Power Tiller Research Articles

Economic study of Binadhan-22 production in some selected areas of Bangladesh

This study was conducted in four districts of Bangladesh, namely Mymensingh, Bogura, Naogaon and Rangpur to estimate the profitability and factors affecting gross return of the variety. This study was based on primary data which were collected from 200 Binadhan-22 growing farmers. In the sampled areas data were collected through pre-designed interview schedule from January-February, 2023. Tabular, descriptive statistics and Cobb-Douglas production function model were used to fulfill the objectives. It was found that Binadhan-22 production is profitable. The average net return per hectare was Tk. 28876. The net return was highest in Rangpur (Tk. 32480/ha) followed by Naogaon (Tk. 28554/ha), Mymensingh (Tk. 27331/ha) and Bogura (Tk. 27139/ha), respectively. Benefit cost ratio was estimated at 1.39 and 2.04 on full cost and variable cost basis. Cobb-Douglas production function was chosen to determine the factor affecting gross return of Binadhan-22 production. All of the factors namely, human labour cost, power tiller cost, seed cost, fertilizer cost, irrigation cost, insecticides cost were statistically significant and positive. The regression coefficients for farming experience and agricultural training under all areas had negative but significant relationship at 5% and 10% level, respectively. The regression coefficient of age was positive and significant at 10% level. Under all areas, the regression coefficients of education and farm size were positive but not significant. Farmers faced some constraints in cultivating of the variety. The first ranked constraint was lack of availability of seeds (93%). Other constraints were lack of training (61%), lack of capital (38%) and lack of technical know-how (16%). In addition to helping farmers use a better combination of inputs that will create higher productivity and return, effective extension services may also assist farmers in cultivating rice in a way that will contribute to food security and self-sufficiency. Bangladesh J. Nuclear Agric, 38(1): 81-91, 2024

Factors affecting the adoption of farm mechanization in Rupandehi, Nepal

Agricultural mechanization is pivotal in farmer’s fields as it functions more efficiently and helps increase farm productivity. Despite the massive involvement of people in agriculture, farm productivity is relatively low. One main reason for this is the staggered implementation of farm mechanization. This paper aims to explore the factors affecting the adoption of farm mechanization using the Chi-square test and identify the major problems using relative frequency values. A total of 112 respondents, 28 each from 4 municipalities of Rupandehi district were interviewed based on stratified random sampling technique. The results showed that the adoption rates of various farm machinery were notably high, with tractors, cultivators, mills, and sprayers being universally employed by 93.75 % of the surveyed individuals. The government subsidies to only 7% of farmers facilitate machinery procurement. The size of the total cultivated land was found to be significant over the use of harvester, grass cutter, and power tiller, and owing of milling machine. The availability of subsidies and owning of mills were found inter dependent. The annual expenditures of farmers and their access to theCusto m Hiring Centre were found to be significant. Lastly, with index values of 0.402 and 0.393, the high costs of farm machinery and small land holdings were major problems in the adoption of farm mechanization. Therefore, addressing the high initial costs of modern farm equipment, providing targeted subsidies, innovative institution formation to provide better services to marginalized farmers, and expanding extension services are essential steps to promote the adoption of farm mechanization.

The Mechanization Trend and Economic Prospects of Micro Irrigation in India

Agriculture plays a crucial role in the Indian economy, contributing nearly 16 percent to the total GDP, with farm mechanization serving as the backbone of agricultural GDP. This study analyzes the growth trend in agricultural mechanization in India by examining the shift from traditional human and animal-powered equipment to mechanically powered farm equipment like tractors and power tillers, which are vital for farm mechanization. Secondary data from 2004-2005 to 2021-2022 were used, and the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) and correlation analyses were performed to assess trends. The study found a 6.78 percent annual growth in tractor purchases, with a linear trend equation showing a 0.93 coefficient of determination (R²) at a 1 percent significance level, and a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.76, indicating a strong correlation between tractor and power tiller purchasing trends. Precision farming, a type of farm management that uses information technology to optimize crop and soil health and productivity while minimizing production costs, is increasingly adopted due to advancements in mechanization. In India, precision farming techniques like drip and sprinkler micro-irrigation, covering 13,476,804 hectares with 46.90 percent under drip and 53.09 percent under sprinkler, have proven beneficial, especially in water-scarce areas. Precision farming is practiced mainly by medium to large progressive farmers, often experimentally or commercially, and offers profitable returns when applied to high-value crops such as fruits, vegetables, flowers, and medicinal plants.

Mechanization in Moriculture

In India, mechanization has emerged as the key component of modern agriculture because of factors like rising demand, declining production, a manpower shortage, etc. Improving farmers understanding of farm mechanization is crucial to maintain sustainability in the agriculture industry. The primary obstacles to farmers adopting mechanical alternatives are ignorance and limited resources, including land, labor, and equipment. The aim of this research is to examine the necessity and obstacles of agricultural mechanization, as well as the present advancements in this domain in India. According to the study's findings, India's agriculture produces 18.3% (2022-23) of the country's GDP. Nonetheless, 58% of people in the population make their living from agriculture. Tractor sales and demand, power tiller sales, and farm power availability are all rising year on year. This brings us to the conclusion that it is critical to use mechanical agricultural alternates. This report outlines some of the issues with agricultural mechanization as well as steps that should be made to raise awareness and promote farm mechanization.

