Description
The demand of green and dry fodder in India is estimated to increase to 1170 and 650 m tonne whereas availability is expected to be at 411.3 and 488 m tonne in 2025, respectively, depicting deficit of about 64.9% green fodder and 24.9% dry fodder (Vision 2030, ICAR - IGFRI, Jhansi, 2011). In forages, availability of quality seed is only 25-30% in cultivated fodder and less than 10 % in range grasses and legumes (Vision 2050, IGFRI). Prices paid for grass seeds of native species vary from Rs.5,000 to 6,500 per kg for clean, un-haired seeds due to excessive use of manual labour in seed collection and removing hairy portion. In order to increase the capacity of collection of grass seeds from standing crop, A tractor operated grass seed harvester was developed under a collaborative research project of Indian Council of Agricultural Research two Institutes viz. Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute and Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, keeping in view the requirements of common grasses used as feed material in Indian context. This grass seed harvester was made using nylon brushes arranged in specific fashion on a rotating cylinder and a winding reel in front of rotating cylinder to collect grass seed from the grasses standing in the fields, where tractor can operate. The specific features of this machine were variable speed of rotating cylinder brush, helical arrangement of brushes on the cylinder to carry the detached seed in to the seed box, variable height of operation and front mounting of the machine on tractor. This machine was tested for seed collection in Pennisetum pedicellatum (Dinanath grass), Cenchrus cilliaris (Anjan grass ) and Megathyrsus maximum (Guinea grass). Seed collection capacity of the machine was 4.24 to 7.12 kg/h in Dinanath grass during 2nd operation, 2.10 to 3.56 kg/h in Anjan grass and 1.61 to 3.56 kg/h in Guinea grass at the full maturity of the grass seeds in two passes of the machine in to and fro direction. The field capacity of seed collection operation ranged from 0.21 to 0.47 ha/h for the grasses in which it was operated.
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A Novel Tractor Operated Grass Seed Harvester Developed in India
The demand of green and dry fodder in India is estimated to increase to 1170 and 650 m tonne whereas availability is expected to be at 411.3 and 488 m tonne in 2025, respectively, depicting deficit of about 64.9% green fodder and 24.9% dry fodder (Vision 2030, ICAR - IGFRI, Jhansi, 2011). In forages, availability of quality seed is only 25-30% in cultivated fodder and less than 10 % in range grasses and legumes (Vision 2050, IGFRI). Prices paid for grass seeds of native species vary from Rs.5,000 to 6,500 per kg for clean, un-haired seeds due to excessive use of manual labour in seed collection and removing hairy portion. In order to increase the capacity of collection of grass seeds from standing crop, A tractor operated grass seed harvester was developed under a collaborative research project of Indian Council of Agricultural Research two Institutes viz. Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute and Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, keeping in view the requirements of common grasses used as feed material in Indian context. This grass seed harvester was made using nylon brushes arranged in specific fashion on a rotating cylinder and a winding reel in front of rotating cylinder to collect grass seed from the grasses standing in the fields, where tractor can operate. The specific features of this machine were variable speed of rotating cylinder brush, helical arrangement of brushes on the cylinder to carry the detached seed in to the seed box, variable height of operation and front mounting of the machine on tractor. This machine was tested for seed collection in Pennisetum pedicellatum (Dinanath grass), Cenchrus cilliaris (Anjan grass ) and Megathyrsus maximum (Guinea grass). Seed collection capacity of the machine was 4.24 to 7.12 kg/h in Dinanath grass during 2nd operation, 2.10 to 3.56 kg/h in Anjan grass and 1.61 to 3.56 kg/h in Guinea grass at the full maturity of the grass seeds in two passes of the machine in to and fro direction. The field capacity of seed collection operation ranged from 0.21 to 0.47 ha/h for the grasses in which it was operated.
