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To solve the problem of large sowing amount and poor sowing uniformity for millet, according to the physical characteristics of the millet seed and its sowing agronomic requirements, an electromagnetic vibration type fine and small-amount seeder was designed, and the main technical parameters of the seeder were determined, in order to realize the functions of furrow opening, electronically controlled seed metering, soil covering and pressing. Based on the principle of electromagnetic vibration, an electromagnetic vibration type seed metering device was designed to achieve uniform seeding of the millet seed with a small sowing amount; a seeding amount electronic control device was designed using an STM32 microcontroller, which realized the switching to sowing agronomic mode and the adjustment of the seeding amount with sowing operation speed; a vibration experimental bench was set up to simulate the vibration state of field operation, and studies on the seeding performance and vibration damping of the seed metering device by the isolation spring were carried out, as well as field sowing tests for verification. When the working voltage of the seed metering device is 80–160 V, the coefficients of variation for seeding uniformity per row and for total seeding uniformity are not greater than 3.57% and 2.39%, respectively, and the seed damage rate is less than 0.5%. The installation of isolation springs can increase the maximum vibration acceleration of the seed metering device by 10.61–28.20%, significantly reducing the impact of external vibrations on the seed metering device. Within the range of suitable sowing operation speeds, the electronic control device can meet the seeding amounts along with sowing operation speed in the 6, 7.5 and 9 kg/hm2 sowing agronomic modes, and the coefficient of variation for seeding uniformity per row, for total seeding uniformity and for sowing uniformity are not greater than 4.63%, 2.48% and 23.38%, respectively. This study provides a reference for the development of sowing machinery for millet crop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper primarily presents statistics on the variation of physical characteristics (dimensions and mass) for the coulter discs of double-disc seeders. This statistic was calculated based on actual measurements of the probability density and cumulative probability for the mass of the discs, their average thickness, and outer diameter. These parameters (m = 4000 g, g = 4 mm, D = 380 mm) are tracked from the design phase to the actual realization phase, being the parameters specified in the purchase phase by users from agricultural machinery distributors. The standard deviation and deviation from the mean for a cumulative normal (Gaussian) distribution were calculated, and an analysis was made for the decrease of the mentioned parameters in discs already used for sowing cereals on an area of 80 hectares, due to the wear that appeared as a trace of the contact with the soil and the abrasive wear caused by it. Testing of disk parameters using both logarithmic and Gaussian distributions was performed, and test results are presented through appropriate graphs. With small deviations (which appeared for known or unknown reasons), it can be stated that the distribution of the mentioned parameters is generally a normal-type distribution. If the new discs are 15″ in diameter, experts recommend that they be replaced when they reach a diameter of less than 14.5 inches. This study can provide a reference for improving the physical characteristics of opener discs of seed drills in no-till conditions and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate planting of the required number of carrot seeds is one of the important parameters in developing a carrot seeding device. This study developed a metering mechanism that promotes the deposition of

The performance of the no-till seeder is one of the most important factors that affect the success of the no-tillage. Striking the right balance between furrow opener design and residue cover is essential for optimizing seeding conditions and ensuring sustainable agricultural practices that promote both soil conservation and high-yield crop production. This study investigates the impact of residue cover on no-tillage maize seeding after wheat harvest, focusing on plant spacing, seeding depth, mean emergence time, and percent emergence. Trials with hoe-type and double-disc-type furrow openers, accompanied by plain- or ripple-disc-type coulters, were conducted in Antalya, Turkey. The results indicate that residue cover had no significant effect on mean plant spacing, but a higher residue cover increased spacing variation. The seeding depth in hoe-type furrow opener trials remained consistent, while double-disc-type furrow openers showed lower depths with 80% and 90% residue covers. The percentage of plant emergence and mean emergence time decreased as the residue cover increased in double-disc-type furrow opener trials. At 90% residue cover, PE decreased to 60%. The impact of disc coulters on hoe-type furrow openers was limited, but they increased seeding depth and MET in double-disc-type furrow openers. These findings can help optimize residue management for improved efficiency in no-till farming systems.

