Development and evaluation of nitrogen (liquid Urea) applicator for straw mulched no-till wheat

The broadcasting of urea under high straw no-till farming often exhibit suppressed yields because of lesser nitrogen availability due to slower soil mineralization and greater N immobilization, de-nitrification and ammonia volatilization.  Prior to development of nitrogen (liquid urea) applicator, appropriate machines were not available for application of urea into the soil surface in a directly sown high straw mulched wheat crop.  To solve the problems of urea application in high straw no-till farming, self-propelled nitrogen (liquid urea) applicator was developed and evaluated under actual field conditions.  Average field capacity and efficiency of the applicator were found to be 0.33 ha/h and 80.49%, respectively.  Total plant N uptake at maturity was higher with wheat fertilized with developed nitrogen applicator (121.24 kg ha-1) in comparison to conventional broadcasting (81.69 kg ha-1).  Yield of wheat fertilized with the developed nitrogen (liquid urea) applicator was 20% higher than with broadcasting.  The increase in wheat yield under nitrogen applicator was primarily due to higher spike density, higher spike length, more grains per spike, more grain weight and higher nitrogen uptake.  Among point injection nitrogen application, the grain yield was at par at different straw load conditions; however, in case of broadcast N application, significantly lower grain yield was obtained under high straw load conditions compared to that of low straw load conditions.  This effect was attributed to the low accessibility of fertilizer N to the plant at high straw load in case of broadcast of urea.   Keywords: Nitrogen (liquid urea) applicator, broadcasting, straw load, field capacity, nitrogen uptake, yiel

Farm power availability for sustainable agriculture development in Punjab state of India

It has transforming from subsistence farming which was dependent on human and animals, to mechanized farming using inanimate power sources like tractors, diesel engines, electric motors, etc. In Punjab agriculture, the human and animal power has substantially reduced from 7.5 to 0.69 % and 73 to 0.61% respectively due to increase in mechanical power from 17 to 76 % and electrical power from 1.7 to 23.5 from 1960-61 to 2012-13. The intensity of farm power availability has increased from 0.37 to 5.68 kW ha-1 during the same period. Correspondingly there has been increase in the cropping intensity (112 to 196%), production (3.16 to 28.58 mt) and productivity (668 to 3638 kg ha-1) of total food grains

Analysis of straw bruising and sieving system on performance of modified wheat straw combine for better straw quality

Wheat straw is a major feed source for ruminants. To retrieve the wheat straw and stubbles left after wheat harvesting operation with grain combines, another machine i.e. straw combine is used. But it was observed that the quality straw collected by straw combines contains dirt particles which increases total ash content of straw and that are harmful for animal health. To reduce energy requirement and to reduce total ash content, straw combine was developed with sieving system. Modified straw combine consisted of a 1.53×0.82 m screen with 0.208 mm opening sieving system, which was fixed below the bruising cylinder. Field evaluation of the modified straw combine carried out at two level of concave bar spacing (10 & 14 mm), three feed rate (14, 16.5 & 19 q/h) and three cylinder speed (28.45, 32.25 &36.04 m/s). It was observed that at 14 mm concave bar spacing, 28.45 m/s cylinder speed, minimum net specific energy requirement was found to be 0.42 kWh/q when the feed rate was 19 q/h. During straw bruising, average straw length varied from 12.22-20.23 mm and 16.07-25.26 mm at concave bar spacing of 10 mm and 14 mm, respectively. The maximum split straw percentage was recorded to be 98.43% at the cylinder speed of 36.04 m/s and feed rate of 19 q/h at concave bar spacing of 10 mm. The total ash content in the straw was found to be 9.61 %, at the concave bar spacing of 14 mm and 14 q/h feed rate

Analytical Appraisal of Energy Input Use in the Production of Maize in Punjab

Maize is considered one among the options for diversification and is being mainly cultivated in zones 1and II of Punjab. The analytical appraisal of energy use and productivity status of farmers raising maize was carried out with the help of partial regression coefficients, Kopp\u27s measure of technical efficiency and linear programming techniques. Use of energy through animal, seed and machinery in irrigated maize in zone 1and seed, machinery and area under the crop in zone II made a significant contribution in the production of maize. Increasing return to scale prevailed in irrigated maize in zone I and decreasing return to scale was observed in zone II. Wide variation and low technical efficiency rating of input use was observed in zone II. Using existing level of energy inputs available at farm, the yield of maize can be increased by 6.07 percent in zone I and 15.35 percent in zone II. Study revealed that the existing level of yield of maize in these respective zones could be achieved by reducing the energy input by 7.37 and 20.33 percent respectively in zones I and II over the actual use

Razvoj i standardizacija mernog mehanizma na uređaju za aplikaciju azota (tečne uree) tačkastim ubrizgavanjem

