- Email: [email protected]
Development of a dual action planting and mulching machine for vegetable seedlings
Engineering in Agriculture, Environment and Food xxx (xxxx) xxx–xxx
Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
Engineering in Agriculture, Environment and Food journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/eaef
Development of a dual action planting and mulching machine for vegetable seedlings Z.M. Khazimova, G.C. Borab,∗, K.M. Khazimova, M.Z. Khazimova, I.B. Ultanovaa, A.K. Niyazbayeva a b
Kazakh National Agrarian University, Almaty, Kazakhstan Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, USA
A R T I C L E I N F O
A B S T R A C T
Keywords: Vegetable planter Irrigation furrow Microclimatic conditions Mulching film Soil hardness
A mechanical mulching of soils during planting seedlings is becoming popular due to the shortage of labor. Evaluation of the dual action equipment for mulching soils along with planting of vegetable seedlings has been undertaken for qualitative performance of operations and productivity. The device was evaluated in production conditions for receiving its operational indicators. The deviation from a longitudinal axis line of planting seedlings was 5 cm and depth of planting seedling was 12 cm. The average field capacity of the combined machine in planting seedlings of vegetables was about 0.405 ha/hr. The average forward speed of machine was 2.03 km/h and thus average quantity of the planted seedlings was 271 seedlings/min.
1. Introduction The most significantly important areas for the development of intensive fruit and vegetable production in Kazakhstan are Almaty, Zhambylsky, South Kazakhstan and Pavlodar. The estimated area of introduction of intensive technologies in four specified areas is 43,200 ha. Kazakhstan is lacking adequate amounts of water for irrigation. Mulching of soils with plastic film in the field is one of a few agro-technical means of impacting on complex factors on which plant growth and development depend. Plastic film as a material for mulching soils is used in field conditions and on protected ground for increasing yield capacity and quality of valuable food crops. According to previous studies, the increase in crop productivity using film mulched soils occurs due to the saving of moisture in the soil top layers, improvement of thermal properties in soil air layers and the top soil layer, fewer weeds in crops, saving of the top soil layer in more friable condition. Using plastic films allows avoiding the application of herbicides and provides for early planting (Kadorkina and Kurtijakova, 2006). In the Republics of the former Soviet Union commercial mulching of soils by a plastic film was not done, because plastic films were insufficient and scarce. Also, the most effective technological schemes of using plastic films and machines for packing, planting and care of crops in conditions of film technology were unavailable. But, a number of field experiments have been conducted aimed at determining efficient mulching, data analysis shows that this cultivating method is economically effective and does not worsen the quality of production
∗
(Keshubayev et al., 2010; Lebedev, 2006; Kudrjashov and Dyjkanova, 2007). In 1968–1970 the influence of soil mulching using a transparent plastic film was studied with cucumbers, eggplants and peppers on black soil, in conditions of Kazakhstan (Chebotar, 2006). With the help of mulching, acclimation of seedlings of cucumbers and eggplants increased to 15% and pepper to 8%, and maturing of fruits was accelerated by 2–3 days. The yield of commodity cucumbers was increased by 7.9%, and pepper and eggplants by 2.8%. In foreign practice mulching of soils by black plastic film (USSR 259692), accelerated growth of plants, increased early crops of tomatoes by 40%, reduced cracking of fruits and improved their quality. In conditions of Kazakhstan on black soil, the influence of mulching soils with a transparent film was studied on a crop of cucumbers, eggplants and pepper (Sirivlya, 1981). The research conducted in the R&D production facility “Kazakh Agricultural mechanization” in 1970, on the influence of soil mulching with plastic film for vegetable crops under irrigated conditions in Kazakhstan have shown that film mulching changed the thermal and water regime of soil, increased the temperature and reduced evaporation from the surface. Film mulch also facilitated reduction in irrigation water usage by 30%, i.e. two irrigations less than the control were needed. This was done by controlling the loss of moisture by evaporation. Mulching of soils by means of plastic film reduced the quantity of weeds. Under the film covered with soil, weeds practically did not sprout. On average, assorted weed quantities in crops under mulching film were 50% lower (according to preliminary data) and has reduced
Corresponding author E-mail address: [email protected] (G.C. Bora).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eaef.2018.02.003 Received 14 February 2017; Received in revised form 28 July 2017; Accepted 4 February 2018 1881-8366/ © 2018 Asian Agricultural and Biological Engineering Association. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Please cite this article as: Khazimov, Z., Engineering in Agriculture, Environment and Food (2018), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eaef.2018.02.003
Engineering in Agriculture, Environment and Food xxx (xxxx) xxx–xxx
Z.M. Khazimov et al.
Fig. 1. Schematic of the machine for applying plastic mulch and planting seedlings. Direction of travel is right to left.
