Modification and Performance Evaluation of Fertilizer Band Placement Drill Machine for Wheat Crop in Rain-Fed Areas
Modification and Performance Evaluation of Fertilizer Band Placement Drill Machine for Wheat Crop in Rain-Fed Areas
Muhammad Adnan Islam1*, Zia-Ul-Haq2, Rana Shahzad Noor2, Matiullah Khan4, Muhammad Mohsin Ali1, Zulfiqar Ali3, Asif Ali Mirani3, Hafiz Sultan Mahmood1, Muzammil Husain1 and Badar Munir Khan Niazi1
ABSTRACT
In Pakistan, phosphotic fertilizer such as Diammonium phosphate (DAP) conventionally applied to wheat by broadcast method before sowing crop. This is wasteful method of fertilizer application as only 15-20% of applied phosphate is utilized by the crop. To overcome the problems of phosphorus fixation, fertilizer band placement drill (FBPD) for wheat had been developed and its performance was evaluated at farmer’s fields. This drill places DAP fertilizer near the seed that is about 5 cm away and 5 cm deeper than the seed due to which phosphorus use efficiency has increased. Experiments conducted at farmer’s fields showed excellent results of fertilizer band placement drill even 50% DAP was saved with 10 % excess wheat yield. In previous study s results of the fertilizer band placement drill were very encouraging as compare to farmer practice (Rabii Drill). Farmers were reluctant to adopt this fertilizer saving drill due to its heavy weight, which make it difficult to operate by commonly available 50-40 hp tractors. Keeping in view all these issues a low-cost version of fertilizer band placement drill was designed and developed with the help of local manufacturer. Over all Weight reduction (from 450 to 390 kg) and changing the drive wheel mechanism (from rear to front) for seed metering was incorporated in modified drill so that it can be easily operated by commonly available 50 hp tractor. After modification, fertilizer band placement drill was tested and compared it with zero tillage drill and rabi drill (farmers practice) by sown wheat in five different location of arid zone of Chakwal. Comparative field testing of three drills shows that FBPD gives significantly more yield as compared to zero till drill and Rabi drill. The effect of fertilizer band placement on all above-mentioned parameter was more pronounced over other two drills, when half bag of DAP was applied. The half bag DAP applied with fertilizer band placement drill gave 24.30% and 21.38% increased grain yield over zero-drill and farmers practice (Rabi Drill), respectively. Generally, the fertilizer band placement drill superseded both the drills in comparison at all sites.
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