Study Some Factors Affecting a Mechanical Coating of Maize Seeds

Abstract

The main results in this study can be summarized in the following points: * The maximum germinations maize seeds were 89.5, 99.6 and 89.7 % for coating-unit speed of 28 rpm, coating time of 15 minute, coating temperature of 30 C o with their different coating treatments coating with "Fe + Zn", "Fe + Zn + Arsan" and clay respectively. Meanwhile, the minimum maize seed germinations of 22.5, 37.8 and 14.7 % were obtain at coating-unit speed of 36 rpm, coating time of 60 minute, coating temperature of 70 C o and coating with the same coating mechanicals respectively. * The maximum machine capacity of maize seeds coated was 9.2 kg/h was obtained using seeds-batch mass of 2.5 kg and coating-unit speed of 36 rpm. Meanwhile, the minimum machine capacity of maize seeds coated was 0.85 kg/h using seeds-batch mass of 0.5 kg and coating-unit speed of 20 rpm. * The operation and production costs at optimum parameters batch mass of 2.5 kg, coating-unit speed 28 rpm, coating temperature of 30 0 C, coating time of 15 minutes and coating with "Fe + Zn + Arsan" were 17.02 L. E./h and 1850 L.E./ton. INTRODUCTION aize (Zea mays, L.) one of the important crops worldwide after rice and wheat because of its high grain and forage yield. El- Habbal et al. (1995) proved that coating the maize corn seeds with fertilizer containing Fe, Mn and Zn (2:1:2 by weight) at the rate of 6.5 g/kg seeds gave significant increments in number of spikes/plant,