The efficiency of the broadcast seeder combined with the vertical disk plows

Abstract

The development of agricultural machinery plays a vital role in enhancing production efficiency, reducing labor costs, and addressing challenges such as climate change and labor shortages. Designing machines capable of performing multiple operations simultaneously has become an essential approach for promoting sustainable rice cultivation. This research aimed to develop a broadcast seeder combined with vertical disk plows, and to evaluate its field performance. The machine was designed with a theoretical working width of 1.50 m and achieved an actual average working width of 1.25 m. Field experiments revealed that the machine operated at an average speed of 4.98 km/h, providing a theoretical field capacity of 4.55–4.83 rai/h and an effective field capacity of 4.23–4.60 rai/h, with high field efficiency ranging from 90.47%–99.56%. After four weeks of sowing, plant density was recorded at 124–182 plants/m², with reductions in germination and survival caused by environmental factors such as waterlogging and subsequent drought. The results confirm that the developed machine is efficient, suitable for use with over 40 HP of tractors, reducing labor and operational time, and payback period within 2-3 growing seasons. However, further improvements in speed control, seed distribution uniformity, and post-sowing field management are recommended to enhance crop establishment and ensure stable performance under diverse soil and environmental conditions. The current development of agricultural machinery is important, especially in developing countries. Agricultural machinery helps improve the efficiency of agriculture.