Metering Nonuniform Vegetable Seed

Abstract

<jats:p>Selecting the proper seeder setup to meter a given seed lot effectively can be very difficult for a vegetable grower, especially if the seed lot is not graded for size uniformity. A belt-type seeder should effectively singulate the seeds if the seeds are spherical and uniform because the holes are specifically sized. Seeds that are not graded for size uniformity may not be singulated effectively by a belt-type seeder. A vacuum-type seeder should uniformly meter a wider range of seed sizes better than a belt-type seeder since the holes in the seed plate must only be smaller than the smallest seeds in the lot. Seed lots (graded and ungraded) of two turnip (<jats:italic>Brassica rapa</jats:italic> L. rapifera group) cultivars were metered with a belt seeder using belts with holes 6/64 inch (2.4 mm) or 7/64 inch (2.8 mm) in diameter or with a vacuum seeder. Neither the belt nor vacuum seeder satisfactorily singulated any of the seed lots. With the larger (7/64 inch) belt holes, there were excessive incidences of multiple seeds per drop. With the smaller (6/64 inch) belt holes, multiple drops and missed seed were excessive. The vacuum seeder also resulted in excessive misses and multiples.</jats:p>

Performance of a modified precision vacuum seeder for no-till sowing of maize and soybean

“…Parish and Bracy (1998) hypothesised that a vacuum seeder should meter a wider range of seed size more uniformly than a belt seeder, since the holes in the seed plate must only be smaller than the smallest seeds in the lot. assessed the use of a precision vacuum seeder for hill-drop sowing of melon (Cucumis melo) and watermelon (Citrullus lanatus).…”

A Comparison of Seeding Uniformity of Agronomic and Vegetable Seeders

“…The GP agronomic seeder had a high number of skips and multiple seed drops and had poor seeding precision. Parish and Bracy (1998) reported wide variation in seeding uniformity and precision among precision vegetable seeders. Results of this study indicated that variation occurred in the seeding uniformity of the two agronomic seeders tested.…”

“…A n important feature of a precision seeder's performance is its ability to place seeds singularly a given distance apart. Recent studies evaluating seeding uniformity of vacuum and belt vegetable seeders (Bracy and Parish, 1998;Parish and Bracy, 1998) detected inconsistencies in the metering uniformity of vegetable seeders previously assumed to be very uniform (Parish et al, 1991). Bracy and Parish (1998) determined a belt seeder was as effective at singulating spherical seeds [cabbage (Brassica oleracea var.…”

“…The belt seeder was also more effective than the vacuum seeders at spacing the seeds uniformly within the target area when outliers (missed and multiple seed drops) were removed. Parish and Bracy (1998) assessed the uniformity of metering size-graded and ungraded turnip (Brassica rapa var. rapifera) seeds with belt and vacuum vegetable seeders.…”

Design and experimental study of seed precise delivery mechanism for high-speed maize planter

“…A pneumatic maize precision seed meter with combined seed holes developed by Shi et al [9] reached the quality of feed index up to 98.60% at the speed of 12 km/h in seed meter testing. Seed drill performance with regard to seed spacing was measured using different methods [10][11][12][13][14][15] . Erbach et al [16] conducted a contrast experiment of seed spacing uniformity between a planter equipped with a V-type double-disk furrow openers with and without a seed tube and his conclusion was drawn that the standard deviation of plant spacing without the seed tube was 6.0 cm, which was significantly greater than with the seed tube (4.4 cm).…”