CIAE Manually operated push type single row vertical plate planter with fertilizer drill
In India, millets are sown by broadcasting and drilling by tifan or traditional implements. They give the non-uniform distribution of seeds which in turn gave excessive plant population and uneven plant spacings. Non-uniformity in seed plating and plant population results in reduced yield. The seed rate used in the traditional method of broadcasting a line sowing are 30-40 kg/ha and 12-15 kg/ha. The seeds were being wasted because of non-availability of the suitable seeding machinery. Therefore, considering the economic conditions of the millet growing farmers a manually operated push type single row vertical plate planter with fertilizer drill was developed to provide the economical solutions to the broadcasting and line sowing methods for millet growing farmers. The developed millet planter cum fertilizer drill has a vertical plate type metering device for seed and fertilizer. Developed manually operated push type single row vertical plate planter with fertilizer drill was evaluated in the field and it was found that it 70% and 90% can save compared to traditional method of line sowing and broadcasting respectively. Cost of the machine and the operational cost was Rs. 4100. The yield obtained with the developed seed-cum-fertilizer drill was 1870 kg/ha and 1560 kg/h and it was 41% and 66% more when compared with broadcasting for kodo and little millet, respectively. It is the lightweight equipment can be easily carried by a farmer to the field. This equipment is suitable for sowing small seeds of millet. Use of the multi millet seed cum fertilizer planters can save seed, fertilizer, and cost compared to drilling by traditional methods. The developed equipment can be used by small and women farmers.