Design and Performance Test of Four Rows Variable Rate Granular Fertilizer Applicator Prototype for Precision Farming

Abstract

In conventional method, fertilizer is applied at a uniform dosage for all location of a field. However, each location within the field needs different amount of fertilizer according to the soil nutrient content and growth condition of crop. For that purpose, it is important to develop a fertilizer applicator that allows a prescribe rate of fertilizer to be applied at each location within the field, based on recommended dose. The objectives of this research were: 1) to design digital metering system to control the application rate of a variable rate granular fertilizer applicator, 2) to develop a prototype of 4 rows granular fertilizer applicator, that can provide prescribe application rate automatically, and 3) to obtain field performance data of the prototype. A prototype of the variable rate granular fertilizer applicator was designed and constructed.The metering device consisted of two fluted wheel type of rotors which was driven by controlled DC-motor. To provide a prescribe rate of fertilizer, a control system based on microcontroller DT-AVR ATmega128L modul was developed and set to control the speed of the rotor. The prototype then was tested using three types of granular fertilizers (Urea, SP-36 and NPK), on stationary test and field tests. The stationary test result showed that the PID controller could control and provided a proportional correlation between application rate and rotor speed. The field performance test result showed that the designed prototype could provide a proper predetermined application rate of fertilizers precisely. The average deviations of the application rate for 50, 100, 150, 200, 250 kg/ha dose of Urea were -1.67 , 3.33, 0.28, 2.71 and 1.33 % respectively. For SP-36 were -21.67, -5.42, -2.47, -2.71, and -1.67 %. respectively. For NPK were -18.33, -4.17, -4.17, -3.75 and -2.33 % respectively.