IADS Options in powering irrigation equipment for tubewells and low-lift pump in Bangladesh: A consultancy report

Abstract

The proposed machine is a four-row bullock. manually driven seed -drill for rice and wheat. The main part of the machine is the metering device. Two types of metering device have been designed and tried with different cell specifications namely: a) wooden metering device b) Metalic (Cast Aluminium) metering device. Wooden metering device was designed for rice and wheat and the cells were adequate to accommodate three seeds having sizes of 15 X 10 X 25 mm and 11 X 10 X 25 mm respectively, however did not perform satisfactorily. Metalic metering device was designed having adequate cell size in the shape of fluted roller with a cup shaped cross section of the flutes. Seed picking capacity of each flute can be varied as per desired seed rate. Simple casting and machining techniques can be utilized to fabricate the proposed seed drill. Interchangeable furrow oppener holding bar and press-wheel holding bar provides facilities for using the machine for drilling both paddy and wheat. Seeds of rice and wheat can be sown at 254 mm and 203 mm rows respectively at a hill to hill distances of 152 mm. Furrow opener is adjustable within the range of 0 to 100 mm depth. Seed rate can be continuously adjusted within the range of 0 to 60 kg/ha., while the field capacity of the machine is 0.4 ha.hr. at an average speed of 3.2 km/hr. and needs 3.5 to 4 man-hr/ha.