The performance of the no-till seeder is one of the most important factors that affect the success of the no-tillage. Striking the right balance between furrow opener design and residue cover is essential for optimizing seeding conditions and ensuring sustainable agricultural practices that promote both soil conservation and high-yield crop production. This study investigates the impact of residue cover on no-tillage maize seeding after wheat harvest, focusing on plant spacing, seeding depth, mean emergence time, and percent emergence. Trials with hoe-type and double-disc-type furrow openers, accompanied by plain- or ripple-disc-type coulters, were conducted in Antalya, Turkey. The results indicate that residue cover had no significant effect on mean plant spacing, but a higher residue cover increased spacing variation. The seeding depth in hoe-type furrow opener trials remained consistent, while double-disc-type furrow openers showed lower depths with 80% and 90% residue covers. The percentage of plant emergence and mean emergence time decreased as the residue cover increased in double-disc-type furrow opener trials. At 90% residue cover, PE decreased to 60%. The impact of disc coulters on hoe-type furrow openers was limited, but they increased seeding depth and MET in double-disc-type furrow openers. These findings can help optimize residue management for improved efficiency in no-till farming systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at the existing air suction hole tray seedling sowing machine in the face of more impurities and no pill granulation irregular small particle vegetable seeds there are suction holes clogging and lead to the decline in the accuracy of seed discharge technical problems. In this study, a vegetable seedling planter based on high-voltage electrostatic adsorption characteristics was designed by discarding the small aperture and long conductance suction holes. The dielectric insulating layer material is determined by theoretical analysis and simulation tests of potential contour distribution. The results show that: as the relative dielectric constant of the dielectric insulating layer gradually increases, the distribution of equipotential lines between the type hole and the seed box is gradually dense, the potential difference gradually increases, the electric field is gradually strengthened, and the electrostatic adsorption force on the polarised seeds gradually increases, and the adsorption state becomes more and more stable; Construct a mechanical model of electrostatic adsorption, clarify the main factors affecting the electrostatic adsorption force and their interrelationships. The results show that the main factors affecting the size of the effective electrostatic adsorption force in the pore are the output voltage of the electrostatic generator, the hole machining diameter, the material of the dielectric insulating layer, the relative permittivity of the seed layer, the spacing between the pore and the seed layer, and the material of the electrode sheath and the inner and outer diameters of the pore. And determine the electrical parameters and ranges affecting the seeding performance; A three-factor, three-level Box-Behnken centre combination test was carried out with the hole machining diameter, positive high-voltage electrostatic generator output voltage and tilt angle of the seed box bottom as test factors, and sowing pass index, reseeding index and leakage index as response indicators. The results showed that the order of influence of the test factors on the sowing compliance index was the output voltage of the forward high-voltage electrostatic generator, the hole machining diameter, and the tilt angle of the bottom of the seed box; and the order of influence on the reseeding index and the leakage index was the hole machining diameter, the output voltage of the forward high-voltage electrostatic generator, and the tilt angle of the bottom of the seed box. The interaction terms of the diameter of the pore processing and positive HVEG output voltage had significant effects on seeding pass index, reseeding index and leakage index. Mathematical models were obtained between the test factors and the response indicators. Applying Design-Expert 10.0.4 software to optimise the mathematical regression model with multiple objectives, the best parameter combinations were obtained as follows: the hole machining diameter 5.91 mm, positive high-voltage electrostatic generator output voltage 17.67 kV, and tilt angle of the bottom of the seed box 14.69°, and the sowing qualification index at this time was 91.13%, the reseeding index was 3.02%, and the omission index was 5.85%; In the seeding performance verification test, the seeding pass index decreased by 0.61 percentage points, the reseeding index decreased by 0.17 percentage points and the missed seeding index increased by 0.78 percentage points compared to the optimised results. The test error is within the permissible range, and the parameter optimization results are reliable and meet the technical requirements of precision sowing. The results of the study can provide a reference for the research and development of mechanical equipment for precision sowing of vegetable seeds with irregular small particles, and at the same time, provide an academic reference for the research of quantitative adsorption and rapid separation methods and equipment development of irregular small particles materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of South China Agricultural University is the property of Gai Kan Bian Wei Hui and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Inoculation, as a technological operation, is currently underestimated, yet it has repeatedly proven its effectiveness. Its application in production or scientific research typically leads to improvements in yield, grain quality, or plant biometric parameters under study. However, the inoculation process itself is not standardized by any legislative act, so farmers rely solely on recommendations from manufacturers of inoculants and carry out this operation using, so to say, makeshift means. Therefore, a system of at-planting inoculation has been developed, which involves conducting this operation directly in the field. Hence, the aim of this study was to investigate the parameters of pressure and nozzle diameter that would provide the optimal amount of inoculant on the seeds and would be as close as possible to the manufacturer's recommendations. To conduct the study, a system model was created in which nozzles with diameters of 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5 mm were investigated under pressures of 3, 4, 5 and 6 atm. The optimal amount of working solution per 1 ton of seeds was calculated for conducting the operation in the usual way, and the amount of liquid reaching 1,000 maize seeds was determined. Thus, the optimal pressure and nozzle diameter were identified. With a pressure of 3 atm in the system, none of the nozzles provide the required amount of working fluid. A similar situation occurs with a nozzle diameter of 0.2 mm. However, at higher pressure in the system and with other nozzle diameters, it is still possible to provide the necessary amount of liquid. Therefore, for the at-planting inoculation system, it is advisable to use a pressure of 4 atm and a nozzle diameter of 0.4 mm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The uniformity of seed distribution and sowing speed directly impact crop quality and productivity. This experiment assessed how the position of the sowing monitoring sensor influences the distribution of cotton seeds using a pneumatic meter at different operating speeds. The experiment employed a completely randomized two-factor factorial design on a static simulation bench. The first factor involved the sensor installation sites (upper, middle, and lower portions of the conductor tube and conveyor belt), while the second factor encompassed simulated speeds of 3.0, 5.0, 7.0, 9.0, and 11.0 km/h. Parameters such as frequency of double, flawed, and acceptable spacing, coefficient of variation, and precision index were measured based on five replications of 250 consecutive spacing. The results indicated that the sensor's placement significantly influences reading accuracy. Optimal results were observed when the sensor was positioned at the final portion of the conductor tube, providing more accurate seed deposition, and facilitating decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to the poor cleaning effect of the brush-type soybean seeder, a lightweight mechanism of the brush-type soybean seeder was optimized and designed. We proposed a progressive seed-cleaning method. Firstly, mechanical analysis was conducted on the soybean seeding process to prevent excessive clearing of individual soybean seeds initially filled into the orifices by the seeding brush. A formula for expressing the force exerted by the seeding brush on stabilizing individual soybean seeds in the orifice was derived. Secondly, an analysis of the progressive seeding principle was performed, and theoretical calculations were carried out for the progressive seeding curves within the x-y plane and along the direction of the z-axis. The progressive seeding curves were determined. Factors affecting the seeding efficiency were analyzed, including the plate's speed, the initial angle of the seeding brush, and the initial distance between the seeding brush and the seeding plate. Based on the Box–Behnken central composite design theory, using the seeding tray's rotational speed, the initial angle of the seeding brush, and the initial distance between the seeding brush and the seeding tray as experimental factors, orthogonal experiments were conducted with the leakage rate and the over-cleaning rate as the indicators for the evaluation, and the working parameters were optimized. Validation experiments showed that with a plate speed of 29 rpm, an initial angle of the seeding brush of 54°, and an initial distance between the seeding brush and the seeding plate of 11 mm, the results were as follows: a skip-seeding rate of 1.23% and an over-seeding rate of 0.66%, indicating a significant improvement in seeding performance. A comparative experiment was conducted with non-progressive cleaning brushes, and the test results showed that the progressive cleaning brush reduced the leakage rate by more than 1% and the over-cleaning rate by more than 0.5%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The production and cultivation of new high-quality seed varieties are linked to the sowing of various crops with diverse physical and mechanical seed properties. Efficient seed-metering unit operation is critical during the technological process of fodder crop cultivation, predominantly when sowing non-free-flowing seeds. The quality of seed sowing and crop yield significantly rely on the design precision of seed-metering devices, technical maintenance and appropriate calibration. A rotary seed metering device was incorporated to ensure that non-friable seeds are uniformly sown, thus maintaining consistent seed supply and consumption at all stages of circulation. The study of the proposed device's productivity dependence on its operating parameters is justified because these variables affect crucial indicators such as the capacity to achieve and sustain the desired seeding rate over the entire operational duration. The study presents findings from an experimental investigation on sowing non-free-flowing (non-flowing) and finely dispersed seeds using a rotor seed-metering unit. The tests aimed to ascertain the precision and evenness of sowing such crops. It was observed that the speed of rotation of the seed-metering unit's vane disk is a key factor in the uniformity and supply of sown seeds. The limits of variation in rotor rotation speed and rotor seed-metering unit productivity per second were established to guarantee the desired seeding rate for various crops, including alfalfa, Agropyron, and Bromus inermis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of South China Agricultural University is the property of Gai Kan Bian Wei Hui and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

To solve the problem of large sowing amount and poor sowing uniformity for millet, according to the physical characteristics of the millet seed and its sowing agronomic requirements, an electromagnetic vibration type fine and small-amount seeder was designed, and the main technical parameters of the seeder were determined, in order to realize the functions of furrow opening, electronically controlled seed metering, soil covering and pressing. Based on the principle of electromagnetic vibration, an electromagnetic vibration type seed metering device was designed to achieve uniform seeding of the millet seed with a small sowing amount; a seeding amount electronic control device was designed using an STM32 microcontroller, which realized the switching to sowing agronomic mode and the adjustment of the seeding amount with sowing operation speed; a vibration experimental bench was set up to simulate the vibration state of field operation, and studies on the seeding performance and vibration damping of the seed metering device by the isolation spring were carried out, as well as field sowing tests for verification. When the working voltage of the seed metering device is 80–160 V, the coefficients of variation for seeding uniformity per row and for total seeding uniformity are not greater than 3.57% and 2.39%, respectively, and the seed damage rate is less than 0.5%. The installation of isolation springs can increase the maximum vibration acceleration of the seed metering device by 10.61–28.20%, significantly reducing the impact of external vibrations on the seed metering device. Within the range of suitable sowing operation speeds, the electronic control device can meet the seeding amounts along with sowing operation speed in the 6, 7.5 and 9 kg/hm2 sowing agronomic modes, and the coefficient of variation for seeding uniformity per row, for total seeding uniformity and for sowing uniformity are not greater than 4.63%, 2.48% and 23.38%, respectively. This study provides a reference for the development of sowing machinery for millet crop.

