Compatibility between rapeseed bare-root seedling morphological characteristics and the transplanter parameters

Authors

  • Hua Yuan 1. College of Engineering, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China;
  • Qingxi Liao 1. College of Engineering, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; 2. Key Laboratory of Agricultural Equipment in Mid-lower Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture andRural Affairs, Wuhan 430070, China
  • Jiacheng Yuan 1. College of Engineering, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China;
  • Kaiwen Liu 1. College of Engineering, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China;
  • Lin Li 1. College of Engineering, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China;
  • Lizong Wang 1. College of Engineering, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China;
  • Wenbin Du 1. College of Engineering, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China;
  • Xingyu Wan 1. College of Engineering, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; 2. Key Laboratory of Agricultural Equipment in Mid-lower Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture andRural Affairs, Wuhan 430070, China

Keywords:

rapeseed bare-root seedling, transplanter, morphological compatibility, cultivar selection, growth uniformity, precision planting, design optimization, field performance

Abstract

The compatibility between the morphological characteristics (MCs) of rapeseed bare-root seedlings and transplanters directly affects planting quality. To improve the adaptability of transplanters to the MCs of different rapeseed cultivars, this study focused on six winter rapeseed cultivars (A1: Huyou 17, A2: Huayouza 9, A3: Fengyou 520, A4: Zhongyou 108, A5: Zheyou 50, and A6: Huayouza 62). Five MCs—root length (RL), seedling height (SH), root diameter (RD), stem thickness (ST), and seedling width (SW)—were measured during the seedling ages (25-40 d). Multiple comparisons were conducted to identify cultivars with no significant differences (NSD, α=0.05) in MCs, while skewness and kurtosis were analyzed to assess temporal variations in MC distributions. Quadratic polynomial regression was employed to model the growth trends of MCs for each cultivar. The results showed that the skewness and kurtosis ranges of MCs were –0.65 to 1.16 and 1.62 to 6.28, respectively, indicating significant variability in growth symmetry and concentration both within and among cultivars. As seedling age increased, the number of cultivars with NSD in MCs progressively decreased (25 d: 5; 30 d: 4; 35 d: 3; 40 d: 2), but A3, A5, and A6 maintained consistent stability before 35 d. Based on MC statistical analysis, the key design parameters for the transplanter were determined as follows: flat belt width was 180 mm, positioning bar spacing was 70 mm, flexible belt width was 150 mm, clamping distance was 8 mm, seedling drop height was 180 mm, and planting depth was 40 mm. Field tests demonstrated that the transplanter exhibited superior compatibility with cultivars A3, A5, and A6, achieving seedling delivery success rates of 93.75% (A3), 93.23% (A5), and 92.71% (A6), along with significantly higher planting success rates compared to the control group (A1, A2, A4). This study provides a theoretical basis for optimizing the compatibility between transplanters and rapeseed bare-root seedlings, as well as guiding the structural design of transplanting machinery.      

Keywords: rapeseed bare-root seedling, transplanter, morphological compatibility, cultivar selection, growth uniformity, seedling delivery device, design optimization

DOI: 10.25165/j.ijabe.20261903.9956

Citation: Yuan H, Liao Q X, Yuan J C, Liu K W, Li L, Wang L Z, et al. Compatibility between rapeseed bare-root seedlingmorphological characteristics and the transplanter parameters. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2026; 19(3): 31–41.

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Published

2026-07-14

How to Cite

(1)
Yuan, H.; Liao, Q.; Yuan, J.; Liu, K.; Li, L.; Wang, L.; Du, W.; Wan, X. Compatibility Between Rapeseed Bare-Root Seedling Morphological Characteristics and the Transplanter Parameters. Int J Agric & Biol Eng 2026, 19, 31–41.

Issue

Vol. 19 No. 3 (2026): IJABE

Section

Applied Science, Engineering and Technology

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