Development of Automatic Seedling Feeding Device for Cucurbits Grafting Robot (Part 1)

——Evaluation of Automatic Stock Feeder——

Abstract

A study was conducted to develop a hig-efficiency automatic seedling feeder compatible with semi-automatic grafting robot for cucurbits. For continuous picking out seedlings from cell trays intermittently fed via a conveyor, an automatic stock feeder was fabricated and subjected to performance testing, the results of which demonstrated the feasibility of automatic feeding of aligned stock. No significant difference on the accuracy of seedling feeding was found in all varieties of pumpkin and bottle gourd. Its seedling divider allowed 100 % removal of seedlings inclined up to 80° in the positive X direction, 65° in the negative X direction, 70° in the negative Y direction and 35° in the positive Y direction, showing much greater flexibility than conventional models.