultural Research Center (USMARC) were tested on-station and at various on-farm locations in Mindanao. Test procedures used were those recommended by the Regional Network for Agricultural Machinery (RNAM) of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific (ESCAP) Technology Series No. 12. Drawn by an average draft animal, the equipment can plant, fertilize, and cover the seeds and fertilizer in one operation. For both planters, seed placement is at 3-5 cm depth with 20-25 cm distances between hills. Seed delivery is one to two seeds/hill but the uniformity will depend primarily on the sizes of the seeds. With one-animal-man, the equipment can finish planting one hectare within 6-8 hours for single-row and half as much time for double-row. Locally available materials are used for construction. The plans are so simple and are easily understood by local manufacturers. Furthermore, the equipment can be used for planting other grain crops such as mungbean, soybean, and sorghum if the appropriate size of seed cell is placed on the seed plates. The performance of the planter can be best achieved under conventionally tilled or minimum-tilled fields. With minimum weed cover and sufficient soil moisture, the planters can be used for zero-tillage planting. Comparing the traditional production method, the use of the planters in corn production substantially reduces cost of production OL 104 SOIL AND WATER RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENTby as much as 25 to 30%, because furrowing, planting, and fertilizing are done simultaneously. Introduction Ts “low input technology concept” was introduced in developing countries like the Philippines in redirecting efforts of agricultural workers to generate and test technologies of lesser Production cost. The practice of zero tillage is one of the possibilities that can be further developed because plowing, harrowing, and furrowing are eliminated, which are considered the most costly part in corn production. Zero tillage is a system of seedbed preparation wherein the seed is introduced into the untilled soil (Lal, 1979). In the process, soil erosion is significantly reduced. Aside from reducing soil erosion, zero tillage offers advantages over conventional tillage like the conservation of soil moisture and improvement of the physical structure of the soil. Planting under zero tillage system is still considered laborious and cumbersome because the usual method of planting is by the use of a manually-held pointed wooden stick. This bore-hole method makes it difficult to establish a uniform plant distance and seed placement depth, thereby causing much variation in crop stand Expectedly, field conditions under zero tillage system would have the presence of weeds and that the soil is relatively harder and more compact than if it were tilled or cultivated. It 1s, therefore, necessary to design and develop a zero tllage planter that could work and fit the above conditions. Present Scenario of the Cost of Corn Production Preliminary survey and interviews of corn farmers in Mindanao (Sarmiento, 1989) revealed that the combined cost of farming, planting, and fertilizing ranked third as the most expensive component in corn production. Presently, the average cost of above activities ranges from P904.00/ha to as much as P1,200.00/ha using the conventional manual method of operations. Reduction in cost of production combined with improved varieties and cultural practices will surely improve or increase the income of corn farmers in this part of the country where 30% of the total corn is produced. LUMALLLLLAAU ULLAL NnNnnNnNNNE SOIL AND WATER RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT 105Further reduction in the cost of operations can be achieved using the zero-tillage system of planting since the cost of land preparation is eliminated. Design Criteria for Construction and Test Considerations ‘The equipment requirements for conventional and no-tillage systems are influenced by various factors (Phillips, 1980) such as, (a) power source; (b) size and scale of operations; (c) species of crops to be grown; (d) topography of land; (e) soil type; (f) crop residues; (g) time of planting and harvest; and (h) climatological conditions, General considerations for equipment which can both work under conventional and no-tillage conditions can be summarized as: Sufficient weight to penetrate soil even with vegetal cover; 2. Open furrow or punch into the soil with sufficient depth for optimum seed placement; 3. Can deliver with optimum efficiency even with different sizes of seeds and minimum seed breakage; 4, Efficient rolling coulters to prevent residue build-up in front of planters; Uniform fertilizer delivery rate; and Seed cover wheel compaction capacity to provide immediate soil moisture seed contact for better germination and seedling development. bala For consistency and to avoid confusion in standard test procedures, the test codes and procedures published by RNAM, Tech. Series No. 12 was used for obtaining the performance output of the planters both for on-station and on-farm field conditions. Methodology Design and Construction of the