Transcript

Hello friends. Today we will look at what are the machines that fall under the purview of CASI. We will focus on Zero tillage multi crop planter. We will explain what is zero tillage and zero tillage multi crop planter and what are the differences between the two? Zero tillage machine is a machine that does sowing of wheat without any kind of primary and secondary tilling just after the rice is harvest in a field which has 15 to 20 cm of anchored rice stubble. It drops seeds and fertilizers at the same time and in the same place. This technique disturbs soil to a maximum of 30 % depending on the crop. Crops like wheat have more soil surface disturbance as they have line to line distance of 20 cm where a crop like Maize which has line to line distance between 40 cm to 60cm will have soil surface disturbance of only 10 %. So a Zero tillage machine drops seeds and fertilizers at the same time and same place without any kind of tilling.

Now we look at how this machine first introduced to India. There are two or three reasons for this machine to come to India. First, our farmers do a lot of intensive tilling which harms the soil and also increases the cost. The second reason for it was that in the rice-wheat cropping system if we plant rice a bit late then its harvest also gets late which delays the wheat sowing by one month as farmers first plough their field. The wheat crop which should have been sown in the first week of November now gets sown in the month of December and this reduces our wheat yield. If wheat is sown in the month of November, then the crop production can be increased by 15 to 20% just by sowing early. Thirdly, because of practicing the rice-wheat monotonous cropping system, there was a problem of weedcalled gehu ka mama (Phalarismnor). So to address that problem this machine was introduced and it has proved beneficial.

The Zero tillage machine came for the first time in South Asia in the year 1980 in India and Pakistan. The first machine came to Pantnagar in the year 1984 under the supervision of Dr Bacchan Singh. It was an Atchisonmachine imported from New Zealand. This machine had to be locally modified as it had many problems like it did not have balance wheels, had no proper tines and the seed metering system was not good. So for these reasons this machine was not successful in the beginning. From 1985 to 2000, there was not much progress in this machine. It underwent at least 30 version modification and now we finally have the zero-tillage multi-crop planter. The most distinctive feature of a Zero tillage machine are its tines which are also known as furrow openers. These are special types and we call them T – inverted type of tines. If we reverse it, then we can see it is T shaped. So this is basically in an inverted T shape

The furrow opener has a high carbon bit (heated bit) for penetration and it is wider from here as it has to place seed and fertilizer in the proper place. Even in this, the fertilizer goes first and then the seed so there is some variation as the seed and fertilizer should not get in contact. So this is the Zero tillage tine and it is different from the shovel type traditional tine. We cannot use the shovel type tine in Zero tillage as it will make big clods and as a result, the seed and fertilizer will not germinate properly and greatly disturb the soil.

The simple zero tillage machine is a drill type machine and is made only for wheat/rice. Now, we will look at the difference between a simple machine and a multi crop planter. Zero tillage machines are made for continuous drilling crops where we do not need any plant to plant space like wheat, barley, mustard, jowar and some other crops. So the scope of crops that can be planted using a Zero tillage machine is limited. Now with a multi crop planter, we can do both things. We can drill as well as do planting. It has three boxes. The front box is used for fertilizer. The second box is used for seeds and the third box is used for special crops like maize that require precise planting. Now, we come to the balancing wheels. We had also discussed them yesterday as part of a happy seeder. We never use this machine on a hydraulic system. When we operate this machine we release it from the hydraulic system and this completely runs on the balancing wheel. The job of the balancing wheel is to control the depth at which to place seed and fertilizer and also to maintain the balance of the machine on both sides. If we want to place the seed at a greater depth, then we bring this up and if we want to lower the seed depth then we bring it down. So this was the balancing wheel.

Now, we discuss the important components and parts of this machine. This is our seed and fertilizer. This is our fluted roller for fertilizer and they have an opening underneath them from where the fertilizer drops through gravity after being pushed. By this, we can adjust the fertilizer. The second component we look at is the seed box. Like I said earlier, this is used for continuous seeding where we do not have to maintain plant to plant distance and they drop at a seed rate and they also have a fluted roller mechanism.

The third component is a multi-crop planter and it has an inclined plate system. It is used for different crops and it maintains plant to plant spacing.

This is its basic frame and tines are attached on the clamp. This is the balancing wheel and over there is the driving wheel. The job of the driving wheel is that it transmits power to run the seed metering system and we can do the adjustment as we like.