These machines work very well on the black soil, which has enough moisture. The main parts of the territory in Kazakhstan has loamy soil which does not contain moisture and in slight humidity it becomes sticky clay soil. The machines that work on black soil do not need preplanting irrigation. Most seedlings planted in loamy soil do not remain viable prior to the beginning of basic irrigation. Therefore, on the eve of planting the field consisting of loamy soil is irrigated in various ways. Thus the soil becomes clay and the techniques accordingly are delayed, in places the machine slips, and working machine parts are enveloped by clay. In order to devise complex machines for cultivation of arable crops under mulching plastic, it is necessary to have a specialized seeder which performs synchronous punching of holes in the plastic, seeding and closing of seeds with set a distance in the row. The common element of all previously mentioned mechanical activities is a punching wheel intended for punching holes in plastic and covering seeds. The same is required when planting seedlings of vegetables (Pat. 2121256; Pat. 2092009). After consideration of these requirements to develop modern seedling planters, we are offering the design of a novel machine, providing sequential operations on laying plastic mulch and planting seedlings. Increased efficiency and expansion of functions is reached due to laying of plastic, formation of holes, pre-planting irrigation and planting of seedlings, all performed by the mechanisms placed on one machine. Also, the machine unwinds the mulching plastic from the roll, places it on the soil surface, punches the plastic in, irrigates, and plants seedlings through the formed holes in both the plastic and soil. The aim of the work was to perform on-farm applied research on a machine developed by Kazakh National Agrarian University that simultaneously lays plastic mulch and plants vegetable seedlings in the punched holes. The specific objectives were:
costs up to 30% (Kadorkina and Kurtijakova, 2006). Therefore, growing vegetables with mulching plastic film can provide considerable effects on growth. However, development of this technology in Kazakhstan and in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) is restricted because of high costs, and lack of scientificallyproven rational ways of its implementation and appropriate machinery. In regard to the various schemes of planting and sowing of agricultural crops in soil mulching, the width of plastic film can vary. The width of most often used plastic film on big areas in foreign countries is 140 cm. The majority of authors noticed that mulching with plastic in wide strips (1 m) is the more effective method, than narrow strips (Verbitsky, 1983; Otunchyev, 1982; Lebedev, 2007). Currently, in Kazakhstan due to transition to new economic relations, soil mulching is used in vegetable growing and for this purpose foreign machinery are used, in particular specialized vegetable seeders manufactured by foreign companies, such as SV255 vacuum seeder (Gaspardo, Italy), which provide one-line planting with an interval from 1 to 28 cm by a set of disks. The seeder is supplied with three types of ploughs and four types of rollers. Besides, seeders, the seedling planting machine such Ferrari planter (Guidizzolo, Italy) is very popular in Kazakhstan. Similar machines are made in Germany, USA and Israel (Kramer and Ester, 1981; Pat. 2064282; Observations de materiels, 1985; Pat. 567354). Most of the machines used for laying mulch film are imported from foreign countries. In these machines various technical decisions are offered, in most cases, they are in the form of multi-use machines which perform multiple operations. All the machines perform similar technological processes consisting of unwinding the plastic film roll, allaying it on the soil surface, and fixation of the film edges with soil, punching planting holes through the film, and seeding or planting into the holes formed in soil. However, all studied machinery for planting vegetable seedlings under mulch, required two passes of the device. On the first pass the soil surface is mulched, on the second pass seedlings are planted (Pat. 2092009; Utility model certificate).
- To evaluate productivity of combined machine for planting seedlings in various parts of the field for planting vegetables; 2
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Z.M. Khazimov et al.
Fig. 3. Test run of the machine for plastic mulching and planting vegetable seedlings. Fig. 2. The developed machine for applying plastic mulch and planting seedlings.
- To determine productivity of the machine with smallest indicator of non-survived seedlings. 2. Materials and methods Design of the machine illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 consists of mechanisms for both covering plastic film on the soil surface and for preparation of holes for seedlings. The proposed machine is intended to work on levelled field surface. The side view and the top view of sketch of the machine is shown in Fig. 1. Planting seedlings and covering mulching plastic consists of two sections which have separate frames (1) and are connected by hinges. The rear section has a support wheel (13). The proposed design has a subsoil plough (6), in the form of a wedge which forms the furrow in the soil. The roll of plastic mulch (2) is placed on a frame and coiled through the tension plate (3) that moves it between the soil and the spring plate (7). Edges of the plastic mulch film are fixed with soil by means of a furrow clamping plate (8) and a disk knife (9). By means of the disk knife (9), an irrigation furrow is symmetrically at the longitudinal axis of the machine. Hole digging wheels (11) move in two rows and hole diggers (12), punch holes in the plastic for planting vegetable seedlings. The tanks (10) hold water and flow through a flexible water pipe (16) in through the hole digger wheels (11) and is supported in a set level. The water delivery is regulated by operators using a crane (17). As the wheels (11) rotate, water runs through the hole diggers (12), and is delivered to the hole and to soil, gravitationally. The operators seat (14) is close to the seedling box (5) from where a seedling is picked and placed individually into the holes (15) formed by the digger. Different dimensions provided in Figs. 1 and 2 are in millimeter (mm). Fig. 3 shows the planting and mulching operation of the machine in the field.
Fig. 4. Field after seedlings planting.
250 m. The total planting area was 5 ha. Every 2 m in this area were laid tubular tapes for drip irrigation. The length of irrigation tapes were 250 m with an external diameter of 3 cm. Irrigation tapes had 2 holes diametrically located every 30 cm; hole diameters were 0.5 mm. The device for seedling planting was pulled by a tractor and was able to turn efficiently at the end of each strip. The hydraulic system of the tractor was set in a floating position allow the machine to the set depth. The plastic film in the form of a 250 m long roll was used for mulching of soil. The width of the strip subject to mulching was 140 cm, therefore rolls were prepared in 160 cm widths, taking into account a 20 cm edge fold under the soil. When the roll has used up, the device was stopped and a new roll was manually mounted. Water delivery came from two hoses in the bottom of the driving wheel threaded through holes on the driving wheel rim to the planting holes. Each hole was given 150–200 ml. The row space between mulching strips was 60 cm, and that strip was used as the data collecting strip for workers. The formed channels along the strip served for accumulation of rain water.