Design and Fabrication of Solar Power Tiller

The present research focuses on the development of a solar-powered rotary tiller designed for primary and secondary soil cultivation. It explores the disparities between portable weeders and power tillers available in the Indian market. Various approaches to weed removal in crops are also examined. This study demonstrates that the majority of Indian farmers, particularly those with small-scale operations, can only afford portable weeders. Soil tillers and weeders are among the many agricultural mechanizations aimed at enhancing soil cultivation and weed management, particularly given that most farmers own small parcels of land. These tools notably reduce manual labor and are largely self-guided. The project operates on solar panels, utilizing their energy to power the machine, which operates the cutter or tiller. This innovation significantly saves time and expenses in field tasks, proving highly efficient for both tilling and weeding duties. Additionally, proposing the creation of high-capacity, energy-saving, adaptable machines, and integrated equipment aims to enhance labor efficiency, lower operational costs, improve punctuality, and render them suitable for customized leasing. Key Words: solar, power, tiller, weeder, farming, soil

Optimization of Power Tiller Operated Pneumatic Planter under Laboratory Conditions for Enhancing Cotton Planting Efficiency

Aim: The study aimed to optimize the operational parameters viz. orifice diameter, suction pressure and forward speed of operation of a power tiller operated pneumatic planter specifically for cotton crops in laboratory condition, focusing on improving planting operation. Study Design: A Central Composite Rotatable Design (CCRD) was employed to optimize the operational parameters. Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in a Soil test bin (sand bed test) in the Tillage and Traction Laboratory in the year 2023 to evaluate the effect of various operational parameters on seed uniformity. Methodology: Based on the study of engineering properties of cotton seed, the size of the orifice on the seed drum was determined. The effect of operational parameters was examined by evaluating mean seed spacing, precision in spacing (coefficient of variation), miss index, multiple index, and quality of feed index. Results: The study found that for achieving singulation of seeds, optimal parameters included a metering drum with an orifice size of 3 mm, a suction pressure of 2.78 kPa, and a forward speed of 1.36 km/h. Corresponding actual values of miss index, multiple index, quality feed index, and precision index were found 7.6±2.5, 6.8±1.6, 82.4±2.5 and 4.1±1.2 against predicted values of 4.40, 4.56, 90.1, and 3.90, respectively. Conclusion: The findings suggest that optimizing operational parameters such as orifice size, suction pressure, and forward speed can significantly improve the performance of power tiller operated pneumatic planters for cotton seed planting. These results contribute to enhancing planting accuracy and efficiency in cotton sown areas.

Assessment of techno-economic feasibility of conservation agriculture planter for planting of soybean in south coastal region of Bangladesh

Assessment of techno-economic feasibility of conservation agriculture planter for planting of soybean in south coastal region of Bangladesh

Evaluation of Locally Fabricated Ridger Attached to Power Tiller and Mini Tiller for Bed Making and its Breakeven Analysis

Growing vegetables in raised beds offers several advantages, including proper drainage, weed control, and higher yields, among others. However, Bhutanese farmers construct these beds manually due to the lack of appropriate equipment’s, which is labor-intensive and tedious. To address this issue, ridgers attached to power tillers and mini tillers were designed and evaluated. Power tiller attached ridger was tested at three forward speeds 1.1, 1.4 and 2.4km/h and mini tiller attached ridger was tested for the interaction of the same speeds and two different depths to determine the bed height, furrow width and field capacity of the machines. The result shown that power tiller ridgers showed increased capacity of 4.51 acre/day at higher speed of 2.4km/h, while mini tiller ridgers maintained a relatively constant capacity ranging from 3.44 acre/day to 3.46 acre/day at forward speed ranging from 1.1km/h to 2.4km/h. The result indicated that forward speed had a minimal effect on bed height formation. Deeper tillage resulted in higher bed heights within recommended range of 20-30cm. Furrow width slightly increased with higher speeds. Power tiller and mini tiller bed making is 55 and 38 times more efficient than manual labor, and the investment in these implements can be recovered after using them for 1.03 and 0.55 acres, respectively, indicating their economic viability. Incorporating ridgers into vegetable cultivation practices has the potential to improve productivity and alleviate the burden on farmers in Bhutan.

