Development and performance evaluation of two-row tyned weeder for weed management in maize crop

Authors

  • Narayan R. Gatkal Department of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, Dr. Annasaheb Shinde College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Ahmednagar 413722, India
  • Sachin M. Nalawade Department of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, Dr. Annasaheb Shinde College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Ahmednagar 413722, India
  • Mohini S. Shelke Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, College of Agriculture, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krushi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani-431402, India
  • Ramesh K. Sahni ICAR—Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Bhopal 462038, India
  • Akinbode A. Adedeji Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546, USA
  • Tomáš Najser VSB-Technical University of Ostrava, CEET, ENET Centre, 17. Listopadu 15, 708 00, Ostrava-Poruba, Czech Republic
  • Kateřina Beňová VSB-Technical University of Ostrava, CEET, ENET Centre, 17. Listopadu 15, 708 00, Ostrava-Poruba, Czech Republic

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25165/ijabe.v18i4.9652

Keywords:

field efficiency, maize, optimization, plant damage, RSM, weeder, weeding efficiency

Abstract

Weeds significantly reduce crop yield (34%) as compared to pests (18%) and pathogens (16%). Also, weeds are one of the most significant biotic factors contributing to declining yield. Various methods are used to control weeds in row crops. Traditional methods like manual weeding are time-consuming, labor-intensive, and tedious. Chemical treatment with use of herbicides is not eco-friendly. In view of all the above problems, a two-row tyned weeder was developed for managing weeds in row crops. The developed weeder consists of a main frame, engine, tyne, wheel, and handle. Response surface methodology (RSM) along with the central composite design was used to study the effect of independent variables of forward speed (1.5, 2, and 2.5 km/h) and moisture content of soil (12%, 14%, and 16% (w.b.)) on response variables for the purpose of optimizing the operational parameters of the two-row tyned weeder. The optimized parameters for tyned weeder are forward speed of 2 km/h and moisture content of 14%. The weeding efficiency, plant damage, and field efficiency were 88.38%, 6.46%, and 81.66%, respectively, at optimized parameters. The performance parameters such as field capacity, depth, and width of operation were 0.08 hm2/h, 55 mm, and 600 mm, respectively. The savings in cost of operation and labor for the developed two-row tyned weeder over the manual hand wheel hoe were 76.11% and 92.86%, respectively. The payback period, break-even point, labor requirement, and performance index for the developed two-row tyned weeder were 1.12 a, 104.5 h/a, 10.35 man-h/hm2, and 410.91, respectively. Keywords: field efficiency, maize, optimization, plant damage, RSM, weeder, weeding efficiency DOI: 10.25165/j.ijabe.20251804.9652 Citation: Gatkal Narayan R, Nalawade Sachin M, Shelke Mohini S, Sahni Ramesh K, Adedeji Akinbode A, Najser T, et al. Development and performance evaluation of two-row tyned weeder for weed management in maize crop. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2025; 18(4): 170–180.

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Published

2025-08-21

How to Cite

Gatkal, N. R., Nalawade, S. M., Shelke, M. S., Sahni, R. K., Adedeji, A. A., Najser, T., & Beňová, K. (2025). Development and performance evaluation of two-row tyned weeder for weed management in maize crop. International Journal of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, 18(4), 170–180. https://doi.org/10.25165/ijabe.v18i4.9652

Issue

Vol. 18 No. 4 (2025): IJABE

Section

Power and Machinery Systems

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