Search

The production and cultivation of new high-quality seed varieties are linked to the sowing of various crops with diverse physical and mechanical seed properties. Efficient seed-metering unit operation is critical during the technological process of fodder crop cultivation, predominantly when sowing non-free-flowing seeds. The quality of seed sowing and crop yield significantly rely on the design precision of seed-metering devices, technical maintenance and appropriate calibration. A rotary seed metering device was incorporated to ensure that non-friable seeds are uniformly sown, thus maintaining consistent seed supply and consumption at all stages of circulation. The study of the proposed device's productivity dependence on its operating parameters is justified because these variables affect crucial indicators such as the capacity to achieve and sustain the desired seeding rate over the entire operational duration. The study presents findings from an experimental investigation on sowing non-free-flowing (non-flowing) and finely dispersed seeds using a rotor seed-metering unit. The tests aimed to ascertain the precision and evenness of sowing such crops. It was observed that the speed of rotation of the seed-metering unit's vane disk is a key factor in the uniformity and supply of sown seeds. The limits of variation in rotor rotation speed and rotor seed-metering unit productivity per second were established to guarantee the desired seeding rate for various crops, including alfalfa, Agropyron, and Bromus inermis.

Kazakhstan is historically a livestock country, and the production of feed requires no less attention than the production of grain. To improve the forage base, one solution is the sowing of high-yielding fodder seeds. An experimental seeder was developed with new design solutions for the sowing machine, with three blades installed at an angle of 120° relative to the lower part of the blower shaft, deviated vertically by 8–10°, along with components with a radius vector of 10–15° and the blower shaft attached to the top of the sowing cylinder. The closing part of the disc coulter contained the press rollers with a disc diameter measuring 350 mm. The field tests were conducted with the parameters between the discs set to α = 10°, a disc vanishing point of β = 40°, a coulter angle of 32°, and an individual 320-mm press roller with a cylindrical 60-mm rim, a leash, and a section for setting the seed placement depth. The wheatgrass varieties “Burabay” and awnless brome “Akmola emerald” were sown. The research showed the higher efficiency of the experimental seeder with seeding units and sowing parts compared to a serial seeder in terms of agricultural performance. The increase in seed germination was 3.56%. The experimental seeder surpassed the regular seeder by 4.95% in terms of the depth uniformity of the seed placement, in terms of yield increase by 5.361 cwt/ha, with reductions in traction resistance of 12.3%, and in fuel consumption by 10%. The economic efficiency from the fuel reduction and yield increase was estimated at around 7700 USD/ha per year.

Kazakhstan is one of the top ten countries in the world that use careful farming with a total area of 2 million hectares, therefore, the priority area of scientific research in the field of agriculture is the development and improvement of effective means: seed drills, tillage machines and mechanisms. As part of the research, tests were conducted with the use of experimental seed drills with various combinations of coulters: (1) double-disc and chisel coulters installed in different rows, (2) double-disc coulters and cultivator sweeps with seed distributors for band sowing. The research showed a higher efficiency of the use of combined coulters in comparison with only sweep rows in seed drills both in terms of agrotechnical indicators (yield, stubble conservation, uniformity of seed depth and field fullness germination of seeds, drag force of the drill), and from the economic effect terms. The results of this research can be used in the agricultural sector, regardless of the country and region, with careful farming using No-till technology in similar soil and climatic zones.