2.1. Performance tests and procedure Performance tests were conducted to determine deviations of planting seedlings from the longitudinal line of movement of the device, survival rate of seedlings and closing up edges of the plastic. The seedlings used for planting had lengths varying from 15 cm to 20 cm, previously grown without using special cartridges for seedlings to reduce additional costs. Test runs of the mulching/planting machine were performed in irrigated agriculture conditions in the Southeast of Kazakhstan in the Kazakh Research Institute's potato and vegetable growing plots (village Kajnar, Karasay district, Almaty region) according to government standards. The test was conducted on tomato (Fig. 4). The length of the field rows for conducting the test was 50 m by
2.2. Determination of productivity and efficiency Indicators for productivity or field capacity of the machine was chosen as the area of planting seedlings per unit of time and it is expressed in ha/hour. Total area included seedling planting area together with walking strip. Productivity depended on speed of the unit, width of the machine coverage and skills of operators who manually put seedlings in the holes, which were prepared by hole digger. Forward speed 3
Engineering in Agriculture, Environment and Food xxx (xxxx) xxx–xxx
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point for maintenance the turn of the unit.
of the unit is also limited by action of operators (who plant the seedlings) and recorded maximum of 2.12 km/h. As the width of the machine is 1.4 m, and effective width of strip is 2.0 m, and then the maximum field capacity level was computed to be 0.414 ha/hour. To compute the average operational parameters of the machine, average time spent planting seedlings per 1 ha area (200 m × 50 m), was used and it was 2.46 h. The field capacity of the unit was determined by dividing the area by the elapsed time, i.e. 1 ha/ 2.43 h = 0.405 ha/hr). The operating speed was also determined by dividing the aggregate path in 1 ha to the elapsed time, considering that for a width of 2 m (1.4 m + 0.6 m) on an area of 1 ha makes 5 km of track, i.e. 5 km/2.46 h = 2.03 km/h. Efficiency of mechanized method of mulching soil by plastic and planting the seedlings was estimated by volume of harvested crop, reduction of quantity of irrigation water and weeds. Productivity of planted area was defined during harvesting in kg per specific square meter. The average quantity of tomatoes on one plant was from 13 to 18 fruits. Harvesting was done in three stages from level of maturing of fruits of vegetables. The total yield volume was 18 kg/m2, the quantity of irrigated water was reduced to 50% and the quantity of weeds has decreased to 40% in comparison with not mulched crops area.
3. Results and discussion The evaluation data on test at seedlings planting was collected for five passes of the unit from each plot. Quantity of planted seedlings including qualitatively planted and those that have not survived were calculated in percentage correlation and are presented in Table 1. In each pass of the machine was determined the speed of the unit separately, as the division of total length of the plot to the time of movement during this pass. The machine could, on average, provide planting of 271 seedlings per minute with qualitative planting 96.9%. The quantity of planting has changed from 264 to 283 pieces in a minute in different plots. As fields for planting were flat, the considered indicator was much dependent on physical abilities of operators, i.e. on their skills or nonuniform speed of the unit. The tractor moved on the lowest speed and it kept changing frequency of rotation of a cranked shaft of engine. The operator of a tractor (tractor operator) constantly observed the work of operators on the machine, how they work. Quality of planted seedlings was uniform - from 95.7% to 98.1%. After five days of planting the number of dead, non-surviving seedlings was minimal and it was approximately 0.38%. Average productivity of the machine was calculated as 0.405 ha/h in terms of productivity on each lot. The seedling planter machine was also tested for deviations from the central axis at movement on lateral slopes of the field. For comparison there were 15 replications on slopes of the field and also 15 replications on plain. The degree of slope of the place was equal to 100. The results from these two tests are shown in Table 2, which are average of 15 replications. The results from each test was analyzed and summarized in Table 3. The quantity of planted seedlings per minute varied from 211 to 260 piece/min with an average of 240 pieces/min. Although condition on slopes and on plain were identical, in the second case indicators were better than on slopes and it is caused by uniformity of movement of the unit. Because of deviation of irrigation hose, water delivery to one of the rows of seedlings has decreased. Indicators of germination of seedlings in the place without bias was as high as 99.2% with average value of 94.73%, in side slope 10о these indicators also were high such as 98.11% with average value 90.56%.The substantial differences occur, and due to deviation of irrigation hose there is an irregular watering of rows. Percent of not survived seedlings at a lateral bias is 1.0%–4.0% with average of 2.8%, on plain from 1.0% to 2.0% with an average of 1.7%. Indicators of not survived seedlings were minimum in both cases, in 10 degree of slope and without slope. At testing of machine were used usual seedlings without pots, and without root feeding materials. Therefore, there were possibilities of weak seedlings which could not survive. As has shown test of machine, in conditions of absence of slope, the indicators were higher. An analysis of variance was performed by using SAS proc glm. There was no significant difference on indicators of non-surviving seedlings; in both conditions it was not observed. The small difference was because of lack of moisture under the plastic film, because water was delivered by drip method to soil surface. Findings suggest further research.
2.3. The machine indicators The basic indicators of the machine were productivity depending on work width and forward speed, and also deviation of the machine from the longitudinal axis on lateral slopes of the field (Fig. 5). Productivity of the machine specifies actual area of covering with mulch on time spent for this work. From productivity of the machine, changing productivity was determined which is closely connected with operating ratio of changing time of the machine has been defined. The operating ratio of changing time of the machine was 0.7. This indicator was defined, as division the time spent for useful work during the time of covering the soil with plastic in planting seedlings to the total time for changing of time for supplementary work. Time of supplementary work of the machine includes time spent for maintenance service such as the technical break, depended by restoration of refusals, loading by spare seedlings, irrigation water and putting mulching material and to turn of the unit in the end of the field. The deviation of machine at movement from longitudinal axis on lateral slopes of the field shows that displacement of the machine due to the horizontal component in the cross-section direction of gravity towards the bottom part of the bias. As the second module providing formation hole is connected to the first module by joint only in one
4. Conclusion The new machine for mulching soils at planting of vegetable seedlings developed by department of machinery use and vocational training of the Kazakh National Agrarian University was tested on research site of the Kazakh research institute of potato and vegetable growing on planting of tomato seedlings. The machine performed well, with average forward speed of 2.03 km/h and thus average quantity of planted seedlings was 271 pieces/min. Average values of qualitatively planted seedlings was approximately 97% and maximum indicator of not survived seedlings no more than 1.0%. Productivity of machine at
Fig. 5. Surface of a field and seedlings after landing in 7 days.
