No-till planter with reciprocating powered-cutter for wheat permanent raised beds cultivation

The reciprocating powered-cutter wheat no-till planter, which has the functions of residue-cutting, seeding and bed-renovating, was designed based on the problems of residues blocking and seriously damaged bed shape during the planting of wheat in maize stubble coverage fields under the condition of permanent raised beds (PRB) in irrigation agricultural region of northwest China. This planter used the way combining the vertical residue-cutting by powered cutter and horizontal residue-cutting by knife shaped opener to solve blocking. Furthermore, the columniform and cultivated-type plough was adopted to renovate the beds. The field experiment showed that the planter was effective in solving blocking and renovating the beds. The mean seeding and fertilizing depths were 46 mm and 91 mm, respectively, and good uniformity was shown. In conclusion, the planter could meet the requirements of wheat no-till planting in PRB farming system in irrigation agricultural region of northwest China.