Development of Dibble Mechanism for Tractor Operated Two Row Semi – Automatic Vegetable Transplanter

Vegetables play a crucial role in daily human nutrition, and India ranks second in vegetable production globally. Despite this, manual transplantation is prevalent in India, characterized by labor-intensive practices. The study aimed to address this by developing a tractor-operated linear dibble mechanism for tomato and chili seedlings, designed with seedling spacings of 45 and 60 cm. The evaluation for optimal operating conditions included varying engine speeds (700, 800, 900, 1000 rpm), gear positions (L1, L2), and power take-off positions (P1, P2). Among these, L1P1 and L1P2, with seedling spacings of 57.57 cm and 45.20 cm respectively, aligned with the designed spacings, while L2P1 was excluded due to excessive dibble spacing. Evaluation concentrated on 800 and 1000 rpm, with 700 rpm causing jerks. The preference for 1000 rpm was driven by higher field capacity, as exceeding 1000 rpm posed difficulties for workers. Selections were made with a focus on achieving desired dibble spacings while taking into account worker comfort and field capacity.