25 DOI: https://doi.org/10.48001/veethika.2023.09.04.0031Copyright (c) 2023 QTanalytics India (Publications) ika.2021.07.01.006 Research Article Volume-9 | Issue-4 | Oct-Dec-2023| Performance Evaluation of 4-Wheel Tractor Drawn 3-Rows Precision Maize Planter for Mechanization of Maize Farming in Nepal Sachin Kumar Mishra 1* , Shreemat Shrestha 2 , Sanjeet Kumar Jha 3 , Anand Mishra 4 , Bikash K.C. 5 , Mukti Nath Jha 6 , Dwarika Chaudhary 7 , Sunil Sahani 8 1,5,7, &8 Agriculture Implement Research Station, Ranighat, Birgunj, Parsa, Nepal Agricultural Research Council, Nepal. 2,3, &6 National Agricultural Engineering Research Centre, Khumaltar, Kathmandu, Nepal Agricultural Research Council, 4 Directotrate of Agricultural Research, Madesh Pardesh, Parwanipur, Bara, Nepal Agricultural Research Council, Nepal. *Corresponding Author Email: Sachin_bau33@yahoo.com Received: 20 November, 2023, Revised: 2 December, 2023 Accepted: 8 December, 2023, Published: 12 December, 2023 ABSTRACT: Hybrid winter maize is gaining popularity in the Terai region, as traditional maize growing practices are resource-consuming and labor-intensive. High inputs and labor costs have been a burden for hybrid maize growers. This study aimed to evaluate a Chinese-made 2BMZJ-3 model tractor-drawn 3-rows precision maize planter in actual field conditions and on-farm, comparing it with farmers' practices. The planter was hitched with 3-point linkages at the rear of a 35 hp tractor and could be operated in both tilled and no-tilled conditions. The seed rate was about 20 kg/ha, with a germination of 98% and an average of 4-5 plants/m² of length of row. The actual field capacity was 0.38 ha/hr in clay loam soil with an initial moisture of 26.11% and a bulk density of 1.18 g/cm³. The total cost of sowing was NRs 4050/ha, while the planting cost for farmers' practices was around NRs 7500/ha. The planter reduced the planting cost by 46% and increased the grain yield per unit area compared to farmers' practices. It is concluded that the maize planter not only reduces the planting cost but also increases grain yield per unit area. KEYWORDS: Farm Mechanization, Precision Maize Planter, Field Capacity, Seed rate/ placement, Yield, Economic Analysis 1. INTRODUCTION Nepal is an agricultural country and it is known for its diversity so research in agriculture on different aspects is continuous process (Chaudhary & Mishra, 2021a, b). Maize is a significant crop globally, with nearly 1147.7 million MT produced by over 170 countries from an area of 193.7 million ha, with an average productivity of 5.75 t/ha (FAOSAT, 2020). The global consumption pattern of maize is feed-61%, food-17%, and industry-22% (MOAD, 2022). Maize is an industrial crop, with 83% of its production used as fodder, starch, and bio-fuel, which influences the economy of any country. In Nepal, maize is the second most important crop after rice, with a total area of 9,79,776 ha and a production of 29,97,733 MT in 2022, contributing about 26.96% of total cereal production (Coltheart et al.,1993). Maize is emerging as an industrial crop in accessible areas of Nepal, with VEETHIKA-An International Interdisciplinary Research Journal E-ISSN: 2454-342x Double Blind Peer Reviewed Journal URL: https://veethika.qtanalytics.in