This paper primarily presents statistics on the variation of physical characteristics (dimensions and mass) for the coulter discs of double-disc seeders. This statistic was calculated based on actual measurements of the probability density and cumulative probability for the mass of the discs, their average thickness, and outer diameter. These parameters (m = 4000 g, g = 4 mm, D = 380 mm) are tracked from the design phase to the actual realization phase, being the parameters specified in the purchase phase by users from agricultural machinery distributors. The standard deviation and deviation from the mean for a cumulative normal (Gaussian) distribution were calculated, and an analysis was made for the decrease of the mentioned parameters in discs already used for sowing cereals on an area of 80 hectares, due to the wear that appeared as a trace of the contact with the soil and the abrasive wear caused by it. Testing of disk parameters using both logarithmic and Gaussian distributions was performed, and test results are presented through appropriate graphs. With small deviations (which appeared for known or unknown reasons), it can be stated that the distribution of the mentioned parameters is generally a normal-type distribution. If the new discs are 15″ in diameter, experts recommend that they be replaced when they reach a diameter of less than 14.5 inches. This study can provide a reference for improving the physical characteristics of opener discs of seed drills in no-till conditions and beyond.

ntroduction. Laying the groundwork for developing scientific and engineering efforts and for obtaining the results necessary to create technologies, products, goods and services that provide the independence and competitiveness of the domestic agro-industrial complex is one of the main tasks for ensuring the food security of Russia. One of the most important and difficult agricultural operations is sowing carried out by seeders equipped with mechanical, pneumatic or pneumatic-mechanical seed-sowing devices. Aim of the Article. The purpose of the research is to develop an experimental stand and a methodology for conducting experimental studies of the seed-sowing device for a grain seeder to build mathematical models of its performance when sowing various agricultural crops: wheat, rye, barley, oats, millet, vetch. Materials and Methods. The mechanical roller feed unit is used on one of the most popular and applicable seeder, namely the universal block-modular seeder SUBM-3.6. It allows ensuring the uniformity of the seeding rate and the exact depth of seed embedding. These indicators are the main ones in assessing the performance of seeders. Considering the design features of the above-mentioned seeder is an important step in assessing its productivity. Results. One of the main characteristics of the seeders is their productivity. In the article, there are presented the studies aimed at constructing a mathematical model of the dependence of the seeders productivity on the rotational speed of the drive shaft of the working bodies (rollers) pc (min–1) and the operating length of the rollers lc (mm). For this purpose, an experimental stand and methodology for conducting experimental studies of the productivity of the seeders were developed in accordance with modern methods of experiment planning. Discussion and Conclusion. The analytical dependences of the seeding rate on the rotation frequency and the roller operating length obtained as a result of experimental studies will allow the most efficient use of roller feed units that in turn will influence the choice of optimal operating modes of the seeder SUBM-3.6.

A universal conical spreader for uniform distribution of granular fertilizers and seeds of grain crops, grasses is proposed. The developed universal conical spreader is designed for subsurface application of above-mentioned granular materials using seed drills and can be used as a passive distributor in a wide variety of applications. The methods of theoretical mechanics and descriptive geometry, particularly the method of replacement of projection plane have been applied to arrive at the design of the cone – the shape of conical spreader. A parametric equation was derived for the truncated part of the cone, which is an ellipse. The unique design of the cone-shaped distributor has a truncating form in the direction transverse to the movement of the seeder. In order to determine the interval of variability of spreader parameters more precisely, an analysis was carried out using a Mathcad-15 software. The results of theoretical research were confirmed in the laboratory and field conditions. The width of seed distribution, uniformity, and stability of distribution were studied to arrive at the most effective cone distributor design. The smallest values of non-uniformity and instability of material distribution of experimental coulter are reached at the values of factors D = 117–119 mm, h = 17–18 mm, and H = 32–35 mm.

The production and cultivation of new high-quality seed varieties are linked to the sowing of various crops with diverse physical and mechanical seed properties. Efficient seed-metering unit operation is critical during the technological process of fodder crop cultivation, predominantly when sowing non-free-flowing seeds. The quality of seed sowing and crop yield significantly rely on the design precision of seed-metering devices, technical maintenance and appropriate calibration. A rotary seed metering device was incorporated to ensure that non-friable seeds are uniformly sown, thus maintaining consistent seed supply and consumption at all stages of circulation. The study of the proposed device's productivity dependence on its operating parameters is justified because these variables affect crucial indicators such as the capacity to achieve and sustain the desired seeding rate over the entire operational duration. The study presents findings from an experimental investigation on sowing non-free-flowing (non-flowing) and finely dispersed seeds using a rotor seed-metering unit. The tests aimed to ascertain the precision and evenness of sowing such crops. It was observed that the speed of rotation of the seed-metering unit's vane disk is a key factor in the uniformity and supply of sown seeds. The limits of variation in rotor rotation speed and rotor seed-metering unit productivity per second were established to guarantee the desired seeding rate for various crops, including alfalfa, Agropyron, and Bromus inermis.

