Archives of Current Research International

A semi-automatic paddy drum seeder with motor-assisted seed metering was designed, developed, and evaluated to improve seeding precision and operational efficiency in direct-seeded rice cultivation. The present work was carried out during (2024-25) at M.S. Swaminathan Vayal Kudam, Department of Agricultural Engineering, Paavai Engineering College, Namakkal, Tamil Nadu, India, under puddled field conditions using pre-germinated rice seeds. The developed system integrates a low-power DC motor to drive the seed drum, thereby decoupling seed metering from operator walking speed while maintaining manual forward movement.

Field performance of the semi-automatic drum seeder was quantitatively compared with conventional manual broadcasting through replicated field trials. The developed seeder achieved a significantly lower seed rate (55 ± 4.2 kg ha⁻¹) compared to manual broadcasting (110 ± 8.6 kg ha⁻¹), resulting in a reduction of approximately 50%. The time required for sowing decreased from 5.5 ± 0.7 h ha⁻¹ to 2.5 ± 0.4 h ha⁻¹, and labour requirement was reduced from 8.0 ± 0.6 h ha⁻¹ to 4.0 ± 0.3 h ha⁻¹. Effective field capacity increased from 0.18 ± 0.03 ha h⁻¹ to 0.40 ± 0.05 ha h⁻¹, while field efficiency improved significantly from 36.9 ± 2.8% to 86.1 ± 3.5%. Statistical analysis using Student’s t-test confirmed significant differences between sowing methods (p < 0.05), and one-way ANOVA indicated consistent performance across replications.

The developed semi-automatic paddy drum seeder was fabricated at a prototype cost of approximately Rs. 7,500 making it an economically viable option for smallholder use. The results confirm that motor-assisted seed metering enhances uniformity, reduces input use, and improves field efficiency without increasing system complexity. Overall, the developed seeder provides a low-cost, energy-efficient, and scalable mechanization solution that supports sustainable rice production for small and marginal farmers.