Performance Evaluation of Roller Weeder

India loses nearly ¿1,980 crore annually due to weeds, causing significant reductions in crop productivity. Weeds compete with crops for nutrients, water, sunlight, and space, resulting in considerable yield losses. Effective weed management is therefore essential for improving agricultural production. Weed control methods include mechanical, chemical, biological, cultural, and burning practices. Among these, mechanical weeding is economical, environmentally friendly, and suitable for small and fragmented farms.Intercultural operations are important for removing weeds and preventing their growth. Depending on crop and soil conditions, 2-4 weeding operations are generally required. Timely weeding improves crop growth and yield while minimizing plant damage.To address the need for an efficient and low-cost weeding implement, the study entitled "Performance Evaluation of Roller Weeder" was conducted. The roller weeder operated effectively up to a depth of 3.0 cm with a field capacity of 0.0393 ha/h and a power requirement of 0.043 hp. The maximum weeding efficiency achieved was 78.57%, with a performance index of 7116.5. The draft requirement for a 16 cm working width was 4.9 kg.

Pages: 60, Paperback, LAP Lambert Academic Publishing