Working Speed Analysis of the Gear-Driven Dibbling Mechanism of a 2.6 kW Walking-Type Automatic Pepper Transplanter

The development of an automatic walking-type pepper transplanter could be effective in improving the mechanization rate in pepper cultivation, where the dibbling mechanism plays a vital role and determines planting performance and efficiency. The objective of this research was to determine a suitable working speed for a gear-driven dibbling mechanism appropriate for a pepper transplanter, while considering agronomic transplanting requirements. The proposed dibbling mechanism consisted of two dibbling hoppers that simultaneously collected free-falling seedlings from the supply mechanism and dibbled them into soil. To enable the smooth collection and plantation of pepper seedlings, analysis was carried out via a mathematical working trajectory model of the dibbling mechanism, virtual prototype simulation, and validation tests, using a physical prototype. In the mathematical model analysis and simulation, a 300 mm/s forward speed of the transplanter and a 60 rpm rotational speed of the dibbling mechanism were preferable in terms of seedling uprightness and low mulch film damage. During the field test, transplanting was conducted at a 40 mm planting depth, using different forward speed levels. Seedlings were freely supplied to the hopper from a distance of 80 mm, and the success rate for deposition was 96.79%. A forward speed of 300 mm/s with transplanting speed of 120 seedlings/min was preferable in terms of achieving a high degree of seedling uprightness (90 ± 3.26), a low rate of misplanting (8.19%), a low damage area on mulch film (2341.95 ± 2.89 mm2), high uniformity of planting depth (39.74 ± 0.48 mm), and low power consumption (40.91 ± 0.97 W).

Features of growth and development of grain sorghum plants in the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine

Grain sorghum is one of the most highly productive multipurpose grain crops for food, feeding and technical purposes. Considering this, the research of the elements of the technology of grain sorghum growing is expedient and high-potential. The article presents the research results of the influence of the sowing time and the depth of planting seeds on the phenological observations, field germination of seeds, biometric indicators of sorghum plants of the grain varieties Dniprovskyi 39 and Vinets in the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine. The aim of the research is to establish the optimal sowing time and the depth of planting seeds of the grain sorghum varieties, to substantiate their influence on the characteristics of plant growth and development in the conditions of the RightBank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine. The research was conducted during 2016–2020 in the conditions of the Bilotserkivska RAS of the Institute of Bioenergy Crops and Sugar Beet of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. It is proved that the sowing time and the depth of seeding have a significant impact on the growth and development of the grain sorghum plants. It is established that at the 1st decade of May and to the planting depth of 4–6 cm the grain sorghum seeds vegetative season reduces and equates 108 for the Dniprovskyi variety, and 105 days for the Vinets variety. Sowing seeds at the 3rd decade of April and the 2nd decade of May, as well as decreasing the planting depth to 2 cm and increasing to 8 cm, lengthens the grain sorghum vegetative season of the researched varieties. Field germination reached its maximum in grain sorghum seeds sowing at the 1st decade of May and to the planting depth of 4–6 cm and equals to 84.2–86.8 % for the Dniprovskyi 39 variety and 83.1–85.4 % for the Vinets variety. Biometric indicators that affect the formation of crop productivity, namely, plant height, bushiness, stem diameter, were maximum in the same variant of the experiment. Key words: grain sorghum, varieties, sowing time, seeding depth, phenological observations, biometric indicators.

Effects of Rhizome Length and Planting Depth on the Emergence and Growth of Alepidea amatymbica Eckl. & Zeyh

Alepidea amatymbica is used as a herbal medicine for the treatment of various diseases. As a result of its high medicinal value, this plant is being overexploited by herbal traders with little attention being paid to its conservation, which could lead to its extinction. Cultivation of Alepidea amatymbica was conducted to determine the appropriate planting depth and rhizome fragment length for the growth of this plant. The experiment was laid out in a Complete Randomized Block Design (CRBD) with two factors in a 6 × 3 factorial design. There were six levels of fragment length (1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 cm) and three levels of burial depth (2.5, 5 and 7.5 cm). Emergence rate, number of leaves, leaf area, and plant height, number of florets, rhizome length gain, rhizome weight gain, shoot moisture, and rhizome moisture were measured as growth parameters. The best overall yield in terms of plant height, shoot emergence, rhizome weight gain, number of florets and number of leaves was observed in 7.5 cm planting depth at 6 cm rhizome length. Four- centimetre rhizome length had the highest leaf area of 111.9 ± 3.5 cm2, 101.3 ± 3.5 cm2, 105 ± 3.5 cm2 at 2.5, 5, 7.5 cm planting depth respectively. Shorter fragment lengths showed high potential for vegetative propagation in terms of rhizome length gain at all burial depths. These results suggest that A. amatymbica can regenerate from buried rhizomes and they may contribute to the establishment of a protocol for propagation that could help in conservation of this plant to avoid its extinction