INVESTIGATE A PROTOTYPE FOR TOMATOES PRECISION SEEDER

Ismail, Z.E.; Abo-Habaga, M.M.; Abou Elmagd, A.E.; Hassan, H.A.

doi:10.21608/mjae.2014.98219

INVESTIGATE A PROTOTYPE FOR TOMATOES PRECISION SEEDER

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Prof. of power technology and farm machinery, Agric. Eng. Dept. Facof Agric. Mansoura Univ., Egypt.

² Prof of Agric. Eng., Agric. Eng. Dept. Facof Agric. Mansoura Univ., Egypt.

³ Student of Post degree in Agric. Eng. Dept. Fac. of Agric. Mansoura Univ., Egypt.

10.21608/mjae.2014.98219

Abstract

The objective of this research was to design, construct and test a prototype for seeding tomatoes seeds in tray. The fundamental basic of the prototype depending on, using air vacuum to catch single seed from seed tank and put it inside tray cells. The air suction was supplied from a suction pump, whereas the seeds are forced to move from the seed tank towards the seed tube. Three electronically control units were used to send consequence electronic signals. These signals were adapted to put on and cut off air suction, to move the tray belt, and to operate the air pump. The evaluation of the developed unit was carried out in 2012-2014 seasons in soil pen Lab- Agric. Eng. Dept., Mansoura University. The effect of some engineering parameters included four feeding device height, four different levels of orifice positions, four orifice diameters on seeding tube and three air suction pressure on seed catching, doubling and skipping seeds in tray cells. The results indicated that the best feeding device height that fulfill catching one seed per orifice was h =2.2mm at suction tube orifice diameter of 0.5mm and air suction pressure of 33.44mbar. Increasing the orifice diameter to 0.75, 1.0 and 1.5 mm the best (h) were 2.9, 3.2 and 3.9mm respectively. At these operating parameters the results recorded no seeds skipping, and low doubling.

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