Profitability of Transplanted Aman rice cultivation in some selected areas of the southern part of Bangladesh

The research aimed to assess the profitability of Transplanted Aman (T. Aman) rice cultivation in the southern region of Bangladesh. Specifically, it sought to identify the most successful service providers and evaluate the financial viability of T. Aman rice cultivation in the study area. Data collection involved 118 randomly selected respondents, including farmers, dealers, and marketers. The overall cost of production per hectare, as determined by primary data analysis, came to Tk. 34,869.76. Furthermore, 2,149.00 kg of T. Aman rice were produced on average per acre. The resultant Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR) of 1.26 means that for every taka invested in T. Aman production yielded Tk. 1.26 in return. Gross returns were determined to be Tk. 43,882.58, resulting in net returns of Tk. 9,013.58. The findings underscored the profitability of T. Aman rice cultivation in the southern region of Bangladesh, as evidenced by the favorable results of the cost-benefit analysis. It is recommended to utilize contemporary inputs such as high-quality seeds, fertilizers, efficient labor, power tillers, pesticides, and timely irrigation to enhance output and profitability. Timely and effective utilization of these inputs is crucial for maximizing output and profitability in T. Aman rice cultivation.

Analysis of Fuel Consumption Rate of A Rotary Power Tiller on Various Tillage Patterns

Data about the relationship between various tillage patterns and fuel consumption rate remains scarce. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the effect of five tillage patterns on fuel consumption rate. The five tillage patterns applied were 1) gathering pattern, 2) casting pattern, 3) one way pattern, 4) spiral pattern, and 5) alpha pattern. While, rotary power tiller operation was set for a) with-no implement and b) with implement. During the rotary power tiller operation, total time consumed (t) and fuel consumption rate (FCR) were measured. As the result, different tillage pattern gave different t and FCR values for the both conditions of rotary power tiller operation namely with-no implement and with implement conditions. The alpha pattern gave the highest values, for which t values were 11.77 and 13.67 minutes, respectively, and FCR values were 10.77 and 14.87 liters/ha, respectively. On the other hand, the one way pattern was found to be the most efficient after giving the lowest values, for which t values were 5.86 and 8.60 minutes, respectively, and FCR values were 4.27 and 5.04 liters/ha, respectively. The data further confirmed a positive correlation between t and FCR. This result suggested that tillage patterns affect t, by which FCR could be altered. In this case, the number of turning passage was thought as the property of tillage pattern that affects t. The higher values of t and FCR for the rotary power tiller operation with implement than those of the tractor operation with-no implement were probably due to the greater engine power required for dealing with the operated implement and tillage draft. Keywords: Fuel consumption, Rotary power tiller, Tillage pattern, Time consumption

Study To Evolve Technology For Controlling Binding Weeds In Grown-Up Sugarcane Crop

Field investigations were carried out at Sugarcane Research Station, Cuddalore Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, to evolve technology for controlling binding weeds in grown-up sugarcane crops during 2015-18. The experiments were laid out in Randomized Block Design with three replications and the sugarcane variety tested wasCoC(SC)24. The treatments constituted of T1 – PE. atrazine @ 1.0 kg/ha and Po.Emetribuzin 0.75 kg/ha @ 60 DAP, T2 – PE atrazine 1.0 kg/ha and Po.E 2,4D Na salt 1.25kg/ha @ 60 DAP, T3 – P.E atrazine 1.0 kg/ha followed by weeding and earthing up on 75 DAP, T4 – Mechanical weeding by power tiller (45, 90 and 120 DAP), T5 – Intercropping of sun hemp and its incorporation as insitu on 60 DAP, T6 – Detrashing and mulching at 150th&210th DAP, and T7 – hand weeding and manual removal of weeds on 45, 90 and 120th days and T8 – Control. Based on the performance of herbicides, the Pre-emergence application of atrazine @ 1.0 kg a.i/ha followed bypost-emergence application of metribuzin @ 0.75 kg/ha on 60 days after planting was the best treatment for controlling weeds in grown-up sugarcane and also the yield attributes increased in sugarcane compared to control. The critical period of weed crop competition in sugarcane ranged between 27 and 50 days (Srivastava et al., 2003). Sugar yield as well as juice quality greatly affected by the application of weed control treatments. The presence of weeds in the sugarcane fields and no control has also led to a decrease in sugar yield (Roshan et al., 2006.; Patel et al., 2007; Kanchan, 2009) in proportion of sucrose, purity and brix ( Bahadar et al., 2004; Annual Report, 2012) . Generally, the increase in by weed growth one kilogram corresponds to a reduction in one kilogram of the crop. The reduction in cane yield due to weeds ranged from 40-60% (Kadam et al., 2011).

The Impact of Land Preparation Operations on the Land Leveling Index Status in a Rice Field

Land preparation is essential in rice cultivation. Levelling is one activity of land preparation that is done to achieve good crop establishment and high-yield production. There are several methods for achieving this. Implementing the major levelling method or the cut and fill method produces the best land levelling results, especially during the dry season. However, during the wet season, this method cannot be implemented to level the land as the amount of water in the soil would make it impossible to do any cut and fill operation. As a result, this study was carried out to evaluate the outcome of various methods of land levelling. Land levelling work was done using a power tiller, box leveler, and power harrow implements. Meanwhile, a