Abstract
The rejection rate of tree stock in a forestry nursery can be as high as 35%. This is attributed to plant physiology, poorly trained seasonal workers and unsophisticated equipment. It is estimated that approximately 5% of seedling rejection in the pilot nursery (approximately 220,000 per year) is due to poorly dibbled holes. These holes are typically dibbled using a spiked wheel, which produces crooked and imprecise holes. The poor-quality holes cause bends in the stems, resulting in rejection. This article presents a tractor-drawn mechatronic dibbling machine that can produce precise vertical holes of a specified depth, spacing and diameter. Both hole quality and dibbling efficiency are greatly improved. The machine was tested at a nursery and produced 98% of the holes at the desired angle and 94% at the desired depth. The unwanted stem bends were eliminated with a subsequent reduction in rejects. Furthermore, it was found that worker productivity increased, as they did not have to spend time setting seedlings vertically.
Rights
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
