Let's go to the tubers: the new device will increase potato yield in agricultural holdings

Russian scientists have developed a potato planting device that provides a more uniform soil coverage of tubers compared to traditional aggregates. Its use will increase yields and reduce the cost of growing crops, which will ultimately lead to a reduction in production costs. Experts note that the new design is able to solve a number of pressing problems that farmers face during the sowing campaign. At the same time, analysts warn that the economic effect of the innovation is likely to affect primarily the profitability of agricultural holdings, rather than the final cost of potatoes for consumers.

Potato planting device

Specialists of Kazan State Agrarian University have developed a new device for planting potato tubers. Thanks to its innovative design, it is devoid of the main drawback of old devices, which are clogged with earth and cover the seed material with soil unevenly.

— Field tests have confirmed that the use of a combined coulter (a sharp plough tip. — Ed.) on a potato planter provides better results compared to the standard version. In particular, the field germination rate of tubers increased by 12-13.7% due to the use of a new design. The economic calculation demonstrates the high efficiency of the implementation: with an increase in yield by 37 quintals per hectare and a decrease in fuel consumption by 0.19 kg/ha," said Marat Kalimullin, Professor of the Department of Operation and Repair of Machines at Kazan State Agrarian University.

All existing potato planter designs have a common design disadvantage: the windows in the blade wings, through which the soil should evenly spill onto the stacked tubers, are often clogged. As a result, potatoes fall asleep unevenly — in large lumps, which disrupts the temperature regime of germination and, as a result, can reduce yields, the developers note.

The created device eliminates this drawback due to a fundamentally new design solution. The sharp tip of the plow is equipped with flaps with a toothed working surface. The teeth are not more than 1 cm high and are positioned at an angle of 45 degrees. When the planting unit moves, the soil rises along the blade, divides into streams and passes through adjustable windows. When interacting with the teeth, the clumps of earth are crushed, so that the tuber is covered with a loose and uniform layer 1-2 cm thick — a parameter necessary for normal germination. The design also provides for the possibility of adjusting the window width directly in the field.

— The previous designs suffered from one common drawback: tubers were filled in unevenly, in lumps — this inhibited germination. The jagged surface solves this problem: the earth is crushed right during the planting process, the tuber is in a loose environment with good contact and the right temperature. At the same time, the technology is simple — it can be implemented on serial equipment without significant costs," said Marat Kalimullin.

Solving farmers' problems

Alexey Krasilnikov, executive director of the Potato Union, told Izvestia that agricultural producers are interested in high-quality domestic equipment.

— Unfortunately, our crop production sector remains highly dependent on foreign-made machinery. This applies to both harvesters and planters. There is no progress in this direction yet. For example, we do not have a domestic tractor on a classic potato frame, and we are forced to use foreign analogues, since seeding accuracy is critically important to us," he said.

According to the expert, in order to increase competitiveness, farmers strive to reduce the cost of their products, so they are ready to introduce new technologies, but this requires competitive domestic manufacturers of agricultural machinery.

Uneven filling of tubers leads to the formation of large lumps and voids, disrupts the temperature and air regime of the soil, explained NTI expert on crop production Julia Barankina to Izvestia. According to her, the development can increase yields by creating more stable conditions for germination — this is a key factor in increasing the harvest of tubers per hectare. In addition, the technology allows to reduce the number of damaged or dying plants due to improper filling.

— In the long term, this will be a cost reduction factor, as the technology is aimed at reducing producer costs. We are talking about saving on seed material: with standard planting, losses are included in the seeding rate. An increase in output per hectare while saving tubers, as well as a potential reduction in the number of passes of machinery, can lead to a reduction in the cost of a ton of potatoes by about 20-25%," the specialist noted.

Cost reduction does not always automatically lead to lower retail prices. At a time when the market value of products is falling below the cost level, the introduction of cost-cutting technologies is becoming a critical tool for manufacturers to maintain profitability, Yulia Barankina noted.

Clogging of blade wings when planting potatoes is a fairly common problem, especially on moist soils, added the head of the Smart Supply Chain segment of the FoodNet working group NTI Sergey Kosogor. It is aggravated by incorrect equipment settings, excessive deepening and high speed of the units.

— Traditionally, manufacturers solved it by tracking soil moisture, changing geometry, adjusting speed, and very rarely by redesigning the structure. Creating a new structure simplifies the process, creates a new way of working with the soil layer, and simplifies the task of planting potatoes," he said.

As noted by the leading expert of the FoodNet market According to NTI economist Alexey Cook, the introduction of technology is unlikely to have a direct impact on the retail price of potatoes — rather, the effect will manifest itself in the profitability of agricultural enterprises. According to him, even with a reduction in the cost of production, moderate price competition is possible, but in general, the business is primarily focused on increasing its own profits, rather than reducing the final price for the consumer.