The current study aimed to design and test the accuracy of a variable-rate control metering mechanism (VRCMM) and a remote smart monitoring system (RSMS) for a precision sugarcane transplanter based on IoT technology. The VRCMM is used to operate the seedling metering device at different speeds using a stepper motor based on the travel speed, and the RSMS was employed to evaluate of the three basic parameters of seedling amount, optimum rate, and missed rate. Two types of sensors were used for detecting the sugarcane seedling (SS) and travel speed, including one ultrasonic sensor and one infrared RPM sensor. The study was performed at five travel speeds and four transplant spacings. The findings of laboratory tests showed that the mean record of the relative error between the desired stepper motor speed of the VRCMM and the real value was 3.39%, and it increased with increasing the travel speed. as Additionally, the speed regulation performance was in agreement with the transplanting index. The change in RSMS accuracy is obvious when the travel speed is high and the transplant spacing is small. The RSMS accuracy drops sharply, revealing a leaping change. In conclusion, the smart and intelligent designed sugarcane transplanter would be very useful in sugarcane production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Fire Ecology is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The aim of the research was to determine the quality and energy performance indicators of a precision seeder with electric drives for working tools equipped with a seed-distribution control system that enables the remote control of the seeding unit. We used seeders MC-8 with drive through a gearbox from a FL57BLS04 180W DC motor and TC–M‑4150A seeders with a seed-distribution apparatus produced by MaterMass and driven through a gearbox and chain drives from a FL86BLS brushless motor (220 W). A SDR-960-48 pulse power supply was used to feed the seed-distribution apparatus. The quality of operation of the seed-distribution apparatus when using seeds of various row crops was determined by the method of recording the time intervals between seed ejections from the distribution disk using a seed sensor installed in the furrow opener. When changing the rotation speed of the seeder distribution disk from 20 to 60 rpm, the variation coefficient of seed ejections varied from 0.15 to 0.35, and the power consumption ranged from 30 to 110 W. The power consumption for the fan drive did not exceed 2.5 kW, and the total power consumption of the electric motors for driving all the seed-distribution apparatuses and the fan was 4.0 kW. For the TC-M-4150A seeder, the power consumption for driving the seed-distribution apparatuses was slightly higher and amounted to at least 3.0 kW in operating modes. A control and management system for seeding with a domestic electrified seeder based on the Arduino Uno board is proposed. Its program includes two subprograms that take into account the speed of movement of the seeding unit. The rotation speed of the distribution disk and the number of skips and duplicates are determined on its basis. The use of electrified drives and seed-distribution control systems in precision seeders enables stepless adjustment of the seed-sowing rate and the control of the sowing process from the tractor cabin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An air suction seeder has been widely used in the large-scale planting of rice, corn, vegetables, and rape, as well as the indoor factory seedling production, due to the high sowing accuracy, strong adaptability to seed size, low seed injury rate, high operating efficiency, and low cost of use. Among them, the seed metering device and air power system are two important core components of air suction seeders. Therefore, their operation can greatly contribute to the performance of the whole machine. It is also necessary for the stable air pressure supply and regulation in the air suction seed metering device pneumatic system. As such, the seeder can fully adapt to the sowing of various crops and have stable operation. Particularly, the multibranch convergence pipe is the key component of the seeder pneumatic system. The cooperative operation of one seeder and multiple rows of seeders can be realized to converge the negative pressure tributaries that are generated by multiple seeders into the total flow and then conveyed them to the pneumatic system fan. The internal geometric structure can also be optimized to improve the working performance of the air suction seeder. The mechanical structure of the seeder is no longer the main reason for the increase in pressure loss in the pneumatic system and energy consumption of the fan. However, energy loss can be produced, when the airflow is more likely to mix with each other at the tee position at the junction of the multi-branch pipe header and the branch pipe, as the airflow of the pneumatic seeder is restricted by the geometric mechanism of the multi-branch convergence pipe in the process of spatial transfer. The accuracy and rationality of the piping structure can be the key issue to reduce the pressure loss and energy consumption of the pneumatic system. Therefore, it is essential to explore the pressure loss of airflow in the multi-branch convergence pipe and then to reveal the fluid motion state in the process of manifold piping for the low-energy multi-branch convergence pipe structure. In this study, a systematic investigation was implemented to clarify the flow mechanism of negative pressure airflow in the multi-branch convergence pipe of an air-suction seeder pneumatic system. The correlation characteristics were obtained between the total flow pressure loss and pipe geometry, in order to determine the quantitative prediction target value of total flow pressure loss. The flow state of the multi-branch convergence pipe was also analyzed to clarify the main influencing factors on the flow of the pipe. A single-factor experiment was performed on the Fluent simulation software. The flow mechanism was also established to explain the airflow pressure loss in the multi-branch pipe and the hydrodynamic mechanism from the microscopic perspective. The dimensional analysis was implemented to determine the pressure drop (ΔP, Pa) of outlet branch pipe and air density (ρ, kg/m3 ), dynamic viscosity (μ, Pa·s), length of the closed end of the header pipe (L, mm), the flow rate of inlet branch pipe (Q, m³ /s), the inner diameter of inlet branch pipe (d, mm), length of inlet branch pipe (l, mm), spacing of inlet branch pipes (δ, mm), the inner diameter of header pipe (γ, mm), outlet branch pipe inner diameter (D, mm) and outlet branch pipe length (Δ, mm). The bench test results show that the application range of the established empirical equation formula were 0.0009 m³ /s≤Q≤0.0045 m³ /s, 28.0 mm≤d≤ 45.2 mm, and 100 mm≤ l ≤ 200 mm, 42.6 mm≤γ≤81.4 mm, 150 mm≤ δ≤ 250 mm, 34.0 mm≤D≤42.6 mm, and 53.6 mm≤D≤57.0 mm. The prediction accuracy of the total flow pressure drop can be controlled within 10% of the calculated by the empirical formula. The established empirical formula can provide a strong reference for the design selection and structure optimization of multi-branch convergence pipes of air-suction seeders [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the opener of the seeder and its lightweight structure, a new type of opener is designed. The overall structure and working principle of a single-ditch double-row opener are analyzed, and the structural parameters of machete cutting soil and the soil guide board are designed and optimized. Using the penetration angle of machete cutting soil and the included angle of the soil guide board as test factors, field experiments were conducted. As the test indexes, the working resistance, the sowing coefficient of variation, and the depth coefficient of variation were used to analyze the effect of the opener. The results showed that in terms of working resistance, the penetration angle of the machete cutting edge and the included angle of the soil guide board were extremely significant, and the included angle was greater than the penetration angle regarding the influence degree. In terms of the sowing coefficient of variation, the penetration angle was significant, and the included angle was extremely significant. Regarding the depth coefficient of variation, the penetration angle was extremely significant, and the included angle of the guide soil board was significant. Based on the optimization analysis by using the Design Expert 8.0.6, it is found that the performance of the opener is optimal when the penetration angle and the included angle are 50.03° and 42.36°, respectively. The working resistance, the sowing coefficient of variation, and the depth coefficient of variation are 61.47N, 6.49% and 4.22%, respectively. After verification, the results are basically consistent, and the seeding and trenching performance meets the agronomic requirements. This study can provide a basis and technical reference for the design and development of the ditching technology and opener. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to meet the precision seeding of small seeds including millet and broomcorn millet in hilly and mountainous areas, a single-row small grain precision seeder was developed. Static seeding test and seeding test were carried out on the seeder. In this paper, the key parts such as socket wheel-ring groove seed metering device, transmission system and tensioning wheel are designed. The working parts such as arrow shovel furrow opener, plastic seed tube and hollow cast iron press wheel were selected to achieve seed metering. The seed metering wheel has double-row of holes. The results of static seeding test showed that rotational speed had a significant effect on the sowing quantity of millet and broomcorn millet (P < 0.001). The higher the rotational speed, the greater the sowing quantity. With the increase of rotational speed of seed metering wheel, the damage rate of millet and broomcorn millet increased. At the same rotational speed, the breakage rate of broomcorn millet is smaller than that of millet. The field sowing test showed that when the seeder is at a marching speed of about 0.5 m/s, the qualified rate of the hole spacing of millet and broomcorn millet is greater than or equal to 90%, and the qualified rate of the number of grains per hole is greater than or equal to 82%. All indicators meet the requirements of the technical conditions of single-grain (precision) seeder. The design can provide reference for the design and optimization of small grain precision seeder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT: The uniformity of seed distribution and sowing speed directly impact crop quality and productivity. This experiment assessed how the position of the sowing monitoring sensor influences the distribution of cotton seeds using a pneumatic meter at different operating speeds. The experiment employed a completely randomized two-factor factorial design on a static simulation bench. The first factor involved the sensor installation sites (upper, middle, and lower portions of the conductor tube and conveyor belt), while the second factor encompassed simulated speeds of 3.0, 5.0, 7.0, 9.0, and 11.0 km/h. Parameters such as frequency of double, flawed, and acceptable spacing, coefficient of variation, and precision index were measured based on five replications of 250 consecutive spacing. The results indicated that the sensor’s placement significantly influences reading accuracy. Optimal results were observed when the sensor was positioned at the final portion of the conductor tube, providing more accurate seed deposition, and facilitating decision-making.