Manually-Operated Corn Jabber-Planter for Zero Tillage The equipment developed for this purpose is made of steel, G.I. sheet, and pipe weighing 3 kg. It can deliver three seeds/jabbing (Fig. 1). The seed hopper can contain 3 kg of seeds when it is full. The sharp-pointed edge is able to penetrate the soil at the depth of 5 cm when the soil is moist. Six to eight man-days is required to MALU Nennnnnmmnnnmenniee 106 SOIL AND WATER RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENTwoprcn—-| METERING ROLLER, SPRING conneoTins R09 ue ano gown LwweR SONG TUBE Rovewen suioc— uTER stains TUBE Lr Fig. 1. Corn jabber for zero-tillage. plant a hectare of corn. This equipment is simple and can be easily manufactured by a local blacksmith or carpenter. Features and Performance of the Animal-Drawn Planter with Fertilizer Applicator for Zero Tillage A. Single-Row Planter ‘The equipment weighs 40 kg and can be readily drawn by a normal size carabao or cattle (Fig. 2). The features of the different components of the equipment developed are as follows: a. Frame. The frame contains all parts of the planter constructed out of 64 mm x 5 mm flat steel bars. It is ‘SOIL AND WATER RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT 107Fig. 2. Pictorial view of the planter with fertilizer applicator. structurally light and sturdy. It has provision for easy removal of parts during replacement and repairs and constructed out of 5 cm x 5 cm flat steel bars. The frontal portion is 18 cm wide and the rear 33 cm wide. The total length is 233.7 cm (Fig. 3). Fluted or plane sharp-edged coulter. It is attached to the front of the planter. It is Joined into the 2.54 mm diameter steel axl pillow block bearin, functions, namely: frame with a le shaft through two pieces of gs (Fig. 4). The coulter performs two 1. Cuts into the soil and vegetation and guides the furrow cutter wheel. For relatively hard soil and/or thick Plane-sharp-edged coulter was made. Proper functioning of the seed metering and delivery pl, and chain me ckaniem, TY plates through the sprockets eee ae wheel. An assembly of two pieces of circular csc plates 27 cm in diameter ig. 5) constructed this component. The sharp-edged disc assembly formed a 108 SOIL AND WATER RESOURCES CONSERVATION ‘AND MANAGEMENTFig.3. Frame with handle. cur away ViEW Fig. 4. Fluted coulter. ‘SOIL AND WATER RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT 109TT gee! 4 1 peal SECTION OF A-A side VIEW Fig. 5. Furrow cutter wheel. V-shaped furrow and directly attached behind the coulter and underneath the seed metering and delivery assembly When the soil is wet, the furrow cutter forms a V-shaped furrow where seeds are deposited. Scraper is provided to remove sticky clods on the surfaces of the disc assembly. d. Seed metering and delivery assembly. This part of the planter consists of seed hopper, seed plate, bevelled gear assembly, and the circular plastic downsprout directed towards the V-shaped furrow cutter wheel (Fig. 6). ‘The circular secd plate with a diameter of 15 cm is fitted at the bottom of the hopper. The number of cells, spacing, and size of holes surrounding the ring-shaped seed plate was made to meet the desired number of seeds and distance per hill. With this provision, the planter can be used also for planting mungbean, soybean, and sorghum. e. Fertilizer applicator. An edge-cell metering device was made to deliver fertilizer behind the furrow-cutter wheel (Fig. 7). Through the sprockets and chain mechanisms from the coulter, the fertilizer applicator is activated, causing the fertilizer to fall by gravity through a plastic delivery tube. 410 SOIL AND WATER RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENTwe ae 1 Laie PATE goch# SEO HOPPER e a1 ous seo woPPER Bor TOM reer eevee spas on. SHAFT ming Gean sereerd sonnet Fon sce METERING . ye 9 reer seve =A Feern caver sneer fom RTE, seca DELIVERY TUE StAES 15 Fig. 6. Exploded view of seed metering assemb! SCALE®1:8 Fig. 7. Exploded view of fertilizer applicator. SOIL AND WATER RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT 111f. Seed cover press wheel. At the rear end of the planter ig the seed cover press wheel (Fig. 8). This component covers the seed and fertilizer. ‘The various components mentioned above, including sprocket and chain mechanisms, were constructed considering engineering relationships and formulas as follows: row spacing - 75 em number of seeds per drop per hill — 1 to 2 seeds coulter diameter (drive wheel) — 40 cm spacing between hills — 22 cm seed population density — 66,000/ha ome op An ordinary bicycle chain for power transmission between the gear sprockets was selected because it is readily available in the local market. The final outcome of the equipment has the following specifications: 1. Frame Front width - 18cm Rear width - 33cm Total length - 233.7 cm Material - 5cmx 5 cm flat steel bar ToP view Te asc FLAT GL SHEET Ne 16 Fenitizen HOPPER » on : ie Fulteo couren SEM w FURROW CUTTER Woe 2oMe PRESS wHeeL— Fig. 8. Seed cover press wheel. ‘cammammnune emnnncnanmnanis 112 SOIL AND WATER RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENTCoulter Fluted type : Sharp-edge