Karnataka J. Agric. Sci.

,26 (1) : (88-91) 2013

Development and evaluation of ridge planter for cotton
RAGHAVENDRA, M. VEERANGOUDA, K. V. PRAKASH, VIJAYKUMAR PALLED, SHARANKUMAR HIREGOUDAR
AND DEVANAND MASKI
Department of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering
College of Agricultural Engineering, University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur - 584 102
Email: [email protected]
(Received: September, 2011 ; Accepted:November, 2012)
Abstract : Cotton plays a major role in Indian economy and Cotton planting is conventionally done by manual dibbling which
involves extensive labours compared to other operations, this result in higher cost of cultivation and delay in planting during
planting season where available soil moisture is crucial in the northern Karnataka region. The crop, machine and operational
parameters were identified and selected and the tractor operated ridge planter was developed and evaluated for its performance
in actual field conditions. The forward speed of operation was optimized as 1.25 m/s, considering seed rate and seed spacing.
The average draft and fuel consumption of the planter was 2300 N and 3.83 l/hr, respectively. The field capacity of the planter
was 0.89 ha/hr with field efficiency of 73.55 per cent. The cost of operation of ridge planter for sowing cotton was found to
be 433 Rs/ha compared to 1013 Rs/ha for conventional method.
Key words: Cotton, Draft, Fuel consumption, Ridge planter, Seed rate, Seed spacing

Introduction ridge planter for sowing cotton was developed. The objective
of this study was to develop and evaluate ridge planter for
Cotton (Gossypium spp.), “the king of fiber” and “white gold”
planting cotton under Northern Karnataka region. In the ridge
is one of the most important crops commercially grown over 111
planter, seed sigulation produced more consistent with row to
countries throughout the world. India ranks first in the world
row and plant to plant distribution of seeds
under cotton cultivation and accounts for 11 million ha area
(Anon., 2011). Cotton accounts for around 80 per cent of the Material and methods
total fiber consumption in textile sector, which accounts nearly
The unit was designed to plant three rows of cotton crop with
30 per cent of India’s industrial. Cotton planting is conventionally
row spacing (0.45 to 1.2 m), plant to plant spacing (0.30 to 0.90 m),
done by manual dibbling. The seeds are dibbled in lines at a
depth of planting (30 mm), number of seeds per hill (1 to 2), the
depth of 30 mm with two seeds per hill maintaining the desired
normal germination percentage of seed (65-80). The seed
spacing between the rows and plants. The labour requirement
properties like the bulk density, which affects the volume
for planting cotton is high (15 %) which is next to harvesting
requirement of seed hopper, thousand grain weights, which is
operation (44 %) (Vaiyapuri, 2004). This results higher cost of
an indicator grain size and affects the seed rate and the volume
cultivation. Generally, the ridge planting is a practice that
of seeds, were considered for the design of the planter.
eliminates conventional seed bed preparation or which combines
Considering the factors discussed above, a tractor mounted
with planting operation. Cotton grown in a ridge-and-furrow
ridge planter was developed with a set of functional components
system is better-suited to mechanical harvesting than the cotton
including Main frame, Ground wheel, Ridger, Seed box, Furrow
grown in the non-ridged or flat, conventional system. The timely
openers, and Seed flowing tubes. Ridges and furrows can be
operation of cotton ensuring weed control, infiltration and
effectively formed by using tractor drawn ridgers and planting
storage of runoff water in turn helps in moisture conservation.
can be done simultaneously by using the planting mechanism.
Singh et al. (1985) developed a two row ridge planter for
The ridges were formed by the wings of the ridges and the seeds
planting winter maize and evaluated in the field over an area of
were placed while the formation of ridges. Furrow openers were
0.4 ha. Average seed distance was found to be
provided on one side of the ridger bottom for placement of seeds.
0.198 m, row to row spacing 0.60 m and the average ridge height
The soil thrown by the wings of the ridgers covers the dropped
was 0.25 m. The capacity of the planter was 0.10 ha/hr at a forward
seeds. Three ridger bottoms were selected for the formation of
speed of 2.5 kmph. Development and evaluation of a tractor
ridgers. The pictorial view of the ridge planter is shown in Fig. 1.
drawn ridge seeder for maize and sorghum was reported (Anon.
The cup feed type of metering mechanism was selected, since
1986). A saving of 91 per cent in sowing time and 42.0 man hour
this type is effective for various types of seeds including cotton.
per ha was obtained using the planter. Dmitriev et al. (1995)
The cup feed mechanism also exhibits the advantage of minimum
discussed the advantage of sowing maize on ridges and
seed damage compared to other common types of seed metering
presented tractor drawn ridger cultivation for sowing maize.
devices (Shaffi and Holmes, 1990). A chain transmission system
Kathirvel et al. (2001) developed a tractor drawn till planter for
from ground wheel with spikes was provided for driving the
cotton, which combined seed bed preparation with planting
seed metering device. A funnel like structure was provided in
operations. Kathrivel et al. (2005) reported that the saving in
the seed metering compartment for guiding the metered seed to
cost for planting operation with ridger seeder was higher when
the other part of the seed placement device. On the lower end of
compared to pneumatic planter and cultivator seeder. Considering
the seed funnel a transparent flexible PVC hose was provided
these new tendencies of planting for cotton crop production, a
to the furrow openers.
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Karnataka J. Agric. Sci., 26 (1) : 2013

