Equipment and technology optionsEquipment and technology options

for manual and animal traction seeding in for manual and animal traction seeding in

Conservation AgricultureConservation Agriculture

By Christian ThierfelderBy Christian Thierfelder

Contents:Contents:

IntroductionIntroduction

Planting BasinsPlanting Basins

Ripper tine systems Ripper tine systems

Direct seeding Direct seeding

ConclusionConclusion

Animal traction systems:

Moldboard plowing followed by harrowing and seeding with the hoe (Zimbabwe)

Hand-hoe-system:

Workload: 140,000 hoe strokes/ha/yr

Traditional seeding systemsTraditional seeding systems

Planting basinsPlanting basins

capture run-off; increase infiltration capture run-off; increase infiltration

dug manually with hoes in dry dug manually with hoes in dry season. season.

permanent (with some maintenance permanent (with some maintenance when required). when required).

Size varies: 30 x 20 x 20 cmSize varies: 30 x 20 x 20 cm33 to 15 x to 15 x 15 x 15 cm15 x 15 cm33

soil disturbed only in a small areasoil disturbed only in a small area

inputs concentrated in or at the side inputs concentrated in or at the side of the basin.of the basin.

Some organizations promote micro-Some organizations promote micro-dosing in basinsdosing in basins

Basins, Zimbabwe

CFU basins, Zambia

Benefits and limitations of basin systemsBenefits and limitations of basin systems

Benefits:Benefits:

timely planting possible; timely planting possible;

good yields due to input good yields due to input concentration and water concentration and water harvestingharvesting

disturbs soil only in some disturbs soil only in some areasareas

principles are easy to principles are easy to promotepromote

Limitations: Limitations:

labour intensivelabour intensive

often not sufficient often not sufficient residuesresidues

only an option for only an option for manual farmersmanual farmers

unclear if CA is the unclear if CA is the driver or better land driver or better land husbandry and nutrient husbandry and nutrient managementmanagement

Typical labour requirements in manual and draft animal system

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

Hand hoe Limited DAP Full DAP CA-Basins

labo

ur h

ha-1

Land preparation Planting Top Dress Weeding 1 Weeding 2 Harvesting

Source: ICRISAT, 2005Source: ICRISAT, 2005

A pot-holing implement from Zambia…

Terry Jones,Farmer & seed grower,Mazabuka, Zambia

Tine rippers & sub-soilersTine rippers & sub-soilers

Palabana subsoiler

Magoye ripper

Magoye tine ripper:Magoye tine ripper:

more furrow opener than ripper

works at shallow depth

reduced soil disturbance

can be fitted to frame of a mouldboard plough.

Palabana sub-soiler:Palabana sub-soiler:

breaks through hardpans before seeding

Works to a depth of about 20-25 cm

Requires operation on dry soil or has adverse effect

Benefits and limitations of rippers and Benefits and limitations of rippers and subsoilerssubsoilers

Benefits: Benefits: timely planting possible if timely planting possible if

animal traction is availableanimal traction is available

cheap effective replacement cheap effective replacement of the ploughof the plough

easy to manageeasy to manage

hardpans can be overcome hardpans can be overcome by sub-soilersby sub-soilers

reduction in time & labour reduction in time & labour compared to the plough.compared to the plough.

Limitations: Limitations: seeding and fertilization seeding and fertilization

done separately by handdone separately by hand

planting is delayed if oxen planting is delayed if oxen are not availableare not available

without coulter, residues & without coulter, residues & mulch get stuck and dragged mulch get stuck and dragged by the toolby the tool

Direct seeding CA systemsDirect seeding CA systems

sow into undisturbed soil without previous land sow into undisturbed soil without previous land preparationpreparation

requires placing seed (and sometimes fertilizer) into requires placing seed (and sometimes fertilizer) into soil beneath crop residues or mulchsoil beneath crop residues or mulch

simultaneous placement of seed & fertilizer possiblesimultaneous placement of seed & fertilizer possible

manual and animal traction systems availablemanual and animal traction systems available

Direct seeding with jab-planter (manual method):Direct seeding with jab-planter (manual method):

pushes seed through mulch into pushes seed through mulch into small planting hole opened by toolsmall planting hole opened by tool

planting stations may change planting stations may change between years; rows can be between years; rows can be maintainedmaintained

can place seed and fertilizer in one can place seed and fertilizer in one actionaction

planting is rapid & timely (0.5 planting is rapid & timely (0.5 ha/day). ha/day).

ease of use facilitated by soil ease of use facilitated by soil softnesssoftness

Opportunities and limitations:Opportunities and limitations:

Opportunities:Opportunities:

timely planting possibletimely planting possible

very efficient seeding and very efficient seeding and fertilizationfertilization

seeding into mulch possible seeding into mulch possible

long term experience from long term experience from Latin America available Latin America available

Limitations:Limitations:

only few machines available only few machines available yetyet

seeding depth sometimes a seeding depth sometimes a problem (too deep – too problem (too deep – too shallow)shallow)

requires good soft (moist) requires good soft (moist) soilsoil

Direct seeding with animal tractionDirect seeding with animal traction

Implement seeds directly into mulch

Coulter cuts mulch and opens rip line

Fertilizer and seed dropped simultaneously

No previous cultivation or preparation required

Fitarelli seeder (Brazil)

Benefits and limitations of animal Benefits and limitations of animal traction CA systemstraction CA systems Benefits: Benefits:

timely planting possibletimely planting possible

efficient planting and efficient planting and fertilizationfertilization

least soil disturbing CA least soil disturbing CA technologytechnology

easy to get farmers easy to get farmers enthusiastic about CA. enthusiastic about CA.

Limitations: Limitations:

equipment not yet available in equipment not yet available in southern Africasouthern Africa

residues difficult to cut if wetresidues difficult to cut if wet

seed plates not available for all seed plates not available for all crops (sunnhemp)crops (sunnhemp)

seeding depth difficult to seeding depth difficult to regulate; needs experience regulate; needs experience (cotton)(cotton)

Use of a 3-nozzle boom

Weed wipe in action

Herbicide application with a 6-nozzle sprayer

Chemical weed control strategies:

Conclusions:Conclusions:

Planting without ploughing is possiblePlanting without ploughing is possible

Many advantages come from timely and precision Many advantages come from timely and precision plantingplanting

CA implements are time saving and very efficient but CA implements are time saving and very efficient but not enough implements are available yetnot enough implements are available yet

Time saving is highest when using direct seedersTime saving is highest when using direct seeders