【Objective】To design a disc-cutter type no-till maize seeder equipped with a micro tillage machine, and solve the problems that the no-till seeder has difficulties in passing through the field and has unsatisfactory seeding quality in the southwest area of China with heavy clay soil and relatively small field area.【Method】Disc knife and walking device with depth wheel were applied to break stubble and ditch, limit depth and prevent skidding. The effects of flat, corrugated and notched disc knife operations on stubble breaking, traction resistance and fuel consumption were investigated. Soil cut with three types of cutting discs was simulated by LS-DYNA and the key parameters were designed.【Result】The field test showed that the soil disturbance quantity and fuel consumption of the no-tillage seeder equipped with flat cutting disc were about 4.03% and 14.64% lower than those of the corrugated type, respectively, and 1.15% and 7.51% lower than those of the notched type. The traction resistance reached the minimum value of 1.2 kN at the speed of 0.54 m·s^–1. The qualified rates of seeding and fertilizing depth with three types of cutting discs were above 85% and the qualified index of seed spacing was 90.3%.【Conclusion】This study provide the design basis for the no-tillage seeder with disc cutter in the southwest of China.