4
Engineering in Agriculture, Environment and Food xxx (xxxx) xxx–xxx
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Table 1 Field evaluation test results of seedlings planter machine in Kazakh research institute of potato and vegetable growing. Reps
Elapsed time of planting 1 ha (hour)
Forward speed (km/ h)
Quantity of planted seedlings (piece/min)
Germination rate of seedlings (%)
Perished seedlings (%)
Field Capacity (ha/ hr)
1 2 3 4 5 Average
2.35 2.63 2.38 2.52 2.46 2.46
2.12 1.90 2.10 1.98 2.05 2.03
283 253 280 264 273 271
97.3 96.5 95.7 97.0 98.1 96.9
0.31 0.38 0.31 0.50 0.38 0.38
0.424 0.380 0.420 0.396 0.406 0.405
Table 2 The field experiment data from 100 and 00 slope land; average of 15 replications. Slopes
Planting rate (plants/min)
No of seedlings
Time (min)
Forward speed (km/h)
Field length (m)
No. qualitatively planted
% planted
Number of nonsurvivors
% Nonsurvivor
10 deg slope 0 deg slope
240 270
1977 1988
8.24 7.39
1.82 2.04
250 250
1791 1883
90.59 94.67
51 32
2.6 1.7
Table 3 Evaluation results from the test on site slope and plain. Parameters
Average Std. dev. Max. Min.
On site slope (α = 10°)
On plain (α = 0)
Quantity of planted seedlings (piece/min)
Indicators of qualitatively planted seedlings (%)
Indicators of nonsurviving seedlings (%)
Quantity of planted seedlings (piece/min)
Indicators of qualitatively planted seedlings (%)
Indicators of not survived seedlings (%)
240.0 13.4 260.0 211.0
90.56 5.06 98.11 79.65
2.8 1.1 3.7 1.0
270.0 13.8 283.0 230.0
94.73 4.80 99.20 80.00
1.7 1.4 2.3 0.7
planting of tomato seedlings was 0.405 ha/hour in conditions of irrigated farming on dark-chestnut soil.
Republic Kazakhstan. Almaty, 68p. Kramer, K.H., Ester, M., 1981. Maschenbau mit Folie und Landtechnik//Deutscher Gartenbaum. pp. 291–299 № 06. Kudrjashov, J.S., Dyjkanova, M.E., 2007. Cover Soil with Mulch Plastic Films at Tomato Growing in Not Heated Plastic Houses//Potato and Vegetables. pp. 21 № 4. Lebedev, A.T., 2006. Mulching of Soils Increases Crop Yield//Potato and Vegetables. pp. 17–18 № 4. Lebedev, A.T., 2007. No Vegetable Growing without Mulching//Potato and Vegetables. pp. 17–18 № 4. Observations de materiels et de chantiers de Semis de mais song plastidue, cu Bretague// Informations. ediepement Vol. 10 (1), 25–41. Otunchyev, O., 1982. Controlling of Thermal Regime of Irrigated Soils of North Kirgizstan. dissertation. Grad.Tech.Sci., Tashkent, pp. 22. Pat 2064282 United Kingdom, AOI MKI 13/02. Machine for mulching plastic/Waring P. L. application 12.11.1979. Pat 2092009 Russian Federation, IPC A01S11/02. Transplanter/A.Yu.Orlov, A.V. Kolmakov, M.M. Shamkhan, V.F.Palkin. appl. 13.02.01 ; opubl.10.08.01. Pat 2092009 Russian Federation, MKI A01S 11/02. Transplanter/Zaharchenko V.G., V.P. Skorokhodova ; appl. 08/09/94 ; pub. 10.10.97, № 29. -4 S. Pat 2121256 Russian Federation, MKI A01S 11/02. Timber planter/Serikov Y.M. Alyabyev A.F. ; appl. 19.09.95 ; opub.10.11.98, Bull. - № 31. - 5 p. Pat 567354 France, MKI AOIC 7/04. Device for cutting plastic in the end of the drive at sowing under plastic/appl. 16/07/84. Patent of USSR 259692. A material used in agriculture/M.K.Sobolev; published 09.24. 1981, Bulletin №61. 3 p. Sirivlya, A.G., 1981. Plastic in Vegetable Growing. - Almaty: Kainar. 110 p. Utility model certificate 18220 Russian Federation, IPC A01S11/02. Transplanter/N.A. Kurenov. appl. 13.11.00; opubl.10.06.01. Verbitsky, N.M., 1983. Cultivation of Corn under Light Destroyable Plastic//book: Achievement of Agricultural Science and Practice. № 1. The survey information.
