Research and Development of Spring Tine Attached to Small Tractor for Sugarcane Weeder

Abstract

Remove weed from sugarcane field is the most importance of sugarcane production. If weed is not removed from sugarcane field in the rfgnt time, the sugarcane yield will be reduced to 50%. Agricultural Engineering Research Institute has the information that most of sugarcane farmer controls weed by chemical usage even know it is harmful for health and unfriendly to environment. Spring tine cultivator attached to a small riding tractor as an alternative tool for weeding in sugar cane has been researched and developed in time to work in sugar cane field by the Agricultural Engineering Research Institute. Five legs spring tine were setting on 2 rows, first and the second two and three rows by arranging tine head in different position. Two type of spring tine cultivators were developed into type I called coil spring type and was used full sweep head tine suitable for clay-loam soil in the central of Thailand. The experiment tested in Ratchaburi province. Spring tine cultivator type II was S-shape shank which was McGregor head tine, suitable for sandy at soil Khon Kean in the north-east of Thailand and was tested at Khon Kaen province. The average work capacity of spring tine cultivator type I and type II were 2.18 and 3.77 rai/hr. The weeding efficiency of spring tine cultivator type I and type II were 89.39 and 97.04%. The fuel consumption of spring tine cultivator type I and type II were 0.88 and 0.77 litre/rai respectively. Two type of spring tine cultivators had high working capacity and high weeding efficiency but low fuel consumption. This equipment can be adequately used for weed control in sugarcane.