1Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture, Santoshnagar, Hyderabad-500059, A.P.
2International Crop Research Institute for Semi Arid Tropics, Patancheru, Hyderabad
Online published on 22 July, 2013.
Three commercially available power weeders were evaluated for weeding and inter-cultivation in the sweet sorghum crop in Andhra Pradesh. The weeding efficiency of ‘L’ shape blade power weeder was found to be 91%, whereas ‘C’ type and Sweep type blade power weeders recorded 87% and 84% respectively. The performance index of ‘L’ shape, Sweep shape and ‘C’ type blade weeder were observed to be 169.84, 153.23 and 114.30 respectively. Field capacity of Sweep type weeder was 0.12 ha/hr which is more than ‘C’ and ‘L’ type blade weeder and plant damage observed minimum as compared to other two. The cost of operation for Sweep type power weeder was Rs.550 against Rs. 580 and Rs.429 per hectare for ‘C’ and ‘L’ shape blade power weeder. It is economical and more effective to use L-shape weeder as it saved 10.88 per cent weeding cost; reduces plant damage and achieved weeding efficiency 84 per cent.
Power weeder, field capacity, weeding efficiency, performance index
