PM—Power Machinery: Effect of Sowing Depth on Precision Seeder Uniformity

The purpose of this research was to examine the effects of different depths of sowing maize with reference to the precision sowing technique. For this purpose, maize seeds were sown at the nominal depths of 40, 60 and 80 mm at a fixed tractor forward speed of 6 km h−1. Two precision vacuum seeders were used in field tests. The differences between sowing uniformity of horizontal distribution pattern were not statistically significant for the nominal sowing depths of 40, 60, 80 mm. In terms of the nominal sowing depth uniformity, the most suitable sowing depth was 60 mm with coefficients of variation of 4·29 and 4·93% for precision vacuum seeder I, and precision vacuum seeder II, respectively. The least mean emergence time was 7·7 days for the nominal sowing depth of 40 mm and maximum emergence rate indices occurred when the nominal sowing depths were 40 and 60 mm. As a result of all treatments, the nominal sowing depth of 60 mm is considered optimum, according to sowing depth uniformity and emergence rate index.