NEERAJA, TELAPROLUSANDHYA DEVI, K2020-01-222020-01-222019http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810141537D5765The present study was undertaken to conduct performance and ergonomic evaluation of manually operated weeders developed in the department of Resource Management and Consumer Sciences, Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, Guntur. The six weeders selected for the study were one wheel multi pronged weeder, one wheel straight pronged weeder, one wheel curve pronged weeder, two wheel multi pronged weeder, two wheel straight pronged weeder, two wheel curve pronged weeder. Besides the six weeders the conventional hand weeding with local made kurpi was also considered as one of the methods of weeding. The parameters selected for performance evaluation were Performance Index, Field capacity of the weeder, Plant damage percent, Weeding index percent and Human energy required to operate the weeder. The Ergonomic evaluation was performed taking into consideration the Drudgery index and Physiological cost of work. Women aged between 26 and 39 years were participating in agricultural operations. Weeding was found to be one of the most frequently done agricultural operations. On average women were spending 89 days in weeding operations. Irrespective of the type of operation, most commonly used tools were Likki and Kodavali. The mean area covered in weeding with one wheel straight pronged weeder was the highest among all the weeders. Plant damage was negligible in case of all weeders not including the two straight pronged weeders. Relatively more plant damage was observed in case of these two weeders. The mean weeding index per cent was highest for traditional hand weeding, followed by two wheel straight pronged weeder. Mean energy spent for conventional hand weeding was lowest followed by two wheel straight pronged weeder. The performance index score was maximum for one wheel straight pronged weeder and minimum for traditional hand weeding. Overall performance was high for one wheel straight pronged weeder followed by two wheel straight pronged weeder. As per the mean drudgery index score weeding irrespective of the type of weeder was found drudgery prone activity. Among the weeders developed one wheel straight pronged weeders were more comfortable. The physiological cost of weeding was less for two wheel straight pronged weeder followed by one wheel straight pronged weeder. NAME : K. SANDHYA DEVI ID. NO. : GHM/2017 - 13 TITLE OF THE THESIS : PERFORMANCE AND ERGONOMIC EVALUATION OF MANUALLY OPERATED WEEDERS DEVELOPED IN ANGRAU DEGREE TO WHICH IT : IS SUBMITTED MASTER OF SCIENCE IN HOME SCIENCE MAJOR FIELD : FAMILY RESOURCE MANAGEMENT FACULTY : HOME SCIENCE MAJOR GUIDE : Dr. NEERAJA TELAPROLU UNIVERSITY : ACHARYA N.G. RANGA AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY YEAR OF SUBMISSION : 2019 13 Number of days required to complete weeding in one hectare by one wheel straight pronged weeder was 19 days and conventional hand weeding was 84 days. The cost of weeding in case of conventional hand weeding was four times more than the cost of weeding with one wheel straight pronged weeder. The mean difference in the field capacity of weeders (P=< .0001) was highly significant. Mean difference with reference to field capacity between one wheel multi pronged weeder and traditional hand weeding; one wheel straight pronged weeder and traditional hand weeding was found highly significant. In case of plant damage mean difference among weeders was found significant. According to the means and pair wise mean comparisons hand weeding method differed significantly with all the weeders with reference to plant damage percent. Mean difference (P=0.0012) in the weeding efficiency of different weeders selected for the study was significant. One wheel multi pronged weeder differed significantly on mean weeding index percent with only curve pronged one wheel weeder. The mean weeding index percent was high for traditional hand weeding followed by two wheel straight pronged weeder, one wheel multi pronged weeder. There was no significant mean difference among the weeders with reference to weeding index percent. Straight pronged blade was found extra competent in removing weeds. The difference in the mean energy spent by the subjects while performing conventional method of weeding against mean energy spent by the subjects when weeding was done with the rest of the weeders selected in the study was found significant. The mean difference in energy expenditure among the weeders was not significant. The mean difference in performance index between one wheel straight pronged weeder and all the other weeders together with traditional hand weeding was highly significant (P= < .0001). One wheel straight pronged weeder was found superior to all the other weeder in performance index. Pertaining to drudgery index significant (P= .0046) mean difference among the weeders was established. Difference in the mean was significant (P= < .0001) among weeders in the physiological cost of work. Highly significant mean difference was observed between traditional hand weeding and all the other six weeders selected for the study. The difference in the mean cost of weeding among weeders was highly significant (P= < .0001). The straight pronged weeder differed significantly with all the weeders. The weeding cost was low when weeding was done with one wheel straight pronged weeder. In most of the characteristic related to performance and ergonomic aspects one wheel straight pronged weeder was found superior.en-USThesis