Field research projects on the management of soilborne diseases and rhizobia are severely constrained by the limitations of current research seeders. The development of a specialised research seeder will enable SA researchers to undertake world leading research to develop innovative practices to manage soil biological constraints in broadacre crops. This project is for Stage 1 of a three-stage process to 1. review, 2. design and 3. build a state-of-art research seeder.