APM 143
Agricultural Mechanization and Management
EXERCISE NO. 03
DRUM SEEDER
INTRODUCTION
The rice farmers practicing transplanting are facing problems of high cost of cultivation,
less plant population, less tillers per plant, low yields, and high weed population. To tackle all
these problems direct seeding of rice has been found most appropriate alternative. Direct
seeding is becoming increasingly popular now days in India. Direct seeding is of two types
A drum seeder is planting apparatus used for pre-germinated rice seeds for wet fields.
The advantage of drum seeder is that row to row spacing can be easily maintained and
dropping of seeds in hills is possible. Drum seeder is an effective mean for timely sowing of rice.
Also direct seeded rice may mature 7 to 10 days earlier than transplanted rice (Subbaiah et. al.
2002) It habits a simple metering scheme in which the perforations on the periphery at both
ends of the drum hopper meter the seeds. As the machine is pulled, the drum hopper driven by
a ground wheel rotates, as it rotates, seeds drop from the holes to the ground in rows. Seeds
test and wetted rice seed done separately. This test is carried out to determine the performance
of metering mechanism, the outcomes of which can offer the data for the field performance.
I. OBJECTIVES
a) To familiarized the parts of a drum seeder.
b) To be able to recognize the metering apparatus of a drum seeder.
c) To gain knowledge in how to conduct a performance test of a drum seeder.
d) To obtain the efficiency and seeding rate of the seeder to be tested.
e) To determine what hopper capacity setting must use in a specific rice condition.
II. MATERIALS
III. METHODOLGY
1. Test for metering mechanism
a. The drum seeder is elevated up and the ground wheel of the machine is rotated
10 times to gather the discharged seeds by different containers and calculate for
its seeding rates. The seeding rate per area is calculated based on the weight of
seeds and the corresponding area covered by the seeder in 10 revolutions of the
ground wheel.
b. This test shall be carried out at ½, ¾, and full of the drum seeder’s hopper
capacity based on its diameter with three seeding rate settings – low, medium
outcomes were tabulated and computed of which stated above for the field performance and
was conducted on type of seed for which the seeder is suitable, which is dry and wet rice paddy.
Evaluations of the different seeding rate of the different hopper capacity setting for dry and wet
It was witnessed, in both wet and dry conditions of the paddy that the highest seeding
rate in low, medium and high condition is obtained when the hopper capacity is half-full. Instead,
when the hopper is full, the seeding rate is low. Moreover, when the paddy is wet there is a
Accordingly, wet rice paddy is a favorable condition when using drum seeder to reduce
seeding rate dissimilarities as the seeds in the drum decreases due to discharge. Through this
test we can define what hopper capacity setting will be suitable depending on the desired
seeding rate.
Lastly, the chosen seeding rate is higher; half-full hopper capacity is favorable. Or else,
V. APPENDICES
VI. CONCLUSION
Scrutinizing the outcomes shown above, it can be inferred that the highest
seeding rate comes from the high setting at ½ hopper capacities at wet paddy condition.
Nevertheless, the condition of the paddy highly affects the seeding rate result it’s
because of the moisture containing the paddy causing into increase in weight and
resulting into higher seeding rate. Moreover, we conclude that when we use row seeding
from direct seeding using drum seeder, ½ Hopper capacities at high setting (open
perforation) must use whether in dry or wet paddy condition through its high seeding
rate. Lastly, Full hopper capacity discharges small amount of paddy to the ground.
VII. DOCUMENTATION