type: Size - 40 cm diameter Axle shaft — 2.54 cm size — 40 cm diameter axle shaft ~ 2.54 cm 2pillow block bearings—2.54cm diameter 2 pillow block bearings — 2.54 cm diameter Seed metering and delivery assembly Hopper capacity e No. of cells in seed plate . Size of cells . Delivery tube : Average distance between hills Furrow cutter wheel V-shaped disc Depth of cut Seed cover press wheel Fertilizer applicator Hopper capacity Axle shaft No. of cells Fertilizer delivery rate Gear-sprocket chain components Gauge wheel sprocket Drive gear Seed plate gear Bicycle chain cut to fit length Fertilizer delivery gear 10 kg corn seeds 11 1.27 cm diameter 2.5 cm diameter plastic tube 22 cm - 27cm diameter - 4to7cm - 15 cm diameter - Bg - 1.9 cm diameter - 4 - 150 kg/ha : 14 teeth - 24 teeth 36 teeth a 22 and 24 teeth ‘SOIL AND WATER RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT 1138. Others Power requirement — carabao, cattle, small tractor Field capacity (days to finish one hectare) — one day Forward speed — 3 km/hr Total weight without contents — 40 kg Depth of seed placement ~ 4-6 cm Field capacity — 0.15 ha/hr Materials and Supplies Single-Row Planter with Fertilizer Applicator GL pipe 40 cm x 7.62 cm dia Round bar 2.54 cm dia x 50 cm Pillow block bearings: a) 2 pes. 2.54 cm dia b) 2 pes. 1.9 cm dia Plain G.I. sheet No. 16; 1 m® Bevel gears: a) pinion gear b) ring gear Plain G.I. sheet No. 16; 1 m? G.I. pipe - 1.27 em dia Angle bar 5.08 cm x 1.5 m Flat bar 5.08 cm x 2m 10. Sprockets 4 pes 11. Chain link 12. Bolts and nuts pr a PENS 13. Construction cost - 40% of materials TOTAL B. Double-Row Planter 3,266.00 r The equipment weighs 70 kg when empty. It can also be drawn 7 8 small tractor or a normal size draft animal (Fig. 9). The different components of the equipment developed are as follows: a. Frame. It contains all parts of the equipment. The frame is made up of 5 cm x 5 mm steel angle bar with a length of 4 m. It has also the provision for easy removal of parts during repairs (Fig. 10). The handle attached to the frame 114 SOIL AND WATER RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENTFig. 9. Pictorial view of the planter. (Double-Row) Fig. 10. The frame. ip MANAGEMENT 115, ‘SOIL AND WATER RESOURCES CONSERVATION AN!js made of 2.64 cm diameter B.I. pipe with a total length of 280 cm. le-row planter consists of 2 ted coulter. The doub! bo Fluted reed coulter spaced at 75 cm apart attached to a a aeesong 2.64 om diameter axle shaft with 2 pieces 2.54 em diameter pillow block bearings. It is constructed out of 8.5 diameter pipe (Fie. 4 of A). c. Furrow-cutter wheel. This component is constructed by an assembly of 2 pieces of circular disc plates having a diameter of 27cm (Fig. 5 or 6). The planter consists of 2 pieces furrow-cutter wheel spaced at 75 cm to form a furrow distance of 75 cm. When the planter is in operation, the initial cut created by fluted coulter is followed-up immediately by the furrow-cutter wheel to form a V-shaped furrow where seeds are deposited. d. Seed metering and delivery assembly. This component of the planter consists of seed hopper, edge-cell type seed metering device, sprockets, and circular plastic downsprout with 2 cm diameter. The seed hoppers are made of gauge 16 G.I. sheet having a capacity of 8 kg (Fig. 11). The hollow cylindrical seed plate has 3 slots. The function of the 3 slots is to pick-up seeds in the hopper for delivery through the downspout. It has the capacity to plant other grain crops by reducing the slots and increasing its number (Fig. 12). e. Fertilizer applicator. Through the chain mechanism connection of the sprocket, the edge-cell type fertilizer metering device is activated causing the fertilizer to fall by gravity through a plastic delivery tube. The fertilizer applicator (see Fig. fertilizer applicator) is composed of fertilizer hopper, made of G.I. sheet No. 16, an edge-cell type metering device with 4 cells, and plastic pipe with 2cm diameter (Figs. 13 and 14). Results and Discussion After the prototype model was completed, a series of tests were made to evaluate the performance of the planter and fertilizer applicator. Test codes and procedures for farm machinery published OMA AA 116 SOIL AND WATER RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT10 view aah le Fig. 12. Detail of seed metering device (edge-cell type). aaa SOIL AND WATER RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT 117ae pee oP view Fig. 14. Fertilizer applicator. 