Effect of travel speed on seed spacing uniformity of corn seed meter

Liu Quanwei, He Xiantao, Yang Li, Zhang Dongxing, Cui Tao, Qu Zhe, Yan Bingxin, Wang Mantao, Zhang Tianliang

Abstract


Both seeding performance of seed metering unit and travel speed of seed planter have significant effects on seeding quality, thereby affecting crop growth and yields. In order to determine the effects of different travel speeds on seed spacing uniformity, four different types of seed meters were evaluated at five different travel speeds on seed meter test bench and in field. The tested seed meters included a finger pickup seed meter, a scoop-wheel seed meter, an air-pressure type seed meter and an air-blowing type seed meter. The seeding performance of the horizontal distribution of seeds within a row was described by using the coefficient of variation, the quality of feed index, the multiple index and the miss-seeding index. Experiments were performed in laboratory and field, respectively. Results indicated that different travel speeds have statistically significant effects on seed spacing uniformity. The four types of seed meters performed better on the seed meter test bench than in the field. Coefficient of variation increases and quality of feed index decreases as the travel speed of seed planter increases. The best seed spacing uniformity was obtained with the air-pressure type seed meter, followed with the air-blowing type seed meter, the finger pickup seed meter and the scoop-wheel seed meter. There were considerable differences between the performances of the scoop-wheel seed meter in the bench test and field test; the seeding qualities were much better in the bench test than in the field test. The scoop-wheel seed meter is more sensitive to vibration than the other types of seed meters.
Keywords: corn seed meter, travel speed, seed spacing uniformity, precision corn planter, field test, test bench
DOI: 10.25165/j.ijabe.20171004.2675

Citation: Liu Q W, He X T, Yang L, Zhang D X, Cui T, Qu Z, et al. Effect of travel speed on seed spacing uniformity of corn seed meter. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2017; 10(4): 98–106.

Keywords


corn seed meter, travel speed, seed spacing uniformity, precision corn planter, field test, test bench

Full Text:

PDF

References


Zhao Z, Li Y M, Chen J, Xu L Z. Numerical analysis and laboratory testing of seed spacing uniformity performance for vacuum-cylinder precision seeder. Biosystems Engineering, 2010; 106: 344–351.

Karayel D, Ozmerzi A. Effect of tillage methods on sowing uniformity of maize. Canadian Biosystems Engineering, 2002; 44(2): 23–26.

Jasa P J, Dickey E C. Tillage factors affecting corn seed spacing. Trans. ASAE, 1982; 25(6): 1516–1519.

Brooks D, Church B. Drill performance assessments: changed approach. Br. Sugar Beet Rev, 1987; 50(3): 13–15.

Smith J A, Palm K L, Yonts C D, Wilson R G. Seed spacing accuracy of sugarbeet planters. American Society of Agricultural Engineers, 1991; 91(1551): 15p.

Bracy R P, Parish R L, McCoy J E. Precision seeder uniformity varies with theoretical spacing. HortTechnology, 1999; 9(1): 47–50.

Parish R L, Bracy R P. Metering non-uniform vegetable seed. HortTechnology, 1998; 8(1): 69–71.

Karayel D, Wiesehoff M, Ozmerzi A, Müller J. Laboratory measurement of seed drill seed spacing and velocity of fall of seeds using high-speed camera system. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 2006; 50(2): 89–96.

Ozmerzi A, Karayel D, Topakci M. Effect of seeding depth on precision seeder uniformity. Biosystems Engineering, 2002; 82(2): 227–230.

Allen R R, Hollingsworth L D, Thomas J D. Sunflower planting and emergence with coated seed. Transactions of the ASAE, 1983; 26(3): 665–668.

Halderson J L. Planter selection accuracy for edible beans. Transactions of the ASAE, 1983; 26(2): 367–371.

Ozmerzi A. Seed distribution performance of the furrow openers used on the drill machines. AMA Farm Mach. Ind. Res. Corp, 1986; 2: 32–35.

Panning J W. Seed spacing performance for general purpose and speciality sugarbeet planters. MS Thesis, 1997; Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska.

Riley T W, Shahidi S K, Reeves T G, Cass A. Effect of design parameters of narrow direct drilling points on their performance in soil bins. Agriculture Engineering Australia, 1997; 26(2): 5–14.

Kachman S D, Smith J A. Alternative measures of accuracy in plant spacing for planters using single seed metering. Transactions of the ASAE, 1995; 38(2): 379–387.

Griepentrog H W. Seed distribution over the area. Rivista Di Ingegneria Agraria, 2002; 1–4.

Panning J W, Kocher M F, Smith J A, Kachman S D. Laboratory and field testing of seed spacing uniformity for sugarbeet planters. Applied Engineering in Agriculture, 2000; 16(1): 7–13.

Moody F H, Hancock J H, Wilkerson J B. Evaluating planter performance-cotton seed placement accuracy. ASABE Annual International Meeting, Las Vegas, NV, 2003.

Chhinnan M S, Young J H, Rohrbach R P. Accuracy of seed spacing in peanut planting. Transactions of the ASAE, 1975; 18(5): 828–831.

Anonymous. Finger pickup unit replaces plate in corn planter. Agricultural Engineering, 1968; 49(9): 436.

Shi S, Zhang D X, Yang L, Cui T, Zhang R, Yin X W. Design and experiment of pneumatic maize precision seed-metering device with combined holes. Transactions of the CSAE, 2014; 30(5): 10–18. (in Chinese)

Liu J, Cui T, Zhang D X, Huang S L, Shi S. Experimental study on pressure of air-blowing precision seed-metering device. Transaction of the CSAE, 2011; 27(12): 18–22. (in Chinese)




Copyright (c)



2023-2026 Copyright IJABE Editing and Publishing Office