Design and Development of Two-Row Power Tiller-Mounted Direct Seeder for Cabbage Cultivation

Pandoo, Shashikant; Luna-Maldonado, Alejandro Isabel; López-López, Gilbert Fresh; Luna-Maldonado, Urbano; Flores-Breceda, Héctor

doi:10.2478/ata-2025-0029

Abstract

A two-row upland seeder for cabbage was designed, developed, and tested to improve sowing efficiency and crop establishment in small-scale farming. It featured precision seeding and was evaluated with and without press wheels. Seed delivery rates decreased as ground speed increased, with the highest rate of 0.267 kg·ha⁻¹ achieved at 0.6 m·s⁻¹; faster speeds lowered accuracy. Slippage tests at 10 RPM showed stable traction with an average slippage of 3.92%. Field trials revealed that press wheels significantly enhanced seeding performance, providing more consistent sowing depths (mean 6.6 mm), higher germination rates (61%), and fewer missing hills than without press wheels. Statistical analysis (ANOVA, Tukey’s HSD) confirmed that press wheels had significant effects on sowing depth, germination rate, and seedling count (p <0.05). Despite some issues like seed clogging and hopper damage, the seeder was user-friendly and effective. The study highlights the need for optimal speeds and press wheels to improve planting precision and crop establishment.

