Mould board weeder for dryland field crops

Weeding is an important agricultural practice that involves the removal of unwanted plants or weeds from cultivated land. A manually operated mould board weeder (MB) was developed at the National Institute of Plant Health Management (NIPHM), Hyderabad for small-scale farming. The major components of the developed weeder are frame, mould board, handle, U-clips and bolts, share point and wheels. The MB weeder is operated by push force applied to the handle to move the weeder forward. While operating, the share point penetrates into the soil and share blade uproots the weeds. The performance of the MB weeder was evaluated at three different speeds i.e., 0.2 m/s (0.72 kmph), 0.31 m/s (1.11 kmph) and 0.42 m/s (1.51 kmph) in sorghum crop. The experimental field soil type was sandy loam, with an average soil moisture content of 12.8% (dry basis). The MB weeder of average draft was found to be 11.8 kg, field capacity 0.048 ha/h, overall weeding efficiency 86%, overall plant damage 2%, and the performance index 521.99. It is suitable for sorghum, chili, maize, cotton, and all vegetable crops but it could also be used for other crops with a row spacing of 300 mm or above, which can be adjusted in the machine.