Utility of Tractor Operated Mobile Shredder for Cotton Residue Management

The crop residue after cotton picking is burnt creating environmental pollution. This problem can be addressed by shredding the crop residue in the field which is a source of nutrition and organic matter. Cotton growing farmers under irrigation condition from Rasanagi Village, Jewargi taluk, Kalaburagi district, Karnataka were randomly selected. Immediately after completion of cotton picking, the mobile shredder was operated in the field. The cotton plants were 190–200 d old. The moisture content of the cotton stalk was 41.80 per cent. The effective field capacity of the tractor-operated mobile shredder was found to be 0.34 ha/h. The field and uprooting efficiency was 80.90 and 92.70 per cent, respectively. The shredding efficiency in terms of length of cut was recorded as 42.7 mm. This length of shredded particles was easily decomposed and mixed well in the soil. A total of 7.85 t/ha of shredded cotton stalk was added to the field. The time consumed to complete one hectare of shredding of cotton field was less than 3 h. The economics of operation was Rs. 2358.00 which is 63 per cent less than the expenditure incurred by the farmers.