Farm Machinery and Equipment

Course Objective:
After the completion of this course students will be familiar with primary and secondary tillage and emplements, seeding, planting, harvesting, threshing, plant protection machines, equipment and there management.

1. Objectives and Scope of Farm Mechanization (2 hours)
1. Objectives of Farm Mechanization
2. Scope and Limitations of Farm Mechanization in Nepal
3. Policies and Related Strategies to Farm Mechanization in Nepal

2. Tillage (3 hours)
1. Definition and Objectives of Tillage
2. Primary and Secondary Tillage
3. Physical, Chemical and Biological Influences of Tillage
4. Changing Views on Tillage

3. Primary and Secondary Tillage Implements   
1. Mould Board Ploughs (3 hours)
1. Types, Construction and Working Principle
2. Accessories and Attachments
3. Forces Acting on the Plough Bottom
2. Disc Ploughs (3 hours)
1. Types, Construction and Working Principle
2. Accessories and Attachments
3. Forces Acting on Plough Bottom
3. Harrows   (4 hours)
1. Types, Construction and Working Principle of Harrows
2. Functions of Harrows
3. Others types of Harrows, their Selection and Use
4. Forces Acting on Disk Harrow and their Analysis
4. Rotary Tillage Tools and Implements   (4 hours)
1. Types, Construction and Working Principle of Rotavator, Stirring Plough and Auger Plough
2. Advantages and Limitations of Rotary Tillage Tools
3. Forces Acting on Rotary Tillage Tools
5. Specialized Tillage Implements and Tools  (2 hours)       
1. Sub-Soiler and Chisel Ploughs
2. Rider and Bundformer
3. Puddler
6. Tools and Implements for Intercultural Operations  (3 hours)
1. Objectives of Intercultural Operations
2. Types, Construction and Working Principle of Cultivator
3. Types of Intercultural Tools- sweep, shovel, hoe, rotary hoe etc.
4. Horticultural Tools and Gadgets
7. Measurement of Forces on Tillage Tools (3 hours)
1. Dynamic Soil Properties Affecting Soil-Tool Interaction
2. Types of Dynamometers: spring, hydraulic, eddy current, strain-gauge
3. Draft, Unit-Draft and Draft Power

4. Seeding and Planting Machines (5 hours)
1. Methods of Seeding and Planting and their Mechanization
2. Types, Construction and Working Principle of Drills and Planters
3. Types, Construction and Working Principle Paddy Trans-planters
4. Seed and Fertilizer Metering Devices in Drills and Planters
5. Calibration and Field Adjustments in Drills and Planters
6. Furrow Openers and Covering Devices in Drills and Planters
7.  Sugarcane and Potato Planters                                                               
8. Recent Advances in Seeding and Planting Implements

5. Machines and Equipment for Plant Protection (4 hours)
1. Objectives of Spraying and Dusting
2. Types of Sprayers and Dusters
3. Working Principle and Components of Sprayers
4. Working Principle and Components of Duster
5. Safety in Handling Plant Protection Machines
6. Selection and Calibration of Sprayers and Dusters

6. Harvesting Machines                                                                                              
1. Crop Harvesting Methods and their Mechanization (1 hours)
2. Mowers (3 hours) 
1. Types, Working Principle and Constructional Details
2. Functional Parameters of Mower Cutter-bar
3. Forces Acting on Cutter-bar
4. Adjustments and Balancing of Cutter-bar
3. Reapers and Windrowers (3 hours)
1. Types, Working Principle and Constructional Details
2. Reaper-Binder
3. Adjustments and Performance
4. Harvesters for Other Crops (3 hours)
1. Potato Digger- working principle and constructional details
2. Groundnut Harvester- working principle and constructional details
3. Sugarcane Harvester- working principle and constructional details
4. Fruit Harvesting Machinery
5. Cotton Pickers and Stripers

7. Threshing Machines (4 hours)
1. Threshing Mechanisms and their Mechanization 
2. Types Threshers, their Working Principles and Constructional Details
3. Factors Affecting Thresher Performance
4. Adjustments and Trouble-Shooting in Mechanical Threshers
5.  
8. Combined Harvesters (2 hours)
1. Classification and Functional Components of Grain Combines
2. Material Flow and Adjustments in Grain Combines
3. Adjustments and Trouble-Shooting in Combine Harvesters

9. Chaff and Silage Cutters and Forage Harvesters (2 hours)
1. Working Principle and Constructional Details
2. Types of Cutter Heads
3. Power Requirement and Cutting Energy
4. Forage Blower

10.  Hill Agricultural Machinery (2 hours)

11.  Selection and Economics of Farm Machines and Equipment (4 hours)              
1.  Selection Criteria of Farm Machines and Equipment
2.  Cost of Operation of Farm Machines- fixed and variable costs
3.  Management of Farm Machines for Optimum Performance
4.  Feasibility of Custom Hiring of Farm Machines and Equipment

Practical:

1. Study of Different Farm Operations and Familiarization with Farm Machines and Equipment
2. Study on Animal and Tractor Drawn Mould Board Plough
3. Study on Disk Plough
4. Study on Animal and Tractor Drawn Disk Harrows
5. Study on Rotary Tillage Tools
6. Study on Sub-soiler and Chisel Plough
7. Study on Mechanical Weed Control Machines and Equipments
8. Study on Seeding and Planting Machines
9. Calibration of Seed Drills and Planters
10. Study on Paddy Trans-planters
11. Study on Mowers and Reapers
12. Study on Mechanical Threshers
13. Study on Combined Harvesters
14. Study on Plant Protection Machines and Equipments
15. Measurement of Power Requirement of Farm Machines and Equipments

References:

1. Principle of Farm Machinery (Latest edition) by R. A. Kepner, Roy Bainer and E. L. Barger. C & S Publishers and Distributors, New Delhi, India.
2. Farm Machinery and Equipment, 6th edition by H. P. Smith and L. H. Wilkey. Tata McGraw Hill Publishing Co. Ltd., New Delhi, India.
3. Principle of Agricultural Engineering, Vol. I (Latest Edition) by A. M. Michael and T. P. Ojha. Jain Brothers, New Delhi, India.
4. Farm Machinery, 10th edition by Clude Culpin. ELBS London, UK.
5. Elements of Farm Machines, 1st edition by A. C. Srivastava. Oxford and IBH Publishing Co. Ltd., New Delhi, India.
6. Agricultural Machines by N. I. Kelnin, I. F. Popov and A. V. A. Sakur, Amerind Publishing, New Delhi
7. Testing and Evaluation of Agricultural Machines by M. L. Mehta, S. R. Verma, S. K. Mishra and V. K. Sharma.
8. Agricultural Engineering (Through Worked Examples) by Radhey Lal and A. C. Datta. Saroj Publishers, Allahabad.

Evaluation Scheme:
The question will cover all the chapters of the syllabus. The evaluation scheme will be as indicated in the table below:

Chapters	Hours	Marks Distribution*
1 & 2	5	6
3.1 & 3.2	6	8
3.3 & 3.4	8	12
3.5 & 3.6	5	6
3.7	3	5
4	5	7
5	4	6
6 ,7 & 8	16	20
9 & 10	4	5
11	4	5
Total	60	80

*Note: There may be minor deviation in marks distribution.