Adoption of a New-Age Hand Planter for the Developing World.

In the developing world, chemically treated maize (Zea mays L.) seed is planted using metal-tipped persimmon sticks, and by striking the soil, create a soil depression whereby ensuing seed (2-3) per are placed by hand in these depressions.  Farmers are thus exposed to toxic chemicals via the planting process because they refuse to use latex gloves as protection.  Human immune systems become increasingly weakened from season to season as a result of this planting method.  In the developing world, more than 30,000,000 hectares are planted to maize on highly marginal landscapes, and that is equivalent to the maize area under production in the United States.  Oklahoma State University’s (OSU) new hand planter is capable of planting single seeds with each planter strike, remove chemically treated seed from the hands of producers, and via homogeneity of plant stands, and the added benefits of serving as a mid-season fertilizer applicator, potentially increasing grain yields by 30%.  OSU has now placed almost 300 hand planters in strategic locations all around the world and we continue to collect data/input to further refine our planter.  Our goal is to someday have a planter that could be sold for roughly 25 USD.