Economics Of The Greenseeder Hand Planter

Corn (Zea mays L.) is an important staple food crop for millions of people in many developing countries. Its production levels in developing countries, are lower than in developed countries in part to planting methods that involve hand dropping of multiple seeds per hill assisted with tools such as hand hoes, cutlasses and/or dibblers (Stick Seeder Planter (SSP)). Researchers at Oklahoma State University (OSU) developed the Greenseeder Hand Planter (GHP) which is hypothesized to reduce optimal seeding rates because it places one seed per hill and potentially reduces long term health risks because it does not require using bare hands to drop the pesticide treated seeds. The objective of this research was to determine the economics of using the GHP relative to the conventional SSP. Data from field trials were obtained. A linear mixed effects model was used. Partial budgets were used to determine the quantity of seed savings, the amount of labor, and the increase in corn yield that would be required for the GHP to be an economically viable alternative to the SSP. Results suggest that a GHP expected to be used to plant 3 hectares per year that costs $50 would be required to increase corn yields by 0.028 Mg per hectare or save about 9,022 seeds per hectare (12.19% less) to equal expected net returns from the SSP. Alternatively, it would be required to reduce labor man-days by 1.933 for a farmer to breakeven relative to the SSP. Additional research would be required to determine differences in farmer health consequences of the GHP relative to the SSP from the reduction in the level of contact with pesticide treated seed.