PENGEMBANGAN ALAT TANAM JAGUNG TERINTEGRASI ALAT PENEBAR PUPUK GRANULAR MENGGUNAKAN TENAGA PENGGERAK TRAKTOR RODA DUA

Background. Corn, as a strategic food commodity, necessitates a high degree of efficiency in its cultivation process. However, separate planting and fertilization activities lead to increased labor demand, extended operational time, and inaccuracies in the application of fertilizer doses and planting distances. Therefore, the development of a corn planting tool capable of integrating these processes into a single operational pass is required to enhance both efficiency and productivity. Objective. This study aims to develop a corn planting tool with an integrated granular fertilization system and to evaluate its performance based on working capacity, efficiency, and fertilizer distribution accuracy. Methods. An engineering approach was employed in this research, involving the development stages of conceptual design, technical analysis, designing, manufacturing, assembly, static calibration, dynamic calibration, and field testing. The observed parameters included theoretical field capacity (TFC), effective field capacity (EFC), work efficiency, and fertilizer dosage deviation from the target. Results. The test results indicate that the tool is capable of simultaneously performing planting and fertilizing operations within a single work pass. The effective field capacity achieved was 0.0262 hectares per hour with a work efficiency of 47%. However, the average fertilizer dosage deviation was found to be 43.75% from the target rate of 2 grams per planting point. The performance of the tool was influenced by the small diameter of the driving wheel and the suboptimal stability of the transmission system, which affected the consistency of the fertilizer metering rotation. Conclusion. The developed tool operates based on its intended working principles but remains in an early development stage, with performance yet to reach optimal levels. Improvements in the design of the driving wheel and metering system are necessary to enhance efficiency and accuracy in fertilizer distribution.