Uniform seed distribution upon the soil and sowing speed are directly related to crop quality and productivity. The present research aims to evaluate the influence of the sowing monitoring sensor installation position, based on the readings obtained on a testing bench, during the distribution of maize seeds with a pneumatic meter, subjected to different operating speeds. The experiment eventuates on a static simulation bench, with a completely randomized design, double factorial, the first factor being the sensor installation position (upper, middle, and lower portion of the conductive tube and conveyor belt), and the second the simulated speeds of 3.0; 5.0; 7.0; 9.0 and 11.0 km h−1. The measured parameters for the evaluation of seed distribution were the frequency of double, flawed, and acceptable deposition, its coefficient of variation, and precision index, acquired from five replicates of 250 consecutive spacings. The results show that the monitoring sensor installation position directly interferes with the reading efficiency, with plenty of erroneous readings acquired in the middle and upper placements. The experiment reveals that the sensor tends to be more assertive when installed on the final portion of the conductive tube.

In response to the poor cleaning effect of the brush-type soybean seeder, a lightweight mechanism of the brush-type soybean seeder was optimized and designed. We proposed a progressive seed-cleaning method. Firstly, mechanical analysis was conducted on the soybean seeding process to prevent excessive clearing of individual soybean seeds initially filled into the orifices by the seeding brush. A formula for expressing the force exerted by the seeding brush on stabilizing individual soybean seeds in the orifice was derived. Secondly, an analysis of the progressive seeding principle was performed, and theoretical calculations were carried out for the progressive seeding curves within the x-y plane and along the direction of the z-axis. The progressive seeding curves were determined. Factors affecting the seeding efficiency were analyzed, including the plate’s speed, the initial angle of the seeding brush, and the initial distance between the seeding brush and the seeding plate. Based on the Box–Behnken central composite design theory, using the seeding tray’s rotational speed, the initial angle of the seeding brush, and the initial distance between the seeding brush and the seeding tray as experimental factors, orthogonal experiments were conducted with the leakage rate and the over-cleaning rate as the indicators for the evaluation, and the working parameters were optimized. Validation experiments showed that with a plate speed of 29 rpm, an initial angle of the seeding brush of 54°, and an initial distance between the seeding brush and the seeding plate of 11 mm, the results were as follows: a skip-seeding rate of 1.23% and an over-seeding rate of 0.66%, indicating a significant improvement in seeding performance. A comparative experiment was conducted with non-progressive cleaning brushes, and the test results showed that the progressive cleaning brush reduced the leakage rate by more than 1% and the over-cleaning rate by more than 0.5%.

This article presents the design and development of a manual groundnut planter, specifically tailored for smallholder farmers cultivating less than two hectares of land. The planter serves as an intermediate technology between hand tools and tractor-drawn multi-row planters, addressing the financial constraints faced by a significant portion of the farming population. The planter’s design focuses on minimizing drudgery by eliminating continuous bending and standing up, ultimately improving efficiency and reducing time wastage. Key considerations during the design phase include affordability, ease of construction using locally available materials, and low technological complexity, requiring minimal training for operation and maintenance. Operational functionality involves a single-row tiller drawn type planter, utilizing a feed-in disc roller principle. Seeds are poured into the hopper, picked up by the metering plate, and introduced into the chute. The furrow opener continuously opens the soil, and the seeds fall into the furrow, simultaneously closed by the leveller. The planter achieves a continuous planting at a 30 cm intra-row spacing. The article further details the description of the groundnut planter, highlighting its components such as the handle, seed hopper, furrow opener, seed discharge tube, main body (frame), and metering roller housing. The planter’s power is derived from the rotation of the wheel, and motion is transmitted through the shaft to the metering unit. The methodology is outlined, including a flowchart illustrating the design process and the use of AutoCAD software for the 2D design. Mechanical factors considered for the planter design include uniformity of seed depth placement, distribution along rows, transverse displacement, and soil cover. Design considerations prioritize the ease of fabrication, operator safety, simplicity for small-scale farmers, and the use of locally available materials. The viability and nature of the seed, including orientation and moisture content, are also taken into account. The article concludes with a discussion on the collection of required materials, including the seed box, seed metering disc, seed transmission hose, and main frame. The presented manual groundnut planter aims to enhance the planting process for smallholder farmers, offering an affordable and efficient solution to improve agricultural practices.

