Superiority of the Naveen serrated sickle over the traditional sickle for wheat harvesting

The experiment was conducted involving twenty non-pregnant farm women voluntarily joining the study using serrated and non-serrated sickles in Neemuch district of Madhya Pradesh. The results showed that the total cardiac cost of work was 290 beats, the physiological cost of work was 7.45 beats/min, the average working heart rate was 115 beats/min and the average energy expenditure was 8.26 KJ/min during the harvesting activity performed by improved tool, the Naveen serrated sickle. The sickle proved efficient on ergonomic parameters as it reduced average working heart rate and energy expenditure along with increased output when compared to traditional tool. The per cent reduction in average working heart rate was 8.00 with the use of Naveen serrated sickle. It was observed that harvesting was classified as moderately heavy and heavy while using Naveen serrated sickle as compared to very heavy while using traditional tool. Hence it was found that the improved tool was ergonomically good, friendly to women, reduced drudgery and thus was helpful in improving the efficiency of women.