Objective
To construct, test and demonstrate on a commercial basis the agricultural and energy efficiency benefits of a full-scale, tractor borne supersonic seeding machine. This will be capable of sowing seeds and fertiliser granules/pellets at practical seeding rates by accelerating the seeds directly into the ground at velocities in excess of 350 m/s.
The seeder will be built in accordance with existing patents. It will be fitted with linkages suitable for monitoring and driving from a standard agricultural tractor. Seed will be fed into a hopper of adequate capacity and the process of accelerating the seeds to supersonic velocities, metering the seed quantities and directing the positioning of the seeds will be automatic and controllable.
The unit will have no additional wheels running on the soil other than those of the tractor.
Initial trial work was carried out successfully in November 1994.
A final monitoring trial was carried out on 8 April 1995. This trial was witnessed by independent observers. The Supersonic Seeder was used to sow four widths of a field. The seed sown was barley. The seed rate was approximately 160 kg per hectare. A practical seeding rate for cereals is 180 kg per hectare. The seed sown supersonically was planted alongside seed that had been planted with a conventional seeder. The Supersonic Seeder was used to sow an area of 540 m2.
The seeds sown with the Supersonic Seeder and the seeds sown conventionally were compared once germination had occurred.
Initial studies of the germinated seed indicated that the seeds sown supersonically were planted deeper than the conventionally planted seeds. This resulted in the seeds sown supersonically germinating later than the conventionally planted seeds. The seeds sown supersonically were planted deeper because the ground used for the "Independent" Performance Monitoring Trial had been prepared. The ground used for the trial had been ploughed and harrowed. The ground had been prepared to facilitate the assessment of the germinated seeds. However, the ground preparation had resulted in ground that was softer than expected. The Supersonic Seeder as yet does not have any 'one line' measurement of the depth of ground penetration. It is only possible to determine the depth of penetration after the seed has been sown.
The 'Independent' Performance Monitoring Trial demonstrated that :
1. the Supersonic Seeder does not require ground preparation.
2. further work is necessary to establish the relationship between soil consistency and the depth of penetration.
Further development of the supersonic seeder is now underway. It is expected that the first commercial sale of a supersonic seeder will take place in late 1996.
The project involves the construction and demonstration of a full scale tractor borne supersonic seeding machine. This machine will sow seeds at normal commercial seeding rates. This will be achieved by accelerating the seeds to velocities in excess of 350 m/s and directing the seeds into the ground with suitable spacing and location. No land preparation is deems necessary for seed sowing purposes using this method.
The machine will sow bulk quantities of agricultural seeds on a commercial scale. The project has a great potential impact to the environment as it believed to be the only method of seeding crops and plants directly into soul without even minimum tillage and ploughing of land prior to sowing. This will have significant fuel energy saving implications. Another advantage of the reduction of land preparation owing to use of this seeding method is in the prevention of soil erosion. This is expected to be demonstrated by the operation of the supersonic seeder in temperate,arid and semi-arid geographical areas. This will have considerable ecological and economical benefits for developing countries where land preparation is difficult or expensive.
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Coordinator
EH3 6BZ EDINBURGH
United Kingdom
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