Rancang Bangun Mesin Pemupuk Kelapa Sawit dengan Metode Pembenaman ke Dalam Tanah

Abstract

Fertilizer application methods for oil palm by spreading fertilizer on the soil surface need to be fixed, by immersion of fertilizer in the soil to make it more effective and more efficient in the use of fertilizer. The objective of this research was to design and construct a prototype of fertilizer immersion machine for oil palm, driven by a four-wheel tractor. The machine was designed using a rotor type metering device for fertilizer metering, and a rotary blades mechanism for immersion of fertilizer in the soil. The metering device and the rotary shaft were driven by the PTO of the tractor using a gear box and sprockets-chain power transmissions. The rotary unit consisted of four rotary blades mounted on two flanges which were welded to the rotary shaft with flanges spaced of 20 cm. Rotary diameter was 45 cm, working width was 20 cm, and the rotation speed was 200 rpm. The machine was mounted on a four-wheel tractor via the three point hitches. Based on the results of the design, a prototype was constructed and tested. The test results showed that the machine could immerse fertilizer into the soil at a depth of 10-15 cm and mixing with soil in fairly evenly. Fertilizing dose was about 1 kg per meter application.