Attribute-based Coding of Vegetable Seedling Transplanting Machine

Abstract

Various crop-, human-, and machine-specific features were searched from the literature and expressed in matrix form in the current study, which would be used to develop and refine vegetable transplanters for small and medium farms. The matrix represented the academic work of different researches. Each attribute, and attribute coding/grading were done based on their published values. The coded attributes were added up by publication and category so that the value and publication of each attribute could serve as information-base for design of need-based mechanical vegetable transplanter. Coding was divided into publication-based and category-based categories attributes. A total of 24 literatures with 35 attributes linked to vegetable transplanters were assessed, and a score of 175 was assigned. Type of vegetable, labour requirement, and metering mechanism got maximum grade points of 42, 22, and 84, respectively, under the defined crop, human, and machine-specific features. In modifying existing transplanting machines for better performance or designing new machinery for vegetable transplanting, the attribute coding/grading can be of assistance to the researchers /manufacturers.