Fig 1. The pictorial view of the ridge planter

The calibration of the unit was carried out in the laboratory Results and discussion
with a seed drill test rig to obtain the seed rate at various speeds
The response of seed rate obtained at various forward speed
of the rotor, corresponding to the forward speed. To find the
are shown in Fig. 2. It is clear that the required seed rate of 3kg/ha
uniformity of seed distribution, tests were conducted by using
(in all the three rows) can be obtained at a forward speed of 1.25
sticky belt at six different forward speeds, including 0.35, 0.60,
m/s. At all the forward speeds, there was not much variation in
1.00, 1.30, 1.81 and 2.20 m/s. A sticky belt test stand was used to
respect of seed rate and the result of seed spacing with respect
monitor seed spacing of the planter. The seed metering
to forward speeds of operation ar e presented in
mechanism was driven by a separate motor of sticky grease belt
Table 1.
test stand to provide the chosen theoretical seed spacing. The
It is observed from the table that at all the selected forward
planter unit was positioned over the sticky belt. The test was
speeds, the average spacing obtained was slightly greater than
conducted at the College of Agricultural Engineering, Raichur
the recommended spacing of 0.60 m. This may be due to the
during 2011, for evaluating the performance of the unit. Cotton
light weight of seed and the variation in the time taken to the
variety MRC 7347 was planted in an area of 0.4 ha using the unit.
seed to reach the final placement point form the metered location
Before operating the unit, the field was prepared by discing
(Kathrivel et al., 2001). The minimum value of CV of 0.07 and SD
once and tilling with cultivator once. A control plot of 0.4 ha was
of 4.55 was observed for a forward speed of 1.30 m/s. This
also planted for comparing with conventional method. In the
speed also registered the minimum deviation of 1.28 per cent
control plot, cotton seeds were manualy dibbled on ridges formed
from the recommended spacing. But the desired seed rate was
by tractor drawn ridger.
obtained at a forward speed of 1.25 m/s and speeds greater than
The draft of the unit was measured by the rolling method as
this resulted in the reduction of seed rate as seen from Fig.2.
per RNAM test code. For measuring the fuel consumption, a
Hence, the forward speed of operation of the unit was selected
fuel consumption meter was used. The number of revolutions of
as 1.25 m/s.
the ground wheel of the planter for a distance of 20 m covered
by the unit was recorded for calculating the wheel slip. The field
capacity and field efficiency of the ridger was found by standard
procedure.
After germination of seeds, the spacing between the plants
and the number of plants per hill for a known length of ridge was
measured to analyze the uniformity of seed spacing. The
coefficient of variation and standard deviation were calculated.
The per cent missing for single plant and multiples per hill were
found.
This was compared between the ridge planter and
conventional (manual) planting method. The depth of seed
placement was measured by removing the plant from soil.
The plant population was assessed by counting the number of
plants per unit area. The data was collected from randomly
selected locations in the field. The cost of operation of the ridge Fig 2. Seed rate in different rows at various forward speeds of
planter was determined as per RNAM test codes and compared operation
with the conventional method.

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Development and evaluation of ....

