2011 Volume 73 Issue 1 Pages 57-64
We conducted research to develop a seedling feeding device that could be adapted to a semi-automatic grafting robot for cucurbits. After examining the possibility of cotyledon orientation using a fixed guide with a triangular protrusion in the plate center, we produced a basic prototype apparatus for automatically feeding seedlings and conducted a performance test. We found that cotyledon orienting using the fixed guide was possible if we use seedlings that were sown in an aligned pattern. If we targeted seedlings that emerged within 13mm of the cell center, we could achieve a seedling feeding success rate of 94%, though the basic prototype apparatus achieved only a 90% success rate. We thought that the accuracy could be improved by improving the seedling holding mechanism, the sowing method, and the raising methods of seedlings.
