Field performance testing and evaluation of existing corn machinery and equipment

Imported corn machinery in expensive and sometimes inappropriate to local conditions. This constrains productivity and provides limited income to farmers with small-size farms. Affordable, locally-made, and suitable machines can help improve the corn production industry. As such, Capariño et al. (BPRE) assessed the performance of existing BPRE-developed prototype corn machinery and equipment for possible use by small farmers. These machines were a 2-row pneumatic corn planter with fertilizer applicator, single-row corn picker/harvester, and a 1000-liter capacity boom sprayer. The corn planter was tested in varying sizes of corn farms in Pangasinan (Alcala, Binalonan and San Jacinto) and Nueva Ecija (Quezon and Sto. Domingo) while the boom sprayer was tested in CLSU, Muñoz, Nueva Ecija. Testing sites for the corn picker were in Pangasinan (Alcala and Binalonan), and Bukidnon (NOMIARC, Malaybalay). Corn Planter. The corn planter attained actual planting capacities of 3.67 ha/day (San Jacinto), 2.98 ha/day (Binalonan), 2.56 ha/day (Quezon), 2.44 ha/day (Sto.Domingo), and 2.08 ha/day (Alcala). These were attained when the machine was operated at a forward speed of 4.79 km/hr, 3.7 km/hr, 3.27 km/hr, 2.44 km/hr, and 2.08 km/hr, respectively. The machine had field efficiency of 66.90% (Binalonan), 65.59% (Quezon), 64.11% (San Jacinto), 62.64% (Sto.Domingo), and 51.33% (Alcala). The latter's low field efficiency was due to the shorter length of the field (100 m) compared with others which ranges from 195 m to 230 m. The tractor's pivot mechanism, which was not functioning at the time of testing, also affected the field efficiency. The highest hill planting efficiency was obtained in San Jacinto (90.91%) followed by Sto.Domingo (81.63%), Quezon (77.32%), Binalonan (74%) and Alcala (66.67%). Boom Sprayer. The sprayer had a capacity of 7.2 ha/day operated at an average speed of 1.5 kph and spraying efficiency of 81.69%. The efficiency of the boom sprayer was largely dependent on the nozzle design, which needs improvement. Corn Picker. The corn picker attained an effective picking capacity of 1.19 ha/day (Sto.Domingo), 1.06 ha/day (Bukidnon), 1.12 ha/day (Alcala), and 0.62 ha/day (Binalonan), when operated at a tractor speed of 3.9 kph, 2.89 kph, 2.87 kph and 2.18 kph, respectively. Its field efficiency was 77.28 % (Sto.Domingo), 71.89% (Alcala), 63.89% (Bukidnon) and 56.12% (Binalonan). The highest picking efficiency was obtained in Bukidnon (95.14%), followed by Sto.Domingo (91.83%), Alcala (85.70%) and Binalonan (68.99%). The length of the field, soil condition, corn stalks condition and tractor hp rating caused the variations in effective picking capacity and low field efficiency of the corn picker. Only two machines were found profitable based on the computed cost and return analysis. These are the corn planter and boom sprayer with benefit-cost ratios of 1.94 and 3.86, respectively. However, during field-testing, technical problems on the design, craftsmanship, and operations were encountered in all three machines. Hence, improvements would be necessary, if these are to be commercialized. The corn machinery, once improved, will be ideal under local conditions particularly in small- to medium-scale corn farm areas.