Detection of flow of seeds in the seed delivery tube and choking of boot of a seed drill

Abstract

An embedded system for detecting seed flow in the delivery tube and choking of boot of a seed drill has been developed. This system comprised an indirect incidence thin small outline package (TSOP) based infrared (IR) sensor for sensing flow of seeds from seed metering mechanism, a direct incidence infrared sensor and an IR receiver for detecting choking of the boot of a seed drill with seeds and a microcontroller for receiving the input signals from the sensors. Based on these input signals and with the embedded proper code, the microcontroller provided output signals (both visual and audible). Sensing units of both the sensors were installed to a cone shaped pipe which was then attached to the lower end of the delivery tube of the seed drill. The display unit had two separate buzzers and two separate red light emitting diodes (LED) for audio and visual outputs, respectively. While evaluating the performance of the developed embedded system, at different seed rates (80–120 kg/ha) of wheat, it sensed 31–53% higher seed droppings than theoretical seed droppings (assuming one seed dropping per flute) with a maximum standard deviation of 10.5%. A time delay varying from 1503 ms (ms) to 3750 ms was observed between actual choking occurred and the time at which choking was detected by the sensor. Sensing of higher number of seed droppings as well as delay in detecting choking by the sensors was found to be a function of seed rate and forward speed (speed of fluted roller). However, the developed system could produce both visual and audible signals to warn the operator for successful showing of wheat seeds both in the laboratory setup and also in a 9 row tractor drawn seed drill.