Commercialises the smart seeder that can be operated with a 45 to 50 hp tractor
A Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) was signed between Punjab Agricultural University and five firms, namely, GSA Industries of Patiala; Kamboj Mechanical Works of Amritsar; National Agro Industries of Ludhiana; Dasmesh Mechanical Works of Sangrur and Guru Nanak Agri Works of Jalandhar for the commercialisation of PAU Smart Seeder.
Dr Ajmer Singh Dhatt, Director of Research; Dr Ashok Kumar, Dean, College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology and Director of Extension Education; Dr Gursahib Singh Manes, Additional Director of Research (Farm Mechanization and Bioenergy) and Dr Gurjeet Singh Mangat, Additional Director of Research (Crop Improvement) congratulated Dr Rajesh Goyal, Scientist and Dr Manpreet Singh, Extension Scientist, for the commercialisation of the technology.
The Head of Department of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, Dr Mahesh Kumar Narang said that the technology helped in managing paddy straw management. The PAU Smart Seeder managed the paddy residues by incorporation and surface mulching and thus, smartly retained the benefits of both Happy Seeder and Super Seeder in a single machine, he said. The PAU Smart Seeder placed wheat seeds in a well-tilled narrow band of soil and covered the seed rows with soil, using furrow closing rollers, he added.
“This machine can be operated with a 45 to 50 hp tractor. The field capacity and fuel consumption of the machine is 0.4 ha/h and 5.5 l/acre, respectively,” he mentioned.
In 2021, PAU in association with its industry partners took initiatives to stop paddy straw burning under their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) project, he said. Also, large-scale demonstrations/popularisation of smart seeder were conducted on around 200 ha areas to educate the farmers, he added.
Dr Amarjit Kaur, Associate Director, Technology Marketing and IPR Cell, PAU, congratulated the concerned scientists, and the Department of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering for the development of a new machine, which will help in the increasing area under mechanical paddy transplanting. “PAU has signed 282 MoAs till date with different companies/firms/individuals,” she informed.
