Performance requirements of a seed drill

1) The seed rate shall be easily adjustable up to 125 kg/ha in case of

wheat seed drill.
2) The percentage of visible damage to seed should not be more
than 0.5.
3) The variations in dropping due to box filling at ¼, ½, 2/3 of rated
capacity shall not exceed 10%.
4) The variations in quantity of seed dropped due to change in
speed shall not exceed 15% of the quantity dropped under the
specified speed.
5) The variation in quantity of seed/m of row length shall not
exceed by 10%.
6) The variations in dropping seed and fertilizer in different feeding
outlets shall not be more than 7 and 12.5%, respectively from the
average quantity obtained.
7) The variations in quantity dropped per hectare and quantity
specified to be dropped at a particular setting should not be more
than 7%.
 Chemical Application

Agricultural chemicals are required to provide nutrients for

plant growth and to control weeds , insects and plant diseases.

Agricultural chemicals Fertilizer, pesticides, fungicides,

herbicides and other growth
regulating chemicals.

These chemicals are available in either dry granular forms or

liquid forms or powder forms.

They can be applied in the following ways:

• Before planting
• During planting
• After planting during active growth period
Application of dry granules has certain advantages:

• It eliminates the need to mix water

• Drift is not a problem
• The application equipment is less expensive and more trouble
free, since no mixing, pumping and agitation is involved
• It is safer to handle than liquid chemicals

Disadvantages:

• Granular material is more expensive than the liquid chemicals

• Granular material has poor metering characteristics
• The use of granules is limited to soil application as they require moisture
to become activated
• Granular materials must be kept in dry place and they are more bulky to
store and transport
 • Broad casting
• Banded application

The equipment for applying granular material includes

Drop type (gravity), rotary (centrifugal and pneumatic (air) spreaders

A drop-type fertilizer distributor
The main functions performed by a granular applicator are :

• Metering

• Conveying

• Distribution

• Placement

Different metering devices used for may be divided into:

Positive flow type and gravity flow type

Positive flow type devices provide more accurate metering because a

cell is used to meter a certain volume of fertilizer

In case of a gravity flow type, the orifice size decides the quantity of
fertilizer to be dropped