Field performance of a tractor operated semi-automatic potato planter

The study was carried out to evaluate the performance of a 2-row tractor operated potato planter at the Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh farm during 2e December 2005 to 10th February 2006. Various technical and economic aspects of the planters' namely seed to seed spacing, percent of missing seed, depth of planting, and percent of injured seed, field capacity, field efficiency, fuel consumption, cost of operation and break-even analysis were evaluated on the basis of RNAM tests code. Considering recommended seed to seed spacing, percent of missing seed, depth of planting, percent of injured seed, and field efficiency; 1.1km/hr operational speed could be recommended for field operation of the planter for planting potato. At the recommended speed the effective field capacity and field efficiency of the planter was about 0.14 ha/hr and 70.70%, respectively. Costs and labour requirements of planting potatoes were reduced by 44% and 95%, respectively, compared with the traditional method