Much agricultural and forestry land in the world cannot be accessed by ground planting equipment because of traffic, terrain, and other factors. This not only causes low efficiency and waste of resources, but also has a negative impact on the sustainable development of forestry. Therefore, it is significant to develop an accurate, efficient, and energy-saving aerial precision seeding system using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology to meet the actual needs of forestry planting. In this study, a UAV precision afforestation system with a GUI, afforestation UAV, positioning system, and information interaction system were developed using related approaches such as electronic information technology. The UAV airborne seeding device added a control circuit and electronic chip to control the launching speed of the cylinder and seed loading speed, while the UAV flight speed is jointly controlled to accurately control the UAV seeding depth and seed spacing. The experimental results showed that the maximum seeding depth of the afforestation equipment was 6.7 cm. At the same seed launching speed, the smaller the content of sand and gravel in the soil, the higher the sowing qualification index, and the greater the sowing depth. The average absolute error of dynamic route RTK-automatic control seeding position accuracy was 7.6 cm, and the average error of static position hovering seeding was 7.7 cm. Resulting from the separate sown experiments of three crops, the sowing pitch angle of 75° gave the highest germination rate. The UAV seeding device has a low missing seed index and a qualified seeding index of more than 95% at 120 r/min seeding speed. The seeding device studied in this paper has a good seeding effect, can meet the requirements of afforestation, and provides a new technical means for managing forest and plant resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of powdered graphite as a solid lubricant to reduce friction among soybean seeds during mechanical sowing aims to facilitate the seed flow into the seed reservoir, while reducing mechanical damage to the seed. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of graphite on the longitudinal deposition of soybean seeds using mechanical and pneumatic feeders at different distribution velocities. The experiment was performed on a static simulation-test bench, with a completely randomized design with two varying factors: graphite dose (0, 1, 2, 4, and 8 g kg-1 seed) and distribution velocity (5, 7, 9, and 11 km h-1 for the pneumatic feeder; and 3, 5, 7, and 9 km h-1 for the mechanical feeder). To assess the homogeneity of seed distribution, the frequency of parameters such as double, flawed, and acceptable spacings, coefficient of variation, and precision index were evaluated from five repetitions of 250 spacing each. For the pneumatic feeder, the optimal values to maximize precision of seed deposition were 4.6 g kg-1 and 6.7 km h-1 of graphite dose and distribution velocity, respectively. In turn, the optimal values to minimize undesirable spacing while maximizing accuracy with the mechanical feeder were 4.9±0.6 g kg-1 and 4.9±0.3 km h-1. Overall, regardless of feeding mechanism, the use of graphite promoted greater efficiency in the distribution of seeds owing to the higher level of fluidity inside the reservoir; however, high doses can cause the opposite effect. In addition, an excessive increase in speed influenced seed distribution negatively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study aimed to design and test the accuracy of a variable-rate control metering mechanism (VRCMM) and a remote smart monitoring system (RSMS) for a precision sugarcane transplanter based on IoT technology. The VRCMM is used to operate the seedling metering device at different speeds using a stepper motor based on the travel speed, and the RSMS was employed to evaluate of the three basic parameters of seedling amount, optimum rate, and missed rate. Two types of sensors were used for detecting the sugarcane seedling (SS) and travel speed, including one ultrasonic sensor and one infrared RPM sensor. The study was performed at five travel speeds and four transplant spacings. The findings of laboratory tests showed that the mean record of the relative error between the desired stepper motor speed of the VRCMM and the real value was 3.39%, and it increased with increasing the travel speed. as Additionally, the speed regulation performance was in agreement with the transplanting index. The change in RSMS accuracy is obvious when the travel speed is high and the transplant spacing is small. The RSMS accuracy drops sharply, revealing a leaping change. In conclusion, the smart and intelligent designed sugarcane transplanter would be very useful in sugarcane production.

Seed metering can be widely used to deliver the seeds or fertilizers from the hopper at selected rates during planting. However, it is still lacking in the quantitative and comprehensive analysis of the current technology of seed metering devices. In this study, a metrological analysis was systematically conducted on the existing literature on seed metering technology, in order to visualize the research trend, in terms of scientific research productivity, influence, and development power. The development of seeding technology was also summarized from the hot topics in recent years. The agricultural products were introduced from the domestic and foreign advanced agricultural machinery enterprises using frontier seed arrangement technology. Finally, the development trend was proposed from the industrialization application at present. The results showed that the seed metering technology was developed in a high-speed steady state. Much more scientific research output and influence in China were close to that in the United States. The high-impact journals included the Biosystems Engineering, Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, Journal of Agricultural Machinery, and Journal of Agricultural Engineering. High-impact scholars and institutions were focused on the seed metering technology for the typical crops in different regions. As such, the seed metering technology was advanced to upgrade the mechanization level. The development trend of seed metering technology was gradually changed from single-topic research on the realization of functions into the in-depth exploration of vertical subdivision topics, such as mechanism optimization, mechanism analysis, and virtual simulation. The current research hotspots of seed metering technology were focused mainly on high-speed simultaneous seeding, seeding uniformity, DEM-CFD coupling simulation, control, and monitoring system. In addition, the high efficiency and performance equipment can be expected to be further developed in the application of seed metering technology, particularly for the new products of seed metering in the running stage. Emerging technologies, interdisciplinary integration, and innovative thinking can be applied to develop with high speed, performance, precise, digital, and intelligent aspects. This review can provide a strong reference to grasp the research status, development trend, and innovation of seeding machines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy- and resource-saving technologies have recently been of a particular attention when cultivating agricultural crops. Zero soil treatment or No-Till (direct sowing) is one of the promising technologies. The research aims to substantiate the design and technological parameters of a redeveloped sowing unit of a furrow opener seeder. The simulation modelling and calculation of the technological process were carried out using the Flow Vision software package. The calculated draft resistance of the anchor furrow opener in the virtual tillage bin was 364 N. The results of the strength calculation were processed using the software package APM WinMachine. Strength calculations have shown that a support with a fixed anchor furrow opener resists load during operation and does not deform. The anchor attachment point is the area under stress with sufficient strength, which margin factor is above 3. The maximum displacement in the stressed area (anchor tip) is 0.035 mm. Direct sowing laboratory and field tests showed that at an average depth of 6.1 cm, the standard deviation was 3.6 and the variation coefficient was 6.8%. Virgin soil tests at an average depth of 4.9 cm revealed a standard deviation of 5.2 with a variation coefficient of 12.3%. The developed sowing unit with an anchor furrow opener is recommended for production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate planting of the required number of carrot seeds is one of the important parameters in developing a carrot seeding device. This study developed a metering mechanism that promotes the deposition of <3 carrot seeds on each planting hill at negligible seed damage. The metering disc and hopper were especifically designed to ensure consistency and uniformity in seed loading into the seed cell and their subsequent efficient discharge onto the planting hills. A key feature of the design is the clearance between the metering disc and the hopper, which was strategically designed to scrape excess seeds from the seed cells, allowing the surplus to freely slide back into the hopper without causing damage. The performance of the seeder was evaluated by examining key parameters, including the number of seeds dropped per hill, scattering index, hill diameter, hill spacing, and missing index across various operating speeds (60, 80, 100, 120, and 140 cm/s). The results demonstrated that the seeder achieved optimal performance at operating speeds between 80-120 cm/s, with an average of 1.70 to 1.81 seeds dropped per hill. Mean hill spacing between hills ranged from 10.98 to 13.50 cm at speeds below 120 cm/s. At a higher speed of 140 cm/s, the mean hill spacing and missing index were 23.06 cm and 53.33 %, respectively. Additionally, the scattering index decreased at a higher operating speed. The developed metering mechanism significantly enhanced the efficiency of the seeder, ensuring precise seed placement and reducing seed wastage across varying operating conditions., Competing Interests: The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Marvin T. Valentin reports financial support was provided by the 10.13039/501100010892Technology Application and Promotion Institute-Department of Science and Technology (DOST-TAPI), Philippines., (© 2024 The Authors.)