Acknowledgements We would like to acknowledge the staff and leadership of Kazakh research institute of potato and vegetable growing for their support during the field test of machine for mulching soils at planting of vegetable seedlings. We also are grateful to the Committee of science of Ministry of Education and Science of Republic Kazakhstan for providing funding for this research. The grant number of this research is ИРН 5146/ГФ4-ОТ-17. Appendix A. Supplementary data Supplementary data related to this article can be found at http://dx. doi.org/10.1016/j.eaef.2018.02.003. References Chebotar, L.G., 2006. Mulching the Soils Increases Cucumber Yield//Potato and Vegetables. pp. 7 №4. Kadorkina, V.F., Kurtijakova, T.P., 2006. The Early Potato in Khakassia//Potato and Vegetables. pp. 15 №4. Keshubayev, Z., Tleppaev, А., Ajupov, А., Musabekova, A., 2010. Analyze Crop Sector of
5
Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
Engineering in Agriculture, Environment and Food journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/eaef
Development of a dual action planting and mulching machine for vegetable seedlings Z.M. Khazimova, G.C. Borab,∗, K.M. Khazimova, M.Z. Khazimova, I.B. Ultanovaa, A.K. Niyazbayeva a b
Kazakh National Agrarian University, Almaty, Kazakhstan Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, USA
A R T I C L E I N F O
A B S T R A C T
Keywords: Vegetable planter Irrigation furrow Microclimatic conditions Mulching film Soil hardness
A mechanical mulching of soils during planting seedlings is becoming popular due to the shortage of labor. Evaluation of the dual action equipment for mulching soils along with planting of vegetable seedlings has been undertaken for qualitative performance of operations and productivity. The device was evaluated in production conditions for receiving its operational indicators. The deviation from a longitudinal axis line of planting seedlings was 5 cm and depth of planting seedling was 12 cm. The average field capacity of the combined machine in planting seedlings of vegetables was about 0.405 ha/hr. The average forward speed of machine was 2.03 km/h and thus average quantity of the planted seedlings was 271 seedlings/min.
1. Introduction The most significantly important areas for the development of intensive fruit and vegetable production in Kazakhstan are Almaty, Zhambylsky, South Kazakhstan and Pavlodar. The estimated area of introduction of intensive technologies in four specified areas is 43,200 ha. Kazakhstan is lacking adequate amounts of water for irrigation. Mulching of soils with plastic film in the field is one of a few agro-technical means of impacting on complex factors on which plant growth and development depend. Plastic film as a material for mulching soils is used in field conditions and on protected ground for increasing yield capacity and quality of valuable food crops. According to previous studies, the increase in crop productivity using film mulched soils occurs due to the saving of moisture in the soil top layers, improvement of thermal properties in soil air layers and the top soil layer, fewer weeds in crops, saving of the top soil layer in more friable condition. Using plastic films allows avoiding the application of herbicides and provides for early planting (Kadorkina and Kurtijakova, 2006). In the Republics of the former Soviet Union commercial mulching of soils by a plastic film was not done, because plastic films were insufficient and scarce. Also, the most effective technological schemes of using plastic films and machines for packing, planting and care of crops in conditions of film technology were unavailable. But, a number of field experiments have been conducted aimed at determining efficient mulching, data analysis shows that this cultivating method is economically effective and does not worsen the quality of production
∗
(Keshubayev et al., 2010; Lebedev, 2006; Kudrjashov and Dyjkanova, 2007). In 1968–1970 the influence of soil mulching using a transparent plastic film was studied with cucumbers, eggplants and peppers on black soil, in conditions of Kazakhstan (Chebotar, 2006). With the help of mulching, acclimation of seedlings of cucumbers and eggplants increased to 15% and pepper to 8%, and maturing of fruits was accelerated by 2–3 days. The yield of commodity cucumbers was increased by 7.9%, and pepper and eggplants by 2.8%. In foreign practice mulching of soils by black plastic film (USSR 259692), accelerated growth of plants, increased early crops of tomatoes by 40%, reduced cracking of fruits and improved their quality. In conditions of Kazakhstan on black soil, the influence of mulching soils with a transparent film was studied on a crop of cucumbers, eggplants and pepper (Sirivlya, 1981). The research conducted in the R&D production facility “Kazakh Agricultural mechanization” in 1970, on the influence of soil mulching with plastic film for vegetable crops under irrigated conditions in Kazakhstan have shown that film mulching changed the thermal and water regime of soil, increased the temperature and reduced evaporation from the surface. Film mulch also facilitated reduction in irrigation water usage by 30%, i.e. two irrigations less than the control were needed. This was done by controlling the loss of moisture by evaporation. Mulching of soils by means of plastic film reduced the quantity of weeds. Under the film covered with soil, weeds practically did not sprout. On average, assorted weed quantities in crops under mulching film were 50% lower (according to preliminary data) and has reduced
Corresponding author E-mail address: [email protected] (G.C. Bora).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eaef.2018.02.003 Received 14 February 2017; Received in revised form 28 July 2017; Accepted 4 February 2018 1881-8366/ © 2018 Asian Agricultural and Biological Engineering Association. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Please cite this article as: Khazimov, Z., Engineering in Agriculture, Environment and Food (2018), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eaef.2018.02.003
Engineering in Agriculture, Environment and Food xxx (xxxx) xxx–xxx
Z.M. Khazimov et al.
Fig. 1. Schematic of the machine for applying plastic mulch and planting seedlings. Direction of travel is right to left.