Now we look at the inclined plate. This is a medium type plate and has m written over it and is basically used for sowing directly seeded rice. We can also use it for moong and other crops. The other plate is a bit large and thick. This is used for maize. Now, we have two types of plate for maize. One is an L and the other is an extra L. If the maize seed is flat type, then extra L is suited for it and if the maize seed is round type then L plate is suited for it.

Now, we look at how to increase the plant to plant distance. These are the sprocket. If we want to increase the plant to plant distance, then we use the large sprocket which reduces its rotation speed and that increases the distance. If we want to do the planting at less distance, then we use the small sprocket. If we move from large sprocketto small sprocket, then its speed increases. If we move from small sprocketto large sprocket, then its speed decreases. So this is their job and they are used for adjusting it.

These are the two types of gauze, one at the front and another over here. This is to adjust the seed rate and this is for the fertilizer. This is a pull type machine and does not require any power. It is pulled by a tractor and it has no mechanism from where it can drag the power of a tractor. It only is pulled by it. Other machines like Happy seeder require the supply of power.

Now, we look at the adjustment and calibration of this machine. Before taking the machine on the field, we have to make sure that the machine is clean, if all the parts like fluted roller or chain are properly moving or not and if it has got rust. If this is the case, then we should clean it first. Now once it is in the field we have to make sure if the machine is properly balanced. If it is unbalanced, then it is either forward leaning or backward leaning. The two tines are attached to the frame or angle bar. So if it is forward leaning, then the front tine is more active and the seeds and fertilizer at the front will fall at a greater depth than the one at the back. So it is very important to have a proper balance of this machine.

Now, how do we balance it, if it is unbalanced? The tractor has a link called top link. We open the top link and can make it small or big. If we make it small, then the machine leans forward and if we make it big then the machine leans backward. So we can adjust it accordingly.

Now, there are sometimes when the driving wheel does not touch and becomes free and as there is no traction and it does not move and the transmission does not get powered. To fix this, we can increase its length to adjust it.

Now, we come towards calibration. They come pre calibrated and we have a manual that explains everything like at what hole how much kg of seeds and fertilizer will drop. But we do not trust it and to confirm it we run this machine for 30 to 50 metres with seeds and fertilizers in them. We take the row out and tie a polythene to it and collect the seed and fertilizer and observe how far it goes and also its width. If it is nine tine and is at 20 cm, then its width is 2 metres. If it is 1.8 to 2 metres then we can calculate the area. 1.8 times 50 equals 90 metres square.

From this we can calculate how much seeds will be required for any given field like a 10,000 square field. Accordingly, we adjust the seed rate and calibrate the seed and fertilizer. So if 90 gram is needed then for 1 hectare we would need 90 kg.

There are other minor things in calibration like with this we can control the speed. We can maintain plant to plant distance with this. For using different crops, we have to use different inclined plates like for rice, Maize, mustard and other small crops, there are different inclined plates and we can also change the speed. For continuous seeding crops like wheat, jowar and other crops we can put the box in it and then calibrate the seed rate.

For crops like maize, we calibrate it according to the number of plants. In 1 hectare we have to plant at least 80000 to 90000 plants. In order to do that, we observe a 1 or 2 metre line and notice how much seeds are falling into that. If 10 seeds are falling, then it is fine but if it is less than 10 then it is not enough as we require at least 20 cm distance between plant to plant. So basically, we count and if 10 seeds are falling in 2 metres then that means that our calibration is fine but if only 3 or 4 seeds have dropped then we will have to increase the speed and we can then calibrate it.

Now in the end we look at maintenance. As the season finished, the first thing we have to do is wash the parts. If there is some fertilizer left in the box, then it would rust our box and damage our fluted roller and in the next season we will have to replace all the parts. So it is important to  wash the box after the sowing season and where ever there are any bearing, gears or bush, we have to grease and oil it. We can also detach the box like for wheat sowing.

Earlier the old models of zero tillage machines would have tines that would come as a single part. So if it broke then we would have to buy the entire new part. Nowadays, the parts are separated like furrow openers and tine are separated. So we replace only the broken or damaged parts. If any part is worn out after being used in for the entire season, then we can detach that part and replace it.

Anywhere where there are joints, we have to grease and clean them. When the machine is not in use then we should keep it in shade or cover it so that it remains maintained and rust free and then we can use the machine for 10 to 15 years.

Thank you.