PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF VSI DEVELOPED MECHANICAL SUGARCANE PLANTER

摘要

The sugarcane production is labour intensive and its cost of cultivation is high. Sugarcane planting requires second higher manpower next to that of harvesting of cane. Vasantdada Sugar Institute, Pune has developed sugarcane cutter planter, which covers two rows at a time with adjustable row spacing of 0.90m, 1.020 m and 1.50 m. The machine is also suitable for paired row method of planting with 0.90 m - 1.80 m spacing. VSI developed sugarcane cutter planter (PTO operated) is operated by tractor of 50 HP or more and is mounted on three-point linkage. The planter covers six operations at a time. It has two ridgers for making two furrows at a time, canes are cut into setts, sprayed with insecticide and fungicide, setts are placed in the furrows and also at the same time fertilizers are applied to the soil and setts are covered with the soil. From 2005-06 to 2008-09 the extensive field-testing of this planter is carried out at VSI farm, farmer's fields in the operational area of the sugar factories and farms of the research stations in the state. The VSI developed mechanical sugarcane cutter planter is found suitable for the planting in furrow spacing of 0.90 m, 1.20 m, 1.50 m and paired row spacing of 0.90 - 1.80 m with more than 72% germination and 48.05% saving in the cost of planting in comparison with conventional manual planting.