These machines work very well on the black soil, which has enough moisture. The main parts of the territory in Kazakhstan has loamy soil which does not contain moisture and in slight humidity it becomes sticky clay soil. The machines that work on black soil do not need preplanting irrigation. Most seedlings planted in loamy soil do not remain viable prior to the beginning of basic irrigation. Therefore, on the eve of planting the field consisting of loamy soil is irrigated in various ways. Thus the soil becomes clay and the techniques accordingly are delayed, in places the machine slips, and working machine parts are enveloped by clay. In order to devise complex machines for cultivation of arable crops under mulching plastic, it is necessary to have a specialized seeder which performs synchronous punching of holes in the plastic, seeding and closing of seeds with set a distance in the row. The common element of all previously mentioned mechanical activities is a punching wheel intended for punching holes in plastic and covering seeds. The same is required when planting seedlings of vegetables (Pat. 2121256; Pat. 2092009). After consideration of these requirements to develop modern seedling planters, we are offering the design of a novel machine, providing sequential operations on laying plastic mulch and planting seedlings. Increased efficiency and expansion of functions is reached due to laying of plastic, formation of holes, pre-planting irrigation and planting of seedlings, all performed by the mechanisms placed on one machine. Also, the machine unwinds the mulching plastic from the roll, places it on the soil surface, punches the plastic in, irrigates, and plants seedlings through the formed holes in both the plastic and soil. The aim of the work was to perform on-farm applied research on a machine developed by Kazakh National Agrarian University that simultaneously lays plastic mulch and plants vegetable seedlings in the punched holes. The specific objectives were:
costs up to 30% (Kadorkina and Kurtijakova, 2006). Therefore, growing vegetables with mulching plastic film can provide considerable effects on growth. However, development of this technology in Kazakhstan and in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) is restricted because of high costs, and lack of scientificallyproven rational ways of its implementation and appropriate machinery. In regard to the various schemes of planting and sowing of agricultural crops in soil mulching, the width of plastic film can vary. The width of most often used plastic film on big areas in foreign countries is 140 cm. The majority of authors noticed that mulching with plastic in wide strips (1 m) is the more effective method, than narrow strips (Verbitsky, 1983; Otunchyev, 1982; Lebedev, 2007). Currently, in Kazakhstan due to transition to new economic relations, soil mulching is used in vegetable growing and for this purpose foreign machinery are used, in particular specialized vegetable seeders manufactured by foreign companies, such as SV255 vacuum seeder (Gaspardo, Italy), which provide one-line planting with an interval from 1 to 28 cm by a set of disks. The seeder is supplied with three types of ploughs and four types of rollers. Besides, seeders, the seedling planting machine such Ferrari planter (Guidizzolo, Italy) is very popular in Kazakhstan. Similar machines are made in Germany, USA and Israel (Kramer and Ester, 1981; Pat. 2064282; Observations de materiels, 1985; Pat. 567354). Most of the machines used for laying mulch film are imported from foreign countries. In these machines various technical decisions are offered, in most cases, they are in the form of multi-use machines which perform multiple operations. All the machines perform similar technological processes consisting of unwinding the plastic film roll, allaying it on the soil surface, and fixation of the film edges with soil, punching planting holes through the film, and seeding or planting into the holes formed in soil. However, all studied machinery for planting vegetable seedlings under mulch, required two passes of the device. On the first pass the soil surface is mulched, on the second pass seedlings are planted (Pat. 2092009; Utility model certificate).
- To evaluate productivity of combined machine for planting seedlings in various parts of the field for planting vegetables; 2
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Fig. 3. Test run of the machine for plastic mulching and planting vegetable seedlings. Fig. 2. The developed machine for applying plastic mulch and planting seedlings.
- To determine productivity of the machine with smallest indicator of non-survived seedlings. 2. Materials and methods Design of the machine illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 consists of mechanisms for both covering plastic film on the soil surface and for preparation of holes for seedlings. The proposed machine is intended to work on levelled field surface. The side view and the top view of sketch of the machine is shown in Fig. 1. Planting seedlings and covering mulching plastic consists of two sections which have separate frames (1) and are connected by hinges. The rear section has a support wheel (13). The proposed design has a subsoil plough (6), in the form of a wedge which forms the furrow in the soil. The roll of plastic mulch (2) is placed on a frame and coiled through the tension plate (3) that moves it between the soil and the spring plate (7). Edges of the plastic mulch film are fixed with soil by means of a furrow clamping plate (8) and a disk knife (9). By means of the disk knife (9), an irrigation furrow is symmetrically at the longitudinal axis of the machine. Hole digging wheels (11) move in two rows and hole diggers (12), punch holes in the plastic for planting vegetable seedlings. The tanks (10) hold water and flow through a flexible water pipe (16) in through the hole digger wheels (11) and is supported in a set level. The water delivery is regulated by operators using a crane (17). As the wheels (11) rotate, water runs through the hole diggers (12), and is delivered to the hole and to soil, gravitationally. The operators seat (14) is close to the seedling box (5) from where a seedling is picked and placed individually into the holes (15) formed by the digger. Different dimensions provided in Figs. 1 and 2 are in millimeter (mm). Fig. 3 shows the planting and mulching operation of the machine in the field.
Fig. 4. Field after seedlings planting.
250 m. The total planting area was 5 ha. Every 2 m in this area were laid tubular tapes for drip irrigation. The length of irrigation tapes were 250 m with an external diameter of 3 cm. Irrigation tapes had 2 holes diametrically located every 30 cm; hole diameters were 0.5 mm. The device for seedling planting was pulled by a tractor and was able to turn efficiently at the end of each strip. The hydraulic system of the tractor was set in a floating position allow the machine to the set depth. The plastic film in the form of a 250 m long roll was used for mulching of soil. The width of the strip subject to mulching was 140 cm, therefore rolls were prepared in 160 cm widths, taking into account a 20 cm edge fold under the soil. When the roll has used up, the device was stopped and a new roll was manually mounted. Water delivery came from two hoses in the bottom of the driving wheel threaded through holes on the driving wheel rim to the planting holes. Each hole was given 150–200 ml. The row space between mulching strips was 60 cm, and that strip was used as the data collecting strip for workers. The formed channels along the strip served for accumulation of rain water.
