Development of Power Weeder for 3 Row-Planted Paddy

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Applied Science (IJRIAS) | Volume VII, Issue III, March 2022 | ISSN 2454–6194

Development of Power Weeder for 3 Row-Planted Paddy

Weerasooriya, G.V.T.V.
Department of Agricultural Engineering and Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka, Puliyankulama, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka.

Abstract –Weeds are the major reason for the significant yield reduction problems in rice cultivation of Sri Lanka. Power weeders have been introduced to rice cultivation as an alternative solution for the controversial herbicide application. The effectiveness of existing power weeders is also low due to the associated rotary mechanism. Besides, “Asakura wooden clog” has been identified as an appropriate weeding mechanism, which could be developed as a power weeder. Therefore, this research was aimed to introduce an appropriate lowland power weeder, especially for medium and large-scale rice farmers in Sri Lanka using the weeding mechanism of manual “Asakura wooden clog”. comprehensive design calculations, fabrications, series of performance tests and modifications were carried out to achieve this goal. Final version of prototype consists of power source, frame and separate mechanisms for power transmission, weed burying, turning/row changing, floating, manipulation and controlling which are facilitated to bare the activated load, burying the weeds, achieve the required tractive power, speed and machine control in road and field manipulation. Besides, it attained satisfactory field performances; 0.03 ha h-1 effective field capacity, 83.25% field efficiency, 80% weeding efficiency, 6.34% damaged plants, 580 performance index. Further, calculated cost for weeding, fuel consumption, labour and power requirement were 38.355 USD ha-1, 0.503 L h-1, 33 man-h ha-1 and 0.319 kW, respectively. Further, no ergonomic or mechanical defects were reported during the performance testing. Thus, this prototype has a potential to develop as an appropriate machinery for weeding processes in medium and large-scale, row planted rice cultivations in Sri Lanka.
Keywords – Asakura wooden clog, burial type weeder, design farm machinery, performance test, 3 rows paddy, weed control
I.INTRODUCTION
Weed is one of the most important agricultural problems in rice cultivation and its competitive nature causes serious negative effects in rice production and considerable marketed losses in rice yield in the range from 10 – 50% to 50 – 90 % [1,2]. Similarly, weeding is a labor-intensive agricultural unit operation in rice cultivation and it accounts for about 25 % of total labour requirement [3] and 15.3 – 23.7% of the total farm power requirement [4]. This apparent rice yield and power loss is due to unrestricted weed competition and subsequently required huge labor forces which are unbearable and it affects defectively to the rice production in Sri Lanka. Consequently, introduction of appropriate weeding machineries has become an imperative prerequisite to enhance the rice production.

Read More