References

AGROMORIS. 2024. Boosting Climate Resilience Among Small Farmers in Mauritius. Available at: https://agromoris.com/boosting-climate-resilience-among-small-farmers-in-mauritius/
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
BENIN, S. 2015. Impact of Ghana’s agricultural mechanization services center program. In Agricultural Economics, vol. 46, no. S1, pp. 103–117. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/agec.12201
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
BETCHOO, N. K. 2015. Engaging rural communities in sustainable development in Mauritius. In Journal of Multidisciplinary Engineering Science and Technology, vol. 2, no. 3, pp. 370–375. Available at: https://www.jmest.org/wp-content/uploads/JMESTN42350520.pdf
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
DE MELLO PRADO, R. – TORRES, J. L. – ROQUE, C. G. – COAN, O. 2001. Corn seed under soil compression and deep seedling: Influence on the emergence speed index. In Scientia Agraria, vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 55–59. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5380/rsa.v2i1.977
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
DUDIN, M. N. – SHAKHOV, O. F. – VYSOTSKAYA, N. V. – STEPANOVA, D. I. 2019. Public and private partnership: Innovation-driven growth of agriculture at the regional level. In Journal of Environmental Management and Tourism, vol. 10, no. 7, pp. 1435–1444. DOI: https://doi.org/10.14505//jemt.v10.7(39).01
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
FAO. 2021. The State of Food and Agriculture 2021. Making Agrifood Systems More Resilient to Shocks and Stresses. Rome : FAO, 182 pp. ISBN 978-92-5-134329-6. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4060/cb4476en
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
FINDURA, P. – KOLLÁROVÁ, K. – NADYKTO, V. – KYURCHEV, V. – ZHOKIN, I. 2024. Turning research of а sowing unit based on reversible tractor. In Acta Technologica Agriculturae, vol. 27, no. 4, pp. 194–202. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/ata-2024-0026
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
GADEKAR, A. – GADEKAR, R. – PANCHU, D. 2016. Technology adoption by small planters in Mauritius. In Agricultural Research & Technology, vol. 2, no. 2, article no. 555583. Available at: https://juniperpublishers.com/artoaj/pdf/ARTOAJ.MS.ID.555583.pdf
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
GUERRERO, S. – HENDERSON, B. – VALIN, H. – JANSSENS, C. – HAVLIK, P. – PALAZZO, A. 2022. The impacts of agricultural trade and support policy reform on climate change adaptation and environmental performance: A model-based analysis. OECD Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Paper no. 180. Paris : OECD Publishing, 79 pp. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1787/520dd70d-en
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
IDEMUDIA, U. – TUOKUU, F. X. D. – LIEDONG, T. A. 2022. Business and Sustainable Development in Africa. Medicine or Placebo? (1st ed). London : Routledge, 228 pp. eISBN 978-1-003-03807-8. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003038078
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
IJAZ, M. – NAWAZ, A. – UL-ALLAH, S. – RIZWAN, M. S. – ULLAH, A. – HUSSAIN, M. – SHER, A. – AHMAD, S. 2019. Crop diversification and food security. In HASANUZZAMAN, M. (Ed.). Agronomic Crops. Volume 1: Production Technologies. Singapore : Springer, pp. 607–621. eISBN 978-981-32-9151-5. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-32-9151-5_26
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
KIENZLE, J. – ASHBURNER, J. E. – SIMS, B. G. 2013. Mechanization for Rural Development: A Review of Patterns and Progress from Around the World. Integrated Crop Management, vol. 20. Rome : FAO, 366 pp. eISBN 978-92-5-107606-4. Available at: https://www.fao.org/4/i3259e/i3259e.pdf
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
JAYNE, T. S. – MASON, N. M. – BURKE, W. J. – ARIGA, J. 2018. Review: Taking stock of Africa’s second-generation agricultural input subsidy programs. In Food Policy, vol. 75, pp. 1–14. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2018.01.003
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
NAG, P. K. – GITE, L. P. 2020. Human-Centered Agriculture: Ergonomics and Human Factors Applied. Design Science and Innovation. Singapore : Springer, 412 pp. eISBN 978-981-15-7269-2. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-7269-2_11
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
OLORUNNISOLA, A. O. 2021. Potentials of Wood, Bamboo and Natural Fibre-Reinforced Composite Products as Substitute Materials for Fabricating Affordable Agricultural Equipment and Processing Machines in Africa. In AHMAD, F. – SULTAN, M. (Ed.) Technology in Agricuture. IntechOpen. eISBN 978-1-83881-923-1. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.98265
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
OBAYELU, A. E. – AROWOLO, A. O. – OYAWOLE, F. P. – AMINU, R. O. – IBRAHIM, S. B. 2021. Chapter 5 – The Linkage Between Agricultural Input Subsidies, Productivity, Food Security, and Nutrition. In GALANAKIS, C. M. (Ed.) Food Security and Nutrition. Cambridge, MA : Academic Press, pp. 107–124. ISBN 978-0-12-820521-1. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-820521-1.00005-8
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
PAREEK, C. M. – TEWARI, V. K. – NARE, B. 2025. A mechatronic seed metering control system for improving sowing uniformity of planters. In Journal of Engineering Research, vol. 13, no. 2, pp. 808–819. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jer.2023.10.041
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
PARISH, R. L. 2005. Current developments in seeders and transplanters for vegetable crops. In HortTechnology, vol. 15, no. 2, pp. 346–351. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH.15.2.0346
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
RAMPHUL, N. – NOWBUTSING, K. B. – CHITTOO, H. B. 2016. An analysis of government policies in ensuring food security in small island economies: A case study of Mauritius. In IOSR Journal of Humanities and Social Science, vol. 21, no. 9, pp. 43–59. DOI: https://doi.org/10.9790/0837-2109074359
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
REDDY, B. S. – SATYANARAYANA – ADAKE, R. V. – ANANTACHAR, M. 2012. Performance of seed planter metering mechanisms under simulated conditions. In Indian Journal of Dryland Agricultural Research and Development, vol. 27, no. 2, pp. 36–42. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/255734431_Performance_of_Seed_Planter_Metering_Mechanisms_under_Simulated_Conditions
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
RNAM. 1991. Agricultural Machinery Design and Data Handbook (Seeders and Planters). Regional Network for Agricultural Machinery, RNAM Technical Publications 12. Bangkok, Thailand : United Nations. Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, 153 pp.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
RODRIGUES, G. C. 2022. Precision agriculture: Strategies and technology adoption. In Agriculture, vol. 12, no. 9, article no. 1474. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12091474
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
SIMS, B. – KIENZLE, J. 2016. Making mechanization accessible to smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. In Environments, vol. 3, no. 2, article no. 11. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/environments3020011
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
YOUNIS, S. M. – SHEDED, R. S. M. – ALI, T. H. – IBRAHIM, M. M. 2020. Development of a drum seeding metering unit for sowing vegetable plug tray seedlings. In Plant Archives, vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 3119–3130. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/341264934_Development_of_a_drum_seeding_metering_unit_for_sowing_vegetable_plug_tray_seedlings
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
JOYCE, K. E. – CARTWRIGHT, N. 2020. Bridging the gap between research and practice: Predicting what will work locally. In American Educational Research Journal, vol. 57, no. 3, pp. 1045–1082. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3102/0002831219866687
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
SINGH, R. – KHANNA, V. 2021. Climate Change and Food Systems: Implications on Food Security. In HEBSALE MALLAPPA, V. K. – SHIRUR, M. (eds). Climate Change and Resilient Food Systems: Issues, Challenges, and Way Forward. Singapore : Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd., pp. 73–111. eISBN 978-981-33-4538-6. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4538-6_3
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
ZHANG, N. – WANG, M. – WANG, N. 2002. Precision agriculture – a worldwide overview. In Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, vol. 36, no. 2–3, pp. 113–132. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0168-1699(02)00096-0
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
ZHONG, W. – ZHAO, X. – LIU, F. – BAI, H. – DONG, W. – HU, H. – KONG, X. 2024. Design and experiment of precision seed metering device for flow adsorption of quinoa seeds. In Agriculture, vol. 14, no. 3, article no. 434. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14030434
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
WANG, J.-W. – ZHANG, J.-M. 2019. Research on innovative design and evaluation of agricultural machinery products. In Mathematical Problems in Engineering, vol. 2019, article no. 8179851. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/8179851
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
ZOLOTUKHIN, Y. – NUKESHEV, S. – AMANTAYEV, M. – RUSTEMBAYEV, A. – KAKABAYEV, N. – KRAVCHENKO, R. 2025. Research tests of drill seeder with control and monitoring unit of seed metering device for differentiated dosing of seeds and mineral fertilisers in precision agriculture. In Acta Technologica Agriculturae, vol. 28, no. 2, pp. 117–123. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/ata-2025-0015
Search in Google Scholar Back to article

Design and Development of Two-Row Power Tiller-Mounted Direct Seeder for Cabbage Cultivation

Abstract

Paradigm

My account