Table 1. Seed spacing at different forward speeds of operation Table 3. Plant spacing, plant population and cost of operation with
Forward Seed spacing Standard Coefficient Deviation Ridge planter and Control
speed obtained deviation of variation from Particulars Ridge Planter Control
(m/s) Mean (m) (SD) (CV) recommended
(per cent) spacing of Plant spacing, m 0.60 0.58
0.6m (per cent) Depth of seed placement, mm 30.73 33.50
0.35 0.63 7.15 0.11 4.82 Plant population, No./ha 21500 22350
0.60 0.64 9.01 0.14 6.38 Cost of operation, Rs/ha 433 1013
1.00 0.62 6.00 0.10 3.47
1.30 0.61 4.55 0.07 1.28
1.81 0.61 5.11 0.08 2.17
that the ridge planter showed less deviation from the recommended
2.20 0.62 6.22 0.30 3.07 spacing (0.98 %) when compared to control (2.65 %). The standard
deviation and coefficient of variation were also less for plant
spacing obtained by ridge planter. The deviation from
During the field test, the unit was operated at the forward
recommended plant spacing, the standard deviation and
speed of 1.25 m/s. The moisture content and the bulk density of
coefficient of variation obtained for ridge planter was almost
the soil during the test were found to be
similar to those obtained in laboratory conditions at optimum
5.3 per cent (db) and 1.36 Mg/m3. The average draft required
speed range.
was 2300 N. The fuel consumption was 3.83 l/hr. Ground wheel
The percentage of missing hills obtained for ridge-planter
slip was recorded 5.75 per cent which is well within the
was 3.50 per cent. The percentage of missing hills, singles and
recommended value of 18 per cent (Bjerkan, 1947). The field
multiples in control plot and plot planted by ridge planter were
capacity of the unit was 0.89 ha/hr with a field efficiency of 73.55
analysed. It is noticed that the ridge planter gave higher
per cent. The field performance results for ridge planter and
proportion of 47.63 per cent for single plant per hill, while in
control are shown in Table 2 and Table 3.
control plot majority of hills (88.89 %) had three or more plants.
The row to row spacing obtained in the field did not show
Thus, it is evident that, ridge planter planted the recommended
any variation and the recommended spacing of 0.90 m obtained.
number of seed of 1 or 2 in majority of hills. The average depth
The average spacing between the plants sown with ridge planter
of seed placement of seed in control plot was 33.50 mm whereas
was obtained as 0.61 m, which is slightly higher than the
for ridge planter, it was 30.75 mm.
recommended spacing of 0.60 m. The lesser vales of coefficient
The plant population in the field planted by ridge planter
of variation (0.09) and standard deviation (5.97) obtained for
was 21,500 plants per ha. Considering one plant per hill, the
plant spacing, which indicate the relatively accurate, uniform
required plant population obtained was higher for ridge planter
and precise planting. The average plant spacing obtained from
due to the fact that more than one seed was planted per hill is
control planting was 0.58 m, which is slightly less than the
40.81 per cent, so as to achieve nearly get 100 per cent
recommended spacing. (CV=0.383 % and SD=6.65). It is noticed
germination. The plant population obtained in control plot was
Table 2. Results of field performance evaluation 22,350 plants per ha. The higher plant population in control plot
was due to planting three or more seeds per hill in majority of
Particulars Details
hills (88.89 %).
The plant population after manual thinning in the treatment
Soil type Black soil
plot was 17,525 plants per ha, which was 5.36 per cent (Anon.,
Actual operating time, min 21.5
Time lost owing to 1995) less than the recommended plant population. This was
i. Turning at head land, min 5.4 due to missing of certain hills and also due to the fact that the
ii. Refilling of seed, min Nil average spacing obtained was slightly greater than the
iii. Repair, min Nil recommended spacing of 0.60 m. In control plot, the plant
iv. Others, min Nil population obtained was 20,125 plants per ha, which was 7.9 per
Actual area covered, m2 4000 cent more than the recommended plant population. This may be
Effective working width, mm 2700 due to the fact that average spacing obtained in control plot
Travelling speed, km/h 4.5 was less than the standard spacing. The germination percentage
Effective field capacity, ha/hr 0.89 for cotton seed variety MRC 7347 was 72 per cent. The cost of
Theoretical field capacity, ha/hr 1.21
operation of ridge planter for cotton sowing was worked out to
Field efficiency, % 73.55
be Rs.433 /ha while it was Rs.1013/ ha in control plot.
Travel pattern Head land (from boundary)
Draft, N 2300 It can be concluded that the ridge planter developed for
Ground wheel slip, % 5.75 planting cotton and its performance was evaluated in the field
Fuel consumption, l/hr. 3.83 for planting MRC 7347. The results indicated that no significant
Depth of seed placement, mm 30.73 variation in seed rate and seed spacing was found during
Distance between plants, mm (Avg) 60.78 calibration. Considering the seed rate, uniformity of seed
Number of plants per hill 1 or 2 distribution and furrow profile, the forward speed of operation
Rate of missing hills, % 3.50 was optimized as 1.25 m/s. the average draft of the ridge planter
Row to row distance, m 0.90 at the optimized forward speed of operation was 2300 N. The
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Karnataka J. Agric. Sci., 26 (1) : 2013

fuel consumption of the unit was 3.82 x 10-3 m3/hr. The slip of the was 3.50 per cent, where as in conventional method there was
ridge planter ground wheel was 5.75 per cent. The field capacity no missing hill. The ridge planter planted one seed in majority of
of the unit was 0.89 ha/hr with a field efficiency of 73.55 per hill (47.63 %), followed by two seeds per hill (38.59), and in
cent. The average plant spacing obtained in the field was 0.60 m conventional method 88.89 per cent of hills were planted with
and 0.58 m for ridge planter and conventional method three or more seeds. Thus ridge planter planted recommended
respectively. The deviation from recommended spacing was less number of seeds (1 to 2) in majority of hills. The cost of operation
for ridge planter (0.98 per cent) as compared to conventional of ridge planter for cotton sowing was `433/ha while `1013 /ha
method (2.65). The percentage of missing hills for ridge planter for conventional method.

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