Design and development of subsoiler-cum-differential rate fertilizer applicator

Abstract

A subsoiler-cum-differential rate fertilizer applicator was designed and developed by selecting the best parameters from previous studies.  The equipment consisted of a rectangular frame, a main winged tine, two shallow leading winged tines, a depth control device, a fertilizer box of 100 kg capacity, positive feed type fertilizer metering devices and a ground wheel with chain and sprockets for transmitting power to the metering mechanism.  The equipment had the option to place fertilizers up to a 500 mm soil depth by the main winged tine and delivering fertilizer up to 250 mm deep using the leading tines, thereby helping place fertilizer at different depths in vertical soil profile in a single pass.  All three tines had independent metering systems.  Options were provided to meter and deliver either 33.3% or 25.0% or 20.0% of the total recommended fertilizers with the main tine and the remaining amount through two shallow leading tines.  The laboratory evaluations indicated a coefficient of uniformity of more than 90% for application rates of 250, 500, 750 and 1,000 kg/ha.  The equipment was tested in the field to observe its performance on sugarcane with results showing an increase of 16.2%, 16.4% and 35.4% in yield as compared to conventional ploughing with in-furrow fertilizer application (Control).  Subsoiling alone increased the cane weight, number of millable cane and cane yield by 4.3%, 11.4% and 15.9% compared to the control.

Keywords: Subsoiling, differential rate fertilizer placement, sugarcane

Citation: Mandal S., and T. C. Thakur.  Design and development of subsoiler-cum-differential rate fertilizer applicator. Agric Eng Int: CIGR Journal, 2010, 12(1): 74-83.