Design and Experiment of a Helicoidal Seed Tube to Improve Seed Distribution Uniformity of Seed Drills

Abstract

In a conventional seed drill, the flow of seeds into the planting bed is usually disrupted and irregular, which contributes to poor seed spacing uniformity. The seed tube of the seed drill may be one of the reasons for disrupted and irregular seed flow. A seed drill, in principle, has to deposit seeds into the ground at a uniform spacing to avoid nutrient competition for optimum yield. This study was inspired to develop a novel helicoidal seed tube that regulates the flow of seeds in a seed tube while being dispensed by the seed drill into the ground. The helicoidal tube was designed to fit the end of a conventional delivery tube of a seed drill. It works by allowing the falling seeds to move through the helix causing a frictional reaction, thereby regulating the velocity of the falling seeds. The developed helicoidal seed tube was tested under laboratory conditions at three heights of the helix (100, 150, and 200 mm) and four pitch sizes (28, 32, 36, and 40 mm). As a result of the laboratory tests, the optimum values for the helix height and pitch size were determined as 200 mm and 36 mm, respectively. The performance of the helicoidal seed tube (helix height of 200 mm and pitch size of 36 mm) was compared with the conventional (hollow) seed tube under laboratory and field conditions. Trials were carried out at a seeding rate of 200 kg/ha and a forward speed of 1 m/s for both wheat and barley seeds. Field trials showed that the coefficients of variation of seed spacing of the conventional seed tube decreased from 118.4% and 139.5% to 77.2% and 70.6% for wheat and barley sowing, respectively, when the helicoidal seed tube was used. Overall, the use of helicoidal seed tube provided a more equal growing area for each plant due to its lower coefficient of variation.

Effect of using deflector in the distributor head of a pneumatic seed drill on the oat seed sowing unevenness

“…The tests were conducted for two species of wheat and barley grains. The values of variability coefficient for the grain species changed from the level of 118.4% and 139.5% to the level of 77.2% and 70.6% 21 , respectively. In another study the authors developed and tested in field conditions a contactless, self-priming system for wheat seed injection.…”

“…The authors explored the influence of design and operational parameters on sowing evenness. Karayel et al 21 developed a new helicoidal seed tube where falling seeds move along a seed spiral which improves seed distribution uniformity. The tests were conducted for two species of wheat and barley grains.…”

Research on Receiving Seeds Performance of Belt-Type High-Speed Corn Seed Guiding Device Based on Discrete Element Method

“…A serious collision between the seeds and the seed guide tube's inner wall occurs when seeds are sown at high speeds, which reduces the seed placement accuracy and leads to uneven sowing. The belt-type seed guide device uses synchronous seed transportation by the seed conveying belt, which reduces violent collisions during seed transportation, ensures that seeds are discharged from the seed metering device in a uniform and orderly state, and can meet the demands of precision seeders operating at high speeds [3,4]. A belt-type high-speed corn seed guiding device with a seed receiving system created by the Precision Planting Company can actively restrain the corn seeds as they enter the seed cavity from the seed disk, improving their stability and enabling high-speed, precise sowing at a speed of 16 km/h.…”

Optimum Basic Seedling Density and Yield and Quality Characteristics of Unmanned Aerial Seeding Rice

“…But the UAS method differs from the conventional wet direct seeding methods owing to its vastly improved seeding uniformity [15]. The high degree of uniformity guarantees space and a nutrient supply for the seedlings, avoiding a large amount of ineffective growth due to competition for growth space and weak physiological and biochemical activity of the seedlings caused by an insufficient nutrient supply [16,17]. Under the UAS method, the seedlings could produce more low-position tillers and make the canopy close faster.…”