ICAR-CIAE Developed Advanced Mulching-cum-Planter Machine

Bhopal - The ICAR-Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering (CIAE), has developed a cutting-edge Tractor-Driven Plastic Mulch Layer-cum-Planter Machine. This innovative, multi-functional agricultural implement enables three crucial tasks - laying plastic mulch, installing drip irrigation lines, and sowing seeds, to be completed simultaneously, using a single machine.

Traditionally, farmers used separate tools for raised beds, drip lines, mulching, and sowing, taking up to 29 man-days per hectare. The new mulch layer-cum-planter machine streamlines all these tasks into one efficient operation. Powered by a tractor’s hydraulic system and PTO, it uses a 385 Nm hydraulic motor, chain-sprocket drive, and vacuum seed unit to simultaneously prepare beds, lay drip and mulch, and sow seeds with precision—saving time, labor, and costs.

The Tractor-Driven Plastic Mulch Layer-cum-Planter Machine offers a host of key features and benefits that make it a game-changer for modern agriculture. It enables integrated operation, combining three essential tasks - mulching, drip irrigation, and seed sowing - into a single, streamlined process. With a field efficiency of 74%, the machine can cover 0.2 hectares per hour at a speed of 1.7 km/h, significantly improving productivity.

The innovation received national attention when Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan visited the ICAR-CIAE campus in Bhopal. Praising the invention, the Minister described it as a “wonderful innovation in the interest of farmers,” noting that it would ease farming operations, reduce costs, and enhance productivity.

What makes this machine unique is its precision planting mechanism, where an eccentric slider crank and vacuum seed plate work together to accurately place seeds through mulch at the right depth and spacing—crucial for sensitive crops. Designed for small and medium farmers, the Tractor-Driven Plastic Mulch Layer-cum-Planter Machine simplifies operations, cuts costs, and supports sustainable farming through efficient use of water and labor.

This technology highlights India’s ongoing efforts to support its agricultural backbone through innovative mechanization, offering farmers tools that maximize productivity while minimizing input costs.

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