2.1. Performance tests and procedure Performance tests were conducted to determine deviations of planting seedlings from the longitudinal line of movement of the device, survival rate of seedlings and closing up edges of the plastic. The seedlings used for planting had lengths varying from 15 cm to 20 cm, previously grown without using special cartridges for seedlings to reduce additional costs. Test runs of the mulching/planting machine were performed in irrigated agriculture conditions in the Southeast of Kazakhstan in the Kazakh Research Institute's potato and vegetable growing plots (village Kajnar, Karasay district, Almaty region) according to government standards. The test was conducted on tomato (Fig. 4). The length of the field rows for conducting the test was 50 m by
2.2. Determination of productivity and efficiency Indicators for productivity or field capacity of the machine was chosen as the area of planting seedlings per unit of time and it is expressed in ha/hour. Total area included seedling planting area together with walking strip. Productivity depended on speed of the unit, width of the machine coverage and skills of operators who manually put seedlings in the holes, which were prepared by hole digger. Forward speed 3
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point for maintenance the turn of the unit.
of the unit is also limited by action of operators (who plant the seedlings) and recorded maximum of 2.12 km/h. As the width of the machine is 1.4 m, and effective width of strip is 2.0 m, and then the maximum field capacity level was computed to be 0.414 ha/hour. To compute the average operational parameters of the machine, average time spent planting seedlings per 1 ha area (200 m × 50 m), was used and it was 2.46 h. The field capacity of the unit was determined by dividing the area by the elapsed time, i.e. 1 ha/ 2.43 h = 0.405 ha/hr). The operating speed was also determined by dividing the aggregate path in 1 ha to the elapsed time, considering that for a width of 2 m (1.4 m + 0.6 m) on an area of 1 ha makes 5 km of track, i.e. 5 km/2.46 h = 2.03 km/h. Efficiency of mechanized method of mulching soil by plastic and planting the seedlings was estimated by volume of harvested crop, reduction of quantity of irrigation water and weeds. Productivity of planted area was defined during harvesting in kg per specific square meter. The average quantity of tomatoes on one plant was from 13 to 18 fruits. Harvesting was done in three stages from level of maturing of fruits of vegetables. The total yield volume was 18 kg/m2, the quantity of irrigated water was reduced to 50% and the quantity of weeds has decreased to 40% in comparison with not mulched crops area.
3. Results and discussion The evaluation data on test at seedlings planting was collected for five passes of the unit from each plot. Quantity of planted seedlings including qualitatively planted and those that have not survived were calculated in percentage correlation and are presented in Table 1. In each pass of the machine was determined the speed of the unit separately, as the division of total length of the plot to the time of movement during this pass. The machine could, on average, provide planting of 271 seedlings per minute with qualitative planting 96.9%. The quantity of planting has changed from 264 to 283 pieces in a minute in different plots. As fields for planting were flat, the considered indicator was much dependent on physical abilities of operators, i.e. on their skills or nonuniform speed of the unit. The tractor moved on the lowest speed and it kept changing frequency of rotation of a cranked shaft of engine. The operator of a tractor (tractor operator) constantly observed the work of operators on the machine, how they work. Quality of planted seedlings was uniform - from 95.7% to 98.1%. After five days of planting the number of dead, non-surviving seedlings was minimal and it was approximately 0.38%. Average productivity of the machine was calculated as 0.405 ha/h in terms of productivity on each lot. The seedling planter machine was also tested for deviations from the central axis at movement on lateral slopes of the field. For comparison there were 15 replications on slopes of the field and also 15 replications on plain. The degree of slope of the place was equal to 100. The results from these two tests are shown in Table 2, which are average of 15 replications. The results from each test was analyzed and summarized in Table 3. The quantity of planted seedlings per minute varied from 211 to 260 piece/min with an average of 240 pieces/min. Although condition on slopes and on plain were identical, in the second case indicators were better than on slopes and it is caused by uniformity of movement of the unit. Because of deviation of irrigation hose, water delivery to one of the rows of seedlings has decreased. Indicators of germination of seedlings in the place without bias was as high as 99.2% with average value of 94.73%, in side slope 10о these indicators also were high such as 98.11% with average value 90.56%.The substantial differences occur, and due to deviation of irrigation hose there is an irregular watering of rows. Percent of not survived seedlings at a lateral bias is 1.0%–4.0% with average of 2.8%, on plain from 1.0% to 2.0% with an average of 1.7%. Indicators of not survived seedlings were minimum in both cases, in 10 degree of slope and without slope. At testing of machine were used usual seedlings without pots, and without root feeding materials. Therefore, there were possibilities of weak seedlings which could not survive. As has shown test of machine, in conditions of absence of slope, the indicators were higher. An analysis of variance was performed by using SAS proc glm. There was no significant difference on indicators of non-surviving seedlings; in both conditions it was not observed. The small difference was because of lack of moisture under the plastic film, because water was delivered by drip method to soil surface. Findings suggest further research.
2.3. The machine indicators The basic indicators of the machine were productivity depending on work width and forward speed, and also deviation of the machine from the longitudinal axis on lateral slopes of the field (Fig. 5). Productivity of the machine specifies actual area of covering with mulch on time spent for this work. From productivity of the machine, changing productivity was determined which is closely connected with operating ratio of changing time of the machine has been defined. The operating ratio of changing time of the machine was 0.7. This indicator was defined, as division the time spent for useful work during the time of covering the soil with plastic in planting seedlings to the total time for changing of time for supplementary work. Time of supplementary work of the machine includes time spent for maintenance service such as the technical break, depended by restoration of refusals, loading by spare seedlings, irrigation water and putting mulching material and to turn of the unit in the end of the field. The deviation of machine at movement from longitudinal axis on lateral slopes of the field shows that displacement of the machine due to the horizontal component in the cross-section direction of gravity towards the bottom part of the bias. As the second module providing formation hole is connected to the first module by joint only in one
4. Conclusion The new machine for mulching soils at planting of vegetable seedlings developed by department of machinery use and vocational training of the Kazakh National Agrarian University was tested on research site of the Kazakh research institute of potato and vegetable growing on planting of tomato seedlings. The machine performed well, with average forward speed of 2.03 km/h and thus average quantity of planted seedlings was 271 pieces/min. Average values of qualitatively planted seedlings was approximately 97% and maximum indicator of not survived seedlings no more than 1.0%. Productivity of machine at
Fig. 5. Surface of a field and seedlings after landing in 7 days.
