Performance evaluation of mechanical planters for planting of chickpea and pigeonpea

Pulse productivity is significantly affected by poor emergence, lack of uniformity and difficulty in achieving target population and weed infestation. Commercial sowing equipments such as seed drill and seed-cum-fertilizer drill operated by animal, power tiller and tractor, meter high and non-uniform seed rate causing thinning as an extra operation. Under this situation, a commercial bed planter and CIAE inclined plate planter were evaluated for planting of chickpea and pigeonpea to assess their suitability. The commercial and CIAE incline plate planter have resulted in a mean plant spacing of 115 mm and 136 mm, respectively for Kabuli chickpea against the set spacing of 100 mm. The missing and multiple seed percentage were 15.3% and 7.7% for commercial bed planter as compared to 27.2% and 9.1% in CIAE inclined plate planter, respectively. Uniform depth of seed placement was obtained for both the planters which were within the permissible range of 50–60 mm for chickpea and pigeonpea.