118 SOIL AND WATER RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENTand recommended by the ASEAN Re, i i gional Network for Agricultural Machinery (RNAM) were strictly followed. inet several tests (on-station) it was observed that several modifications for further development were needed. These include: Difficulty in turning at headlands; Breakage of seeds was observed (more than 3%); Suction of coulter was poor; Stability was not good; and Cover press wheel did not perform very well. Fone All other component parts of the planter performed exceptionally well but with the problems identified, modifications were made to improve the field performance of the equipment. Finally, a planter with fertilizer applicator that can perform relatively well has been developed. Turning at headlands was improved by the construction of a travel wheel. Breakage of seeds was reduced to less than 1% with the construction of a rubberized Amockout pawl. Stability and suction of the coulter was improved by placement of semi-fixed horizontal hitchbar. At the on-farm sites, farmer-cooperators were identified for the evaluation of the planter; an area ranging from 0.5 to as much as two-hectares per location was used. USMARC corn varieties were used in most of the locations. Most of the farmers normally preferred the conventional tillage method except in one farm in which the area was a semi-tilled condition wherein the field was plowed once. Soil types were sandy loam, clay loam, and silty clay loam with slopes ranging from 9 to 12.5%. During the evaluation of the planter, different sizes of seeds were used. It was observed that the distance per hill ranged from 20 to 23.5 cm, which resulted to a population density of 54,300- 71,200 plants/ha, respectively. It is believed however, that with larger sized seeds a population density of 54,300 to 60,000 plants/ha will be obtained and 60,000-66,000 plants/ha for medium sized seeds. Higher population densities of 67,000 plants/ ha to 71,000 plants/ha were observed when small-sized corn seeds were used. Versatility tests for the single-row and double-row planters were already made using mungo and sorghum. The said equipment delivered an identical rate of 353,000 plants/ha. AAILILLALELEL ‘SOIL AND WATER RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT 119Symposium and Demonstration of the Single Row and Double-Row Versatile Zero-Tillage Planters at USMARC, Kabacan, Cotabato As a result of its publicity and press releases and also through a series of demonstrations and field evaluations of USMARG versatile corn planters, USMARC received many requests from ag far as Cagayan Valley and Isabela and even farmers in Mindanao. With this existing demand, a symposium and demonstration of the planters were held at USMARC on March 12, 1991. This activity was perceived to be one of the strategies for the wide-scale adoption of the versatile planters. Invited during the affair were local agricultural machinery manufacturers from Regions XI and XII, farmer-cooperative members, seed growers, financing institutions (e.g., DTI, Land Bank, Rural Banks), DA personnel, and the media. Three-week-old corn, sorghum, and mungo planted by the said planters were shown. Demonstrations on the proper use and operation were also conducted. Guests, participants, and visitors noted plant distances and establishment. Machinery manufacturers noted the simplicity by which the planter operated including the assembly of its parts and accessories. Slides and transparencies showing the construction and evaluation activities were made during the symposium after which blueprints were distributed The Land Bank and the Department of Trade and Industry representatives were willing to finance farmer-cooperatives that decided to own the planters. Farmers, particularly the seed growers, requested that the said planters be demonstrated in their areas so that more farmers could actually see their performances. The manufacturers agreed to fabricate the planters in close coordination with USMARC during the initial stages of fabrication. They also promised not to sell their products at a very high price. ; © symposium and demonstration activities ended with very high enthusiasm among Participants that in the near future corn farmers will be able to reduce their cost of production with the use of USMARC versatile corn planters, Conclusions and Recommendations With the use of the equipment (single-row and double-row Planters) it is possible to increase profit through reduction of costs ‘120 SOIL AND WATER RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENTof inputs (ie., Planting and basal fertilization). For the above operations, labor requirement, particularly during planting and basal fertilization, were minimized. 1. Any normal sized draft animal can easily draw the planter with fertilizer applicator (single-row and double-row). In order to reduce the number of hours to finish one hectare, a three-row planter to be drawn by a small tractor is recommended. 2. Presently, the fertilizer applicator of the planter has a fixed rate of application. In order to attain the NPK requirement of any type of soil, adjustable fertilizer applicator is recommended 3. The planter has been adopted and piloted. Promotion and mass production is necessary so that more corn farmers can adopt this technology. References Lal, tillage in the tropics. In: No-tillage Agriculture Chapter 12, 1979. pp. 271-299 Phillips, S. No-tillage planting equipment. In: } ‘o-tallage agriculture, Chapter 11, 1980. pp. 255-269 RNAM. Regional network for agricultural machinery, test codes and procedures for farm machinery. Tech. Series No. Sarmiento, R.O. Personal commumeations to individ farmers and farmer-cooperatives in Mindanao, 1989, LLL NNN ‘SOIL AND WATER RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT 121