How is VL Line Maker beneficial for farmers of hilly areas?

Seed Sowing Machine VL Line Maker: There are different methods for sowing seeds, out of which the sprinkling method is the easiest, but its germination rate is only 50 percent, that is, in this method the wastage of seeds is very high, which increases the cost of farming. Some seeds remain on top and some go deeper, due to which germination is not uniform. In such a situation, VL Line Maker machine can be very effective for farmers.

Same in mountainous areas, mostly spraying method is used, due to which the cost of farming of farmers is high and profit is low. In such a situation, V.L. Line Maker machine can prove to be helpful for farmers, because with the help of this small machine, they can easily sow by making lines in the field. In line sowing, the germination rate of seeds is good, weeding also becomes easy and this also reduces the cost of farming of farmers in hilly areas. This machine has been developed by ICAR-Vivekananda Parvatiya Krishi Anusandhan Sansthan, Almora.

Why is Seed Sowing Machine necessary?

Agricultural scientists and experts say that for more production, farmers should sow in lines. One advantage of sowing in lines is that less seeds are required, secondly, weeding becomes easy and production is also more.

Who developed V.L. Line Maker?

To overcome the shortage of laborers, many types of agricultural equipment have been developed by agricultural scientists. One such small but very effective machine is V.L. Line Maker, it has been made by Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Vivekanand Parvatiya Krishi Anusandhan Sansthan, Almora. Being light, it can be easily brought and used in hilly areas. Its weight is just 2.2 kg, which a person can easily pull.

Makes rows easily?

With the use of V.L. Line Maker, a person can easily make 3-4 furrow rows in an hour. Germination of seeds is good when sowing is done with V.L. Line Maker, because during sowing the seed remains at a certain depth which is later closed. In V.L. Line Maker, you can adjust the distance of the seed in the row according to the crop, for this its pods have to be fixed. If you have to sow crops like wheat, paddy and millets, then fix the distance to 20 cm. For sowing crops like peas and lentils, fix a distance of 30 cm between the rows. For sowing soybean and maize, fix the pods at a distance of 45 or 60 cm.

VL Line Maker is easy to use

VL Line Maker is made entirely of iron and has rubber handles at the place where it is held, which provides good grip when held. Due to rubber handles, it can be pulled easily, it does not cause slippage in the hands and there is no pressure on the palms. With the help of this machine, five and at least one row can be taken out simultaneously. Being light, even women farmers can pull it easily.

Demonstration of Seed Sowing Machine

This machine was demonstrated for the first time in 2019 in two villages of Almora district of Uttarakhand. After successful demonstration, many farmers used it for sowing and after getting better results, inspired the rest of the nearby farmers to adopt it. Farmers used this machine for sowing crops like tur, soybean, gahat, lentil and got the benefit of higher yield.

The Farmers were made aware of the benefits of using this machine in hilly areas. Farmers were explained through messages about how its use saves both time and effort, so that more and more farmers can take advantage of this machine.

The traditional method of making rows requires bending, which increases the possibility of back and muscle-related problems and diseases, whereas this machine does not require bending, which does not cause muscle-related problems and fatigue.

Convenience in weeding

By sowing in rows, weeding can be done easily, and the crops also grow more branches. The use of this machine also saves the seeds of the farmers.