Total Concept Sugar Cane Planting System

Group Name: PAD Farming Company

Develop an all in one production system 600mm wide, single row mounding and GPS controlled traffic billet planter. This involves manufacturing a profiling attachment device for a planter which constructs bed, places billets in suitable alignment and corresponds billets with appointed depth of soil to encourage maximum germination of planting. This system differs to others due to bed formation (profile to match harvester basecutter blades) being part of planting process.

• Precise alignment of billets and correct soil cover- better germination
• Infrastructure restructuring -
  • reducing the number of tractor passes before and after planting by up to 5 passes
• Nil cultivation after planting, minimal weedicide spraying in plant and ratoons
• Matching drill width to harvester and haulout widths 1.83m - Controlled Traffic
• Utilising GPS Guidance - for ease of setting up prototype and precise profile to match harvester basecutter = less dirt sent to mill
• Harvester modification -
  • differential cut, rubber rollers and testing of two types of elevator floor

    to reduce billet damage 

  • flow divider to achieve even roller speed and longer billet length
• Canegrowers will develop skills from field days and trials

Project Activities:

• Manufacture and trial Bed forming billet planter attachment
• Utilise GPS guidance to ensure accurate billet placement to width of rows
• Modify Harvester- trialling - differential cut, rubber rollers and testing of two types of elevator floor to reduce billet damage
• Flow divider to achieve even roller speed and longer billet length
• Compare new system to current system both agronomically and financially, which includes recording the following:
  • Modification costs
  • Fuel costs
  • Operation costs
  • Cane plant populations
  • Yield
  • Growing costs

• Prepare and communicate reports and activities