Mechanization of Root Crop Seed Production Technologies

Abstract

Abstract.The sugar beet seed production is currently employing a non-planting-and-transplant technology with the use of steklings. Planting units of the machines available on the market feature a number of drawbacks: low productivity, possible injuring of root crops, and increased labor intensity of operators. (Research purpose) To develop a universal design and parameters of an increased-productivity unit for planting steklings of sugar beet and other root crops. (Materials and methods) The design scheme and type of a planting unit have been chosen according to the requirements of applicability and versatility. Its preferred design parameters have been calculated as well. A prototype machine with a universal planting unit in the form of a cellular disk has been developed and manufactured in test production. (Results and discussion) The conducted field experiments proved the versatility of a planting machine with a disc-type unit used for planting root crops, including dimensional characteristics corresponding to those of steklings. The authors have found that when replacing a disk with a different number of cells of different sizes, the machine is suitable for planting a number of similar crops. A removable disk with 12-16 cells has been installed, with its angular speed decreased to 0.393-1.180 radian per second, which is lower as compared to the existing machines. Satisfactory agrotechnical tolerances have been provided for carrot planting in the soil at a depth of 12 cm, a step of 30 cm, and a deviation from the vertical of 110. The intensity of root crop laying in the cells of a seeding disk has been increased to 1-3 pcs. per second. (Conclusions) It has been found that the machine and the planting unit can increase the working speed up to 1.0 meter per second and reduce the labor intensity of operators to the level of safety requirements. The use of universal machines in the breeding and seed production of root crops will reduce the range of the applied machines and operating costs of farm enterprises.