Determination of Selected Physical Properties of Vegetable Seedlings for Development of Vegetable Transplanter

Abstract

The physical properties of vegetable seedlings are important for the design or development of vegetable transplanters. The transplanting of vegetable seedlings is generally accomplished through manual, semi-automatic or fully automatic transplanters. The selected physical parameters like, plant height, plant weight, stem diameter and plant canopy of the tomato and chilli seedlings were measured as per the age of the seedlings (4, 5 and 6 weeks). The observed average height of seedlings was 115, 125.4 and 133 mm (Chilli); and 117,122 and 135.60 mm (Tomato) for 4, 5 and 6 weeks old seedlings, respectively. The average weight of seedlings was determined 12.38, 15.34 and 16.64 g (Chilli); and 13.64, 16.82 and 19.86 g (Tomato) for 4, 5 and 6 weeks old seedlings, respectively. The average diameters of stems were 1.29, 1.38 and 1.41 mm (Chilli); and 2.22, 2.58 and 3.39 mm (Tomato) for 4, 5 and 6 weeks old seedlings, respectively. The average plant canopies were 97 .2, 115.2 and 129.2 mm (Chilli); and 74.60, 88.20 and 119.80 mm (Tomato) for 4, 5 and 6 weeks old seedlings, respectively.