The existing method of broadcasting urea on straw mulched direct seeded wheat crop is susceptible to nitrogen losses. Nitrogen (liquid urea) applicator could be used to forestall the hazards of nitrogen loss and a metering mechanism for nitrogen (liquid urea) is currently not available. Hence, a nitrogen (liquid urea) metering mechanism was developed and tested in the laboratory. The operating pressure and peripheral speed of metering system were found to have significant effect on the discharge rate of metering mechanism. The discharge rate of the metering system was directly correlated with operating pressure and indirectly correlated with peripheral speed of the metering system. Based on the performance parameters, a peripheral speed of 0.70 m·s-1 (forward speed of 2.5 km·h-1), operating pressure of 3 kg·cm-2 and 2.095 l·ha-1 application rate of urea solution were selected for field operation of nitrogen (liquid urea) applicator. The outcome of this study will encourage the use of point injected nitrogen (liquid urea) applicator on straw mulched crops.Postojeći metod primene uree na površini tretiranoj malčom slame sa direktno sejanom pšenicom je podložan gubicima azota. Azot (tečna urea) može biti apliciran kako bi se izbegao rizik od gubitka azota, ali merni mehanizam za azot (tečnu ureu) trenutno nije dostupan. Zato je razvijen i u laboratorijskim uslovima testiran uređaj za merenje azota. Radni pritisak i obimna brzina mernog mehanizma imali su značajan uticaj na normu aplikacije. Intenzitet pražnjenja je bio u direktnoj korelaciji sa radnim pritiskom i u obrnutoj korelaciji sa obimnom brzinom mernog sistema. Na osnovu ispitivanih veličina, za rad u poljskim uslovima određeni su sledeći parametri: obimna brzina od 0.70 m∙s-1 (radna brzina od 2.5 km∙h-1), radni pritisak od 3 kg∙cm-2 i norma aplikacije rastvora azota (tečne uree) od 2.095 l∙ha-1. Rezultati istraživanja u ovoj studiji će unaprediti upotrebu uređaja tačkastu aplikaciju azota (tečne uree) na parcelama sa usevima na slamenom malču

Development and Evaluation of a Two-Row Revolving Magazine Type Vegetable Transplanter

A 2-row vegetable transplanter with revolving magazine type metering mechanism was developed and field evaluated for Brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) crop. The seedlings of brinjal crop were grown in 98 cell (single cell volume of 22 cm3) plug trays in soil less media. Plant missing varied from 2.22 to 4.44 per cent. Upright plants (plants having 00 to 300 planting angle), depth of planting, plant mortality after 20 days were in the range of 8590 %, 5 to 6 cm and 3.33 to 4 %, respectively. The average field capacity of the machine was 0.122 ha.h-1 for brinjal crop

Unapređenje žitnih vršalica u cilju poboljšanja kvaliteta slame

Straw combine is very popular machine in Punjab for the retrieval of wheat straw. It was observed that quality of wheat straw obtained from straw combine is inferior due to more dirt content as compare to harambha thresher. Therefore, the straw combine was developed with straw bruising and sieving system for the removal of dirt. Dirt was quantified by total ash content and acid insoluble ash. Field evaluation of the modified straw combine and laboratory analysis of collected sieved straw sample was carried out. Two level of concave bar spacing (10 and 14 mm), three feed rates (14, 16.5 and 19 q•h-1) and three cylinder speeds (28.45, 32.25 and 36.04 m•s-1) were selected as operational parameter. It was observed that mechanical sieving of straw was well enough for the separation of dirt. Percent reduction of total ash content and acid insoluble ash due to sieving increases with decrease in feed rate and increase in concave bar spacing. Average straw length and split straw percentage was found to well within acceptable level at 14 mm concave bar spacing. Net specific fuel consumption was found to be decreases with increase in feed rate and concave bar spacing and increases with increase in cylinder speed.Žitne vršalice su veoma popularne u Punjab oblasti u Indiji. Primećeno je da je kvalitet slame nakon ubiranja klasičnim žitnim kombajnom, lošiji zbog većeg prisutva nečistoća, u poređenju sa žitnom vršalicom. Iz tog razloga se radilo na konstrukciji kombajna za slamu koji je opremljen uređajem sa čišćenje i prosejavanja slame. Prilikom ispitivanja kvaliteta rada, količina nečistoće odstranjena iz slame, je određena preko količine pepela nakon sagorevanja i sadržaja, u kiselini, nerastvorenog pepela. Poljsko ispitivanje je takođe sprovedeno a uzorci slame su doneti na labaratrijsko ispitivanje. Dva nivoa rastojanja rešetke (10 i 14 mm), tri protoka (14, 16.5 i 19 q•h-1) i tri brzine bubnja (28.45, 32.25 i36.04 m•s-1) su uzeti kao parametri rada. Uočeno je da je mehanički sistem prosejavanja slame zadovoljavajući u slučaju otklanjanja nečistoća. Procenat smanjenja ukupne količine pepela i količine pepela nerastvorenog u kiselini, se povećava sa smanjenjem protoka i sa smanjenjem rastojanja između rešetki sita. Prosečna dužina slame i udeo polomljene slame su bili u prihvaltjivim granicama kod minimalnog rastojanja između rešetki sita od 14 mm. Ukupna specifična potrošnja goriva se smanjivala sa povećanjem protoka mase i rastojanja između rešetki, dok se, sa povećanjem brzine obrtanja bubnja, povećavala

Development and Evaluation of Inclined Plate Precision Planter for Pelleted Vegetable Seed

A tractor-mounted, ground roller driven, precision planter capable of planting six rows of onion (Allium sativum L.), three rows of carrot (Daucus carota L.), and one row of radish (Raphanus sativus) on a one-meter bed was designed and fabricated. The major components of the planter included a frame and ground roller, press roller, depth controller unit, seed hopper, seed metering mechanism, sweeper, inclined plate, seed tube, and furrow openers. The metering mechanism was driven by ground wheels through a chain drive system. The performance parameters measured/calculated during the field tests included missing index, multiple indexes, quality of feed index, degree of variation, and seed damage. The seed rates achieved were 12.42, 11.26, and 34.11 kg.ha-1 for onion, carrot, and 1:3 pelleted radish seed, respectively. The marketable yields of 4.78, 2.52, and 3.51 t.ha-1 were observed for onion, carrot, and radish, respectively. The estimated operating cost of the prototype planter was 258.45 ₹.h-1. The prototype took an estimated time of 6.09 h to plant the seeds in one hectare. There was significant cost saving as compared to manual transplanting