In order to solve the problems of poor universality and complex structure of the current air-suction precision seed metering device for small vegetable seeds, an air-suction precision seed metering device based on the physical characteristics of small vegetable seeds was developed. The physical characteristics of several typical small vegetable seeds were measured to provide a theoretical basis for the design of air-suction precision seed metering device. Analyzed the force on the seed during seed metering, and used discrete element method to analyze the overall state of the seed at different times in combination with the basic structure. The experiment was designed with the pass rate, replay rate and miss rate as experimental indicators. The regression model was established to obtain the reasonable range of each parameter. The experimental results showed that when the rotary table speed was 28.65 r/min and the working negative pressure was 4.40 kPa, the seeding pass rate of the seed meter was 91.07%, the replay rate was 4.70%, and the missed rate was 4.23%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to solve the problems of high labor intensity and low production efficiency in the cultivation of hemp in hilly areas, the seed arrangement performance of self-propelled hemp seeders was studied. According to the cultivation mode of hemp for the fiber industry in Yunnan, Sichuan, and other hilly areas, the seed metering device for the hemp industry was designed, the seed metering mechanism of hemp was analyzed, and the theoretical value range of design parameters of its key components was determined. The row of kind of wheel speed is obtained by single factor experiment, hole diameter and hole depth and uniformity of the seed, the seed of change rule, on the basis of the quadratic regression orthogonal rotation combination test, two indexes of the regression model, using the regression model of the design parameter optimization, and seeder row of kind of verification test, the results show that: when the rotation speed of the metering wheel was 90.0 r/min, the diameter of the hole was 10.4 mm, and the depth of the hole was 6.4 mm, the coefficient of variation of seeding uniformity of seeding machine was less than 45%, and the coefficient of variation for consistency of seed quantity in each row was less than 8%. The operation of the self-walking industrial hemp seeder met the requirements of fiber industrial hemp planting in hilly areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high-precision mechanized seeding can greatly contribute to the vegetable production at present. In this study, a spotting glue-paper tape precision seeder was designed for the small seed vegetables, particularly combining the seed rope and printing seeding. Three components were also divided in the seeder, including the peristaltic pump glue, ratchet spotting glue, and seed metering device. Among them, the glue was a mixture of pregelatinized starch and water. Specifically, the glue volume and viscosity were the main factors affecting the number of adhered seeds. The glue point volume depended mainly on the rotation angle of the peristaltic pump during the movement. A pretest of seed adhesion was carried out to preliminarily determine the mass ratio of pregelatinized starch to water (less than 1:5), representing the glue viscosity. Furthermore, the frequency of pump and dispensing were analyzed to clarify the relationship between the peristaltic pump and ratchet speed, where the number of ratchet teeth was determined to be 4. As such, the matching was realized between the peristaltic pump and ratchet spotting glue. The ratchet profile was also designed, according to the spotting glue motion. A theoretical analysis was made on the movement of seeds in the seed guiding tube. It was found that the aggregation effect of seeds on the paper tape relied on the length and cross-sectional angle of the seed guiding tube, as well as the rotation speed of the socket wheel. The seed guiding tube was then optimized for the optimal structural parameters. A Box_Behnken test was also carried out, where the length and cross-sectional angle of the seed guiding tube, while the rotation speed of the socket wheel was taken as the test factors, whereas, the percentage of seeds in the effective area on the paper tape was taken as the test index. The results showed that the percentage of seeds in the effective area on the paper tape was 57.23%, when the length of the seed guiding tube was 56 mm, the section angle was 35°, and the rotation speed of the seed metering wheel was 30 r/min. An adhesion test was also performed on the Shanghai Qing 605 seeds with a diameter of 1.5-2.0 mm. The test factors were then selected as the roller angle of the peristaltic pump and the mass ratio of pregelatinized starch to water. An optimal combination of parameters was achieved, including the size of the glue point, and the mass ratio of pregelatinized starch to water. Once the roller rotation angle was 10° and the mass ratio of pre-gelatinized starch to water was 1:6, the single seed rate of glue point adhesion to seeds reached 97.4%. The adaptability test was also carried out on the whole machine on the working performance of different varieties of small seed vegetables. It was found that the single seed rates of Shanghai Qing 605 and Siji Chinese cabbage seeds were greater than 95% under the working speed of 0.5-1.5 m/s, whereas, the coefficient of variation of plant spacing was less than 10%, fully meeting the requirements of precision sowing indicators that specified in the standard NY/T1143-2006. Therefore, the single seed rate and the working efficiency of the improved seeder increased by 3.53%, and 50% than before. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a conventional seed drill, the flow of seeds into the planting bed is usually disrupted and irregular, which contributes to poor seed spacing uniformity. The seed tube of the seed drill may be one of the reasons for disrupted and irregular seed flow. A seed drill, in principle, has to deposit seeds into the ground at a uniform spacing to avoid nutrient competition for optimum yield. This study was inspired to develop a novel helicoidal seed tube that regulates the flow of seeds in a seed tube while being dispensed by the seed drill into the ground. The helicoidal tube was designed to fit the end of a conventional delivery tube of a seed drill. It works by allowing the falling seeds to move through the helix causing a frictional reaction, thereby regulating the velocity of the falling seeds. The developed helicoidal seed tube was tested under laboratory conditions at three heights of the helix (100, 150, and 200 mm) and four pitch sizes (28, 32, 36, and 40 mm). As a result of the laboratory tests, the optimum values for the helix height and pitch size were determined as 200 mm and 36 mm, respectively. The performance of the helicoidal seed tube (helix height of 200 mm and pitch size of 36 mm) was compared with the conventional (hollow) seed tube under laboratory and field conditions. Trials were carried out at a seeding rate of 200 kg/ha and a forward speed of 1 m/s for both wheat and barley seeds. Field trials showed that the coefficients of variation of seed spacing of the conventional seed tube decreased from 118.4% and 139.5% to 77.2% and 70.6% for wheat and barley sowing, respectively, when the helicoidal seed tube was used. Overall, the use of helicoidal seed tube provided a more equal growing area for each plant due to its lower coefficient of variation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Improving the manufacturability of products at the stages of design and technological preparation of production determines the effectiveness of all subsequent actions, both in the development of technological processes and the functioning of machining systems. Changing the design of the assembly based on an assessment of the performance characteristics of the product is the most optimal way to improve manufacturability without reducing the consumer properties of the product. The purpose of the work is to justify the modernization of the coulter unit of the seeder to improve performance and manufacturability. Materials and methods. Experimental studies of a serial assembly unit according to the classical method. Results. A technique has been developed to ensure the functional characteristics of the coulter unit and the required characteristics of the elastic elements of the structure have been determined. Conclusions. Quantitative assessment of the elastic characteristics of deformable elements requires clarification of the initial data, which is a variable value in the conditions of mass production. In accordance with this, the change in the design of the coulter and the organization of normalized input control made it possible to ensure the quality characteristics of the seeder coulter.

