Performance Evaluation of Power Weeder in Sugarcane Crop | Current Journal of Applied Science and Te

Weed control is an important and labor-intensive agricultural operation that accounts for about a third of the total cost of cultivation. Crop yields can be reduced by 30-40% if weeding operations are delayed or neglected. Non-chemical weed management is now required in the agriculture industry to meet customer demand for high-quality food items and to ensure food safety. The study's goals were to assess the effectiveness of a power weeder in a sugarcane crop by examining its energy consumption and cost economics. At 30, 45, and 60 days after sowing (DAS), the evaluation was undertaken at various soil moisture concentrations and weeder speeds. With increased soil moisture content from 71% to 121%, the bulk density reduced from 0.84 to 0.65 g cm-3. When operated at three forward speeds of 30, 45, and 60 DAS, the field capacity of the power weeder ranged from 0.0347 to 0.137 ha h-1. At 0.584 km h-1, 98.74 to 91.22 percent, 96.80 to 84.93 percent at 1.35 km h-1, and 94.67 to 73.72 percent at 4.153 km h-1, the weeding effectiveness of a power weeder is in the range of 98.74 to 91.22 percent. At forward speeds of 0.584 km h-1 and 4.153 km h-1, respectively, the smallest and highest plant damage is recorded. Plant damage is minimised when operated at lower speeds, whereas plant damage is maximised when operated at high rates. The weeder's field machine index is 0.83, 0.82, and 0.864 for 30, 45, and 60 DAS, respectively. Weeding costs per hectare are assessed at Rs.3,878 ha-1 for mechanical weeding and Rs.8000 ha-1 for traditional weeding, respectively. It is simple to start and operate by a farmer or any unskilled labourer. Working with a power weeder in between the rows is also simple and low-maintenance.

Please see the link :- https://www.journalcjast.com/index.php/CJAST/article/view/31097