MODIFICATION OF PORTABLE WEEDING CUTTER FOR IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE BANKS | ||||
| Misr Journal of Agricultural Engineering | ||||
| Article 5, Volume 29, Issue 1, January 2012, Page 81-100 PDF (818.15 K) | ||||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/mjae.2012.102557 | ||||
 View on SCiNiTO | ||||
| Authors | ||||
| M. E. El-Iraqi1; W. F. EL Metwally2 | ||||
| 1Senior Researcher, Agric. Eng. Res. Inst., Agric. Res. Center, Egypt. | ||||
| 2Researcher, Agric. Eng. Res. Inst., Agric. Res. Center, Egypt. | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| The main objective of this study is to develop the cutter blade of the portable weeding cutter to increase its weeding efficiency and avoid the main problems of cutter blade damage, as well as, the labor fatigue resulting from repetitive cutter blade shocking with hard obstacles at banks of irrigation and drainage channels. The portable weeding cutter with two imported cutting blades and two modified cutting blades was evaluated for cutting three different types of weeds, namely: Diss grass, Giant reed and Cogon grass based on the cutting height (mm), cutting capacity, (100 m2/h), the cutting efficiency (%), energy requirement and weeding cost. The obtained results could be concluded as follows: Using the portable weeding cutter with short flying chain blades increased the cutting capacity by about 328.55, 358.19 and 348.73% and increased cutting efficiency by about 3.09, 5.26 and 7.53% comparing with manual method for cutting Diss grass, Giant reed and Cogon grass, respectively. The introduction of the portable weeding cutter with short flying chain blades for controlling such growing weeds on the irrigation and drainage channels banks should be promoted in order to reduce the manpower requirements (about 5-11%) and reduce the weeding cost (about 240-265%) that is not easily available and also to be able to concentrate weeding operation in the best period of cutting weed. | ||||
| References | ||||
|
Bennett, D. (2006). Cogon grass, deep-rooted sedge in Mississippi Delta. Delta Farm Press news story: 16-23.
Burnell, K.D. ; J.D. Byrd, ; Jr.G. Ervin; P.D. Meints; J.W.Jr. Barnett and D. B. Mask (2003b). Mowing and cultural tactics for cogon grass [Imperata cylindrica (L.) Beauv.]. Proc. South. Weed Sci. Soc. 56:353.
Charles, G.; A. Sullivan; I. Christiansen and G. Roberts (2002). Managing Weeds on Roads, Channels and Water Storages. A guide for integrated management of weeds in cotton, section F3. (NSW Agriculture, QDPI, QDPI & CSIRO) –F3.1- F3.8 Pages.
Chikoye, D. ; V.M. Manyong and F. Ekeleme. (2000). Characteristics of spear grass (Imperata cylindrica) dominated fields in West Africa: crops, soil properties, Farmer perceptions and management strategies. Crop Protect. 19: 481-487
Coffman, G. ; P. Rundel and R. Ambrose (2004). Invasion of Arundo donax in river ecosystems of Mediterranean-climate regions: Causes, impacts and management strategies. Ecological Society of America Annual Conference, 1-4 Aug 2004, Portland, Oregon: 32-39.
Fogelberg F. and G. Kritz (1999). Intra-row weeding with brushes on vertical axes-factors influencing in-row soil height. Soil and Tillage Research, 50: 149–157.
Hanson, E. (1996). Tools and techniques. Chapter 3 in Invasive plants. J.M. Randall and M. Marinelli, eds. Handbook #149. Brooklyn Botanical Garden, Inc., Brooklyn, New York: 111 pgs.
Hunt, D. (1983). Farm power and machinery management. 8th ed. Iowa State Univ. Press. Ames, Iowa, USA : 86-107.
Jackson, M. L., (1967). Soil chemical analysis. Perntic-Hall, India. Private LTD. N. , Delhi, India: 71-85.
Johnson, E.R.R.L.; J.F. Gaffney, and D.G. Shilling (1999). The influence of discing on the efficacy of imazapyr for cogon grass. Control. Proc. South. Weed Sci. Soc . 52:165
Mgidi, T. (2004). An assessment of invasion potential of invasive alien plant species in South Africa, CSIR-Environmental, Pretoria, South Africa : 13-21.
Norman, M. J. T. (1978). Energy inputs of substance cropping systems in the tropics, agro-Ecosystems, 4: 355-366.
Pimentel, D. (1992). Energy inputs in production agriculture. Energy in farm production, Elsevier, and Amsterdam. P: 13-29.
Swearingen, J. (2009). Weed US Database of Plants Invading Natural Areas in the United States: Giant Reed (Arundo donax). http://www.invasive.org/weedus/subject.html, ( 12-9-2011).
Van Wilgen, B.W.; J.L. Nel and M. Rouget (2007). Invasive alien plants and South African rivers: A proposed approach to the prioritization of control operations. Freshwater Biology 52:711-723.
Wiley Online Library (2000). Journal of Ecology Volume: 88, Issue: 3, Pages: 479-491. ISSN: 13652745. onlinelibrary.wiley.com, (12-9-2011). | ||||
|
Statistics Article View: 309 PDF Download: 265 |
||||
