Performance Evaluation and Scope of Adoption of Rotary Power Weeder in Vegetable Crops

An effective mechanical weeder is expected to encourage subsistent farmers in increasing the production and thereby reducing cost of cultivation. In this study a BCS make self propelled rotary power weeder was examined in wide row line sown vegetable crops tomato (Solanumlycopersicum), yard long bean (Vignasesquipedalis) and okra (Hibiscus esculenta) at Research Farm of Agricultural and Food Engineering Department, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, West Bengal. The effective field capacities were 0.092, 0.08, 0.096 ha/h at forward speed of 2.3, 2.0 and 2.4 km/h in tomato, yard long bean and okra, respectively. With the average effective working width of 400 mm, the depth of weeding was observed as 53, 46, and 50 mm for tomato, yard longbean and okra, respectively. Weeding efficiency in tomato, yard long bean and okra was found as 97, 96 and 97%, respectively. Plant damage was found as 1.6, 2.8 and 1.9% in tomato, yard long bean and okra, respectively. The machine was found to be ideal and effective in carrying out the weeding operation in vegetable crops.