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Table 1 Field evaluation test results of seedlings planter machine in Kazakh research institute of potato and vegetable growing. Reps
Elapsed time of planting 1 ha (hour)
Forward speed (km/ h)
Quantity of planted seedlings (piece/min)
Germination rate of seedlings (%)
Perished seedlings (%)
Field Capacity (ha/ hr)
1 2 3 4 5 Average
2.35 2.63 2.38 2.52 2.46 2.46
2.12 1.90 2.10 1.98 2.05 2.03
283 253 280 264 273 271
97.3 96.5 95.7 97.0 98.1 96.9
0.31 0.38 0.31 0.50 0.38 0.38
0.424 0.380 0.420 0.396 0.406 0.405
Table 2 The field experiment data from 100 and 00 slope land; average of 15 replications. Slopes
Planting rate (plants/min)
No of seedlings
Time (min)
Forward speed (km/h)
Field length (m)
No. qualitatively planted
% planted
Number of nonsurvivors
% Nonsurvivor
10 deg slope 0 deg slope
240 270
1977 1988
8.24 7.39
1.82 2.04
250 250
1791 1883
90.59 94.67
51 32
2.6 1.7
Table 3 Evaluation results from the test on site slope and plain. Parameters
Average Std. dev. Max. Min.
On site slope (α = 10°)
On plain (α = 0)
Quantity of planted seedlings (piece/min)
Indicators of qualitatively planted seedlings (%)
Indicators of nonsurviving seedlings (%)
Quantity of planted seedlings (piece/min)
Indicators of qualitatively planted seedlings (%)
Indicators of not survived seedlings (%)
240.0 13.4 260.0 211.0
90.56 5.06 98.11 79.65
2.8 1.1 3.7 1.0
270.0 13.8 283.0 230.0
94.73 4.80 99.20 80.00
1.7 1.4 2.3 0.7
planting of tomato seedlings was 0.405 ha/hour in conditions of irrigated farming on dark-chestnut soil.
Republic Kazakhstan. Almaty, 68p. Kramer, K.H., Ester, M., 1981. Maschenbau mit Folie und Landtechnik//Deutscher Gartenbaum. pp. 291–299 № 06. Kudrjashov, J.S., Dyjkanova, M.E., 2007. Cover Soil with Mulch Plastic Films at Tomato Growing in Not Heated Plastic Houses//Potato and Vegetables. pp. 21 № 4. Lebedev, A.T., 2006. Mulching of Soils Increases Crop Yield//Potato and Vegetables. pp. 17–18 № 4. Lebedev, A.T., 2007. No Vegetable Growing without Mulching//Potato and Vegetables. pp. 17–18 № 4. Observations de materiels et de chantiers de Semis de mais song plastidue, cu Bretague// Informations. ediepement Vol. 10 (1), 25–41. Otunchyev, O., 1982. Controlling of Thermal Regime of Irrigated Soils of North Kirgizstan. dissertation. Grad.Tech.Sci., Tashkent, pp. 22. Pat 2064282 United Kingdom, AOI MKI 13/02. Machine for mulching plastic/Waring P. L. application 12.11.1979. Pat 2092009 Russian Federation, IPC A01S11/02. Transplanter/A.Yu.Orlov, A.V. Kolmakov, M.M. Shamkhan, V.F.Palkin. appl. 13.02.01 ; opubl.10.08.01. Pat 2092009 Russian Federation, MKI A01S 11/02. Transplanter/Zaharchenko V.G., V.P. Skorokhodova ; appl. 08/09/94 ; pub. 10.10.97, № 29. -4 S. Pat 2121256 Russian Federation, MKI A01S 11/02. Timber planter/Serikov Y.M. Alyabyev A.F. ; appl. 19.09.95 ; opub.10.11.98, Bull. - № 31. - 5 p. Pat 567354 France, MKI AOIC 7/04. Device for cutting plastic in the end of the drive at sowing under plastic/appl. 16/07/84. Patent of USSR 259692. A material used in agriculture/M.K.Sobolev; published 09.24. 1981, Bulletin №61. 3 p. Sirivlya, A.G., 1981. Plastic in Vegetable Growing. - Almaty: Kainar. 110 p. Utility model certificate 18220 Russian Federation, IPC A01S11/02. Transplanter/N.A. Kurenov. appl. 13.11.00; opubl.10.06.01. Verbitsky, N.M., 1983. Cultivation of Corn under Light Destroyable Plastic//book: Achievement of Agricultural Science and Practice. № 1. The survey information.
Acknowledgements We would like to acknowledge the staff and leadership of Kazakh research institute of potato and vegetable growing for their support during the field test of machine for mulching soils at planting of vegetable seedlings. We also are grateful to the Committee of science of Ministry of Education and Science of Republic Kazakhstan for providing funding for this research. The grant number of this research is ИРН 5146/ГФ4-ОТ-17. Appendix A. Supplementary data Supplementary data related to this article can be found at http://dx. doi.org/10.1016/j.eaef.2018.02.003. References Chebotar, L.G., 2006. Mulching the Soils Increases Cucumber Yield//Potato and Vegetables. pp. 7 №4. Kadorkina, V.F., Kurtijakova, T.P., 2006. The Early Potato in Khakassia//Potato and Vegetables. pp. 15 №4. Keshubayev, Z., Tleppaev, А., Ajupov, А., Musabekova, A., 2010. Analyze Crop Sector of
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