A Precision Planter for Seedling Emergence Evaluation

Abstract

A modified version of the laboratory vacuum plate seed counter was developed for precision planting of small seeds in soil. The planter, a vacuum chamber constructed from rigid plastic plate, would palce 100 seeds on a 228 × 228 mm plot. The individual seed holders were hypodermic needles inserted into the bottom of the chamber on a square grid at a 25 mm spacing. When a vacuum was applied to the chamber, a single seed was held at the tip of each needle. Seedbed preparation consisted of forming small impressions in the soil surface with a grid spacing identical to the planter. With the planter properly aligned, a single seed was dropped into each impression. This technique was successfully used with seeds ranging in size and shape of Panicum antidotale Retz to Eragrostis lehmanniana Nees. Three people were able to seed 120 plots with 100 seeds in less than 4 hours.