DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF SEMI AUTOMATIC INTER AND INTRA ROW WEEDER FOR WIDER ROW SPACED CROPS
Loading...
Date
2022-08-18
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
guntur
Abstract
Weeds are unwanted and undesirable plants which interfere with the utilization of
land and water resources and thus adversely affect crop growth. They can also be referred
as plants out of place. Weeds compete with the beneficial and desired vegetation in crop
lands, forests, aquatic systems etc. Weeding is an essential requirement to enhance crop
growth. Handling the weeds nearby crop plants needs more attention and operation of
machine is difficult along with crop. Hence, it is weeds grow mostly carried at present by
engaging manual labor and become a labor intensive agricultural operation. Weeding
accounts for about 25 % of the total labour requirement during a cultivation season.
Whereas on the other hand machines can perform weed control when the crops are wellrooted,
because if the intra-row weeders mentioned above have contact with the crops,
the crops will not be damaged. This requirement causes a difficulty in controlling weeds
at very early planting stage.
The crop parameters those influence the weeding operation are row to row
spacing, intra row spacing between the plants and also the crop physical parameters.
Generally, the row to row spacing in wider spaced crops varies from 60 to 90 cm or 60 to
120 cm. while plant to plant spacing varies from 30 to 60 cm. The height of the plant,
number of branches and crop canopy varies at different stages of weeding also influence
the design of the weeding machine. Clearance required between the rows and also from
ground to chassis of the power source, in case of power operated weeding equipment also
effect the weeding efficiency. The height of the plant as well as the canopy of the plant at
different stages are to be taken into consideration to improve weeding efficiency and to
reduce the plant damage, particularly, while working between the plants with in the row.
A study was therefore undertaken on “development and evaluation of semiautomatic
inter and intra row weeder for wider row spaced crops” at Dr. NTR College of
Agricultural Engineering, Bapatla. The tractor mounted implement was evaluated by
varying forward speeds i.e., 0.6, 0.8 and 1.0 km h-1 at constant RPM of 180, 220 and 290
respectively and 2, 4 and 6 cm depth of operation levels in chilli crop.
Name of the Author : ARIGELA KISHORE
Title of the thesis : “Development and Evaluation of Semi-
Automatic Inter and Intra Row Weeder for
Wider Row Spaced Crops”
Degree to which it is submitted : Master of Technology
Faculty : Agricultural Engineering & Technology
Major field of study : FARM MACHINERY AND POWER
ENGINEERING
Major Advisor : Dr. S. JOSEPH REDDY
University : ACHARYA N. G. RANGA
AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY
Year of Submission : 2021
Lower weeding efficiencies were obtained at all depth of operation levels at
forward speed of 0.6 km h-1. The rate of increase in weeding efficiency was more when
forward speed increased than increase in depth of operation. The weeding efficiency was
almost constant for further increase of forward speed from 1.0 to 1.8 km h-1. It was clear
that the percentage of plant damage was zero or constant above 45 cm plant to plant
distance. Below 45 cm plant to plant distance, the percentage of plant damage was found
to be from 0 to 100 %. Draft increased with the increase in forward speed at all levels of
depth of operation. It was observed that the field capacity increased with the increase of
forward speed at all levels of depth of operation in all the crops both at 45 cm intra row
spacing. It was observed that the fuel consumption was almost constant for further
increase of forward speed from 1.0 to 1.8 km h-1. Cost of operation with developed inter
and intra row weeder was observed to be low when compared with traditional method of
weeding operation. The saving in cost was about Rs. 5,220 ha-1
over traditional method
of weeding.
keywords: Semi-automatic, inter and intra row, depth, weeding efficiency, plant damage,
draft, field capacity.
Description
DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF SEMI
AUTOMATIC INTER AND INTRA ROW WEEDER
FOR WIDER ROW SPACED CROPS