Performance Evaluation of a Sensor Based Tractor Drawn Ginger Planter

Abstract

The use of single-seed planters is essential for ensuring uniform plant distribution in agricultural operations. In these planters, seed metering units are typically powered by a drive wheel, which transfers motion through various transmission components like chains, gears, shafts, and belts. However, during planting, the force exerted by the transmission system and the seed metering unit’s drive mechanism on the drive wheel can cause slippage or a loss of traction. This affects the overall performance of the seed metering units, leading to uneven plant spacing due to the shared transmission system. To mitigate these challenges, a sensor-based control system was developed. This study delves into the design of this sensor-based system and evaluates its impact on planting quality, particularly in terms of plant spacing uniformity and field performance. Field trials conducted using the sensor-based system showed encouraging results, with a quality of feed index (Iqf) of 97.34 per cent, multiple index (Imult) of 0.95 per cent, missing index (Imiss) of 1.5 per cent, and a cell fill efficiency of 93.33 per cent. The average hill-to-hill distance was measured 20.03 cm, and it gives the field efficiency was 84 per cent. These metrics indicate that plant spacing uniformity was effectively maintained. The sensor-based system demonstrated significant improvements in planting consistency during field trials. Additionally, the system offers the ability to regulate seed rates, reduce labour input, and save time. For future enhancements, further research should focus on optimizing the structural design of seed metering units. This includes refining aspects such as cell diameter and thickness, number of cells, and methods used for connecting components to ensure better mechanical integration between the sensor system and the planter.