Investigation and development analysis of seed industry mechanization in China

Abstract: Mechanization of seed industry is a precondition of seed industry's modernization. It is a system engineering with multi links from variety breeding and testing to seed production and processing, etc. This paper summarized the current situation of researches on seed industry mechanization form aspects of variety testing, seed production and processing. Generally, three problems should be emphasized on in the mechanization of seed industry in China: 1) Most of Chinese seed industry equipment manufacturing enterprises are generally small scale with poor equipments and less investments in scientific research; 2) In comparison with international development of seed industry, the development level of seed processing machinery in China is low, and thus it is needed to expand equipment functions, optimize structure design, improve operation performance and modern control level; and 3) Seed damage and seed vigor loss are still two of big challenges in the seed processing, and should be lowered in future by exploring more effective and precise processing technologies. Therefore, more researches should focus on system integration outfits including: 1) Key equipments for crop variety experiments such as weight metering, automatic supplying seed system, self seeding and clearing system, and row-and-line spacing control system for sowing; efficient thresher device, automatic cleaning device, and yield determination apparatus for harvesting; panicle thresher device, batch drying device, precise seed evaluation device, and seed subpackage for variety evaluation; comprehensive information management and efficient information acquisition, and nondestructive testing technology and equipment for information management; and 2) Key equipments on crop seed production including those for precise metering, precise depth control, efficient separating seed; emasculation electromechanical liquid control, intelligent control, low loss and high efficient stripping of corn ear, safe lubrication of multi-channel stripping roller, effective ear feeding and discharging, threshing with low damage and efficient seed screening, corn ear harvesting with low damage, mechanical harvest and management of cotton seed, and mechanical cotton seed damage control. In addition, researches and technologies on low-loss and high-effective precise proceeding integration system of crop seeds are required including modern seed processing technology integration theory and method, construction of technology integration model, rapid drying and low loss mechanism and technology for wet seeds; drying process control technology, material screening mechanism and efficient screening technology, screen hole plugging mechanism and sieve cleaning technology, medicine mixing and rapid solidification technology, the ratio of liquid equilibrium, cotton velvet acid processing precision control technology, cotton velvet removal by friction management technology, cotton velvet removal and precise metering technology, and so on. In summary, scale, standardization, intensification, and mechanization are the direction to promote the sustained and healthy development of modern seed industry.