A Portable Precision Fluid Planter For Pre-Germinated Vegetable Seeds

The multi-phase goal is to develop validate and commercialize an innovative integrated system that enables growers to germinate seeds on the farm and to then precisely plant them in the field. The project addresses the program goals of Accelerating Innovative Technologies and Practices Driving Climate-Smart Solutions and Cultivating Resilient Ecosystems. As envisioned this innovation will replace costly and labor-intensive transplant-based methods while maintaining high crop establishment. Since transplants require heated/ventilated structures eliminating the need for transplants boosts energy efficiency and cuts costs. Our lighter-weight equipment reduces soil compaction promoting soil health. Growers face increasing difficulty finding and affording the labor required to produce vegetable crops. The Eden solution reduces labor up to 96% and produces more food with lower input costs. Our main Phase II objective is to capitalize on our Phase I SBIR success by validating a proprietary autonomous integrated planting system that prepares and plants one—and only one—germinated tomato seed at a time and that meets/exceeds all performance requirements in actual field conditions. Our plan is to perform multiple field trials to identify the control parameters that produce the best batches of germinated seeds for use in the planter and to then execute 10-hour tests in the field with batches prepared with these optimal settings and prototypes of our autonomous planter. Field-testing will be conducted in East Tennessee and Tifton Georgia to obtain data for "Phase" III partnering and commercialization.