Modification and evaluation of tractor-operated broad bed seed drill for Soybean

Tractor operated broad bed seed drill was modified and evaluated at FAE, IGKV Raipur. The seed rate close to recommended seed rate for broad bed seed drill was found 100 kg/ha with fluted exposure was 14.9 mm. Mechanical damage to seed was found 1.9% with standard deviation 0.099 and CV 5.6 in broad bed seed drill. The seed damage was found within the permissible limit. The inter row variation for sowing soybean was found to be -2.30 to + 2.12 with standard deviation (σ) was found to be 0.41. The field capacity of the machine was 0.46 – 0.52 ha/h when operated at a speed of 1.8 – 2.3 km/h. Machine saves about 75–80 percent labour and about 30–35 percent cost in comparison to manual bed forming and seed sowing.