Development of transplanter for tea young plants in paperpots.

Tsutomu Oyaizul,Atsushi Yamamotol,Tetsuya Oishil,Takashi Fukutaka2 and Hirakazu Nakafuji3

I:Shizuoka Tea Experiment Station,1706-11 Kurasawa Kikugawa-cho,Shizuoka 439-0002,Japan

2:Kubota Co.,Ltd.,64 Ishizukitacho Sakai-shi,Osaka,590-0823,Japan

3:Kubota Agri Tokyo Co.,Ltd.,5-2-36 Nishibori Urawa-shi,Saitama,338-0832,Japan

Summary

The transplanting of tea young plants is hard and takes much time now. To save the time and

trouble, the mechanization of transplanting of tea plants is necessary. A transplanter for vegetable on

the market was improved, as a result, the transplanter for tea young plants in paperpots was developed.

As the transplanter ran in ditch about 10 centimeters deep, in case of going straight ahead, there was no

need to steer wheel and a man had only to supply tea young plants. The size of paperpot was 6

centimeters across and 15 centimeters de~ep. It was possible to transplant from 30 to 69 centimeters

intrarow spacing. The speed of transplanting was 1,800 to 2,400 plants per hour. It was very easy to

operate the transplanter.

Keywords : tea, transplanter, paperpot, young plant

Introdution

The tea native varieties were hasty replaced with the cultivars since the 1960' in Shizuoka prefecture.

Therefore, the ages of tea plants in not a few of the fields are over JO years old, and the replanting is

being necessary at these fields. But the transplanting of tea young plants is hard and takes much time ,

because it is handwork now. To save the time and trouble, the mechanization of transplanting of tea

plants is necessary. A transplanter for vegetable on the market was improved, as a result, the

transplanter for tea young plants in paperpots was developed.

Materials and MethodsThe base machine is KUBOTA KPT-4B what is a transplanter for vegetables. It was improved for tea

young plants. The improved machine was tried transplanting for tea youg plants on field of Shizuoka

Tea Experimnt Station and the private reclaimed fields. Tea rooted cuttings with paperpots were used

for the test. The size of paperpotwas 6cm across and 15cm deeep.

Results and Discussion

The transplanter for tea young

plant was developed as the result of

the repeated improvements. The

specificaions are shown in Table 1.

The views of the transplanter ·are

shown in Fig. 1, 2 and 3. The

speed of forward running was0.38m to 1.44m per second. The

transplanting rate was about 1,800

to 2,400 plants per hour. It was

possible for the planting interval to

·Table 1 Specifications of transplanter for tea young plant. Size: length; 2,550mm, width; 2,010mm, height; 1,270mm

Weight: 250kg

Speed: forward; low O.38m/sec, high 1.14m/secbackward; low O.25m/sec, high 0.74m/sec

Planting rate: 1,800 -..., 2,400 plantslhr

Motor: exhaust volume; 121cc, power; 4.2PS/2000rpm

Fuel: gasolineYoung plant size: paperpot; diameter 6cm, depth 15cm

shoot length; -..., 20cm

Planting interval: 30 -..., 69cm

Distance between hedges: 130 -..., 180cm

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Fig. I Side view of transplanter

guide whe<1

Fig.2 Front view of transplanter

be changed 30cm to 69cm.

The distance beween hedgeswas changed 130cm to180cm.

The tea young plants wereshown in Fig 4. These grew

in paperpots, and were usedfor the test.

The principal improvementswere planting hopper, wheel

shaft, young plants stand,

young plants putting cup andplow. The improved planting

hopper was shown in Fig 5.

The tea young plants were

steadily planted as the resultof these improvements.

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Fig.3 Transplanter for tea young plant

Fig.4 Tea young plants with paperpot

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Fig.5 Planting hopper

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Fig.6 View of operation by a man Fig.7 View of operation by two menTransplanting on vinyl mulching

The VIews of the

operation of transplanterwere shown in Fig.6 and 7.

It was possible for thetransplanter to be operatedby either one man or twomen. The transplanting by

the transplanter took about

80 minutes per 10 ares.

The view of transplantedtea field was shown inFig.8. The tea young plants

were steadily planted even

on vinyl mulching.

It was very easy to

operate the transplanter for

tea young plants.Even the women

can operate it Thetransplanter came up

to the expectations

of tea farmers.

Fig.8 View of transplanted tea field with vinyl mulching

Fig.9 Guidance for farmers

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