The article presents the main results of a three-year research on the use of a seeder with openers for different depths of grain sowing and mineral fertilizers application.Research purpose To compare SKP-2.1 seeder equipped with experimental openers and the serially produced one and to determine the yield and quality indicators of spring soft wheat grain, depending on the sowing method and the rate of nitrogen mineral fertilizers application.Materials and methods A comparative field agrotechnical experiment was carried out to compare the indicators of field germination, yield by variants and the quality of grain obtained in different variants of the experiment. The experiment was carried out on Omskaya-36 soft spring wheat. The sowing performed by SKP-2.1 serially produced seeder-cultivator was taken as control. The experimental plots were sown with the same seeder but equipped with combined coulters, which are lancet paws that ensure the placement of granular mineral fertilizers and seeds in soil horizons of different depths.Results and discussion According to the three-year research, the maximum economic effect was obtained at the rate of ammonium nitrate application of 150 kg/ha. As a result, the yield increased by 0.44 t/ha, the cost of additional production accounted for 6740 rub/ha. A slight decrease in the economic effect was revealed with an increase in the rate of fertilizer application. It was determined that the maximum yield and the best grain quality characteristics both in the control sowing options and in the experimental ones were obtained with the application of ammonium nitrate a rate of 150 and 200 kg/ha.Conclusions It was established that the use of a seeder for different-depth grain sowing and mineral fertilizers application, depending on the spring weather conditions and the ammonium nitrate dose, provides an increase in field germination by 11-18%; the average annual increase in grain yield accounted for 16.3%. The gluten content proved to increase from 24.6 (control) to 29.8 percent.

A leakage detection and supplemental inoculation device was designed to deal with the missing garlic seeds during extracting in a spoon-chain garlic seeder. The device included a laser sensor, a rotating spoon-type supplemental inoculation mechanism, and a supplemental inoculation box. Diffuse laser sensors were selected to monitor the seed extraction, further to determine the missing seeds, according to the output pulse. The STM32 processor and electromagnetic clutch were taken as the core in the control system for the missing seed detection and replenishment. A masking pulse acquisition experiment was conducted to obtain the critical pulse width when the seed picker missed the garlic seed. Taking the Ⅰ, Ⅱ, and Ⅲ grade Jinxiang garlic seeds as the research objects, a bench test was carried out in Jinxiang County, Jining City, Shandong Province, China. The range of masking pulses was determined in a seed picker under the different attitudes within the normal lifting speed. In the interval of 0.09 ~ 0.15m/s seed lifting speed, the maximum and minimum pulse width of garlic seed and scoop were 440.6 and 121.6 ms, respectively, whereas, those of the empty scoop were 87.9 and 53.3 ms, respectively. As such, the critical pulse width of the seed scoop was assumed in the range of 88 to 121 ms. The critical pulse width was then defined as 100 ms, considering that the output pulse of the empty scoop was relatively fixed at the same speed, while that of the seed scoop varied significantly during operation. The distance between the installation position of the sensor and the highest point of the seed extraction chain was set at 130mm, according to the easy maintenance of small garlic seeders. A kinematics analysis was made to obtain the optimal seeding time in a rotating spoon machine for accurate seeding during replanting. At the typical lifting speed of 0.12 m/s, the angle between the radius direction of the rotating spoon-type seed replenishing machine and the gravity direction of the garlic seed to be thrown was from 58.74° to 71.99°, while the angle between the velocity and the gravity direction was from 71.17° to 71.82°, and the duration to fall into the guide cylinder was from 0.161 to 0.170 s. At the speed of 0.12 m/s, the sensor detected that the electromagnetic clutch was electrified for 625 ms after missing seeds, and then the electromagnetic clutch stopped working after 363 ms. At the same time, the garlic seeds fell into the seed tube to complete the supplemental inoculation. The results showed that the success rate of the system was 100 % for the detection of whether the spoon-chain seed collector missed or not at the different speeds of seed extraction. At the seed extraction speed of 0.12 m/s, the success rate of grade I, II, and III garlic seeds after supplemental inoculation increased from 90.13%, 93.13%, and 95.88% to 99.25%, 99.75%, and 100%, respectively. At the raising speed of 0.15 m/s, the sowing success rates of grade I, II, and III garlic increased from 90.25%, 93.13%, and 96% to 99.25%, 99.625%, and 99.88%, respectively. It infers that the missed sowing rate was significantly reduced, fully meeting the garlic sowing requirements. Furthermore, the detection and seed replenishment system can fully match the different forms of spoon and chain garlic seeders. Both the laser sensor and electromagnetic clutch can also offer strong anti-interference, simple control, stable and reliable long-term performance. The new device can also provide promising technical support to the spoon and chain garlic seeders with the seed replenishment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An analysis of the works devoted to the theory of the working process of sowing seeds of grain crops shows that the sowing machines are one of the most important working parts of the seeder, which, during their work, must ensure not only a continuous and uniform flow of seeds, but also the necessary stability of the established seeding rate, as well as the possibility of sowing seeds of various crops, the minimum injury of seed. The article is devoted to improving the quality indicators of sowing seeds with seeders for sowing grain crops using environmentally friendly technologies equipped with new coil-screw sowing machines with coils, the grooves of which are turned along a helix at an angle of 20 degrees, as well as a sowing machine with an increased volume of coil grooves, obtained correlations and graphic dependencies between the uneven distribution of seeds along the length of the row, on the forward speed of the sowing units equipped with seeders with the studied sowing machines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To create a uniform and continuous flow of seeds, to ensure stable seeding of the established norm, to reduce crushing – all these are the main tasks of the seeding machine. Seeding machines must have a reliable and convenient adjustment of the seeding rate for various crops, be universal and easy to use. The work, devoted to improving the quality indicators of grain crops by advancing the technological process of the coil seeding machine with a continuous coating of a valve made of rubber with spikes, is relevant and has an important economic and business significance for the Rus-sian agroindustrial complex. The article presents the results of laboratory studies of the coil seeding device with a continuous coating of a valve made of rubber with spikes, the results of field studies of an experimental seed drill with such seeding devices, and the dependence of the uneven distribution of seeds along the length of the row on the speed of the device unit is obtained. The use of an experimental seeder with coil seeding devices with the continuous coating of valves of rubber with spikes showed the feasibility of using a seeder with such experimental seeding devices for sowing grain seeds in the range of 7.8...9.7 km/h. The increase in the yield of spring wheat of the "Trizo" variety, when sown with the experimental seeder, counted 12 %.

High-quality sowing is not only a uniform distribution of seeds along the length of the row, but also their seeding at a given depth, which allows getting a high-quality crop of grains. This is achieved by using an ordinary method of grain crops sowing using double-disc coulters, which place seeds in the furrow allowing direct contact of the seeds with the soil. Seeders with such working bod-ies are used in both traditional and minimal technologies for the cultivation of grain crops. The article presents the results of theoretical studies of an experimental coulter with a seed de-flector, a closed-type soil cultivator and a furrow press wheel with a rubber mass tire. The depend-ences for finding the impact coefficient of sliding friction, as well as the dependence of the speed of the wheel center and seed after impact are determined. The article is devoted to the task of improving the quality indicators of sowing seeds of grain crops by a seeder with the experimental coulter and contains the results of a theoretical study of the design and operating parameters of the coulter with a seed deflector, a closed-type soil disrupturer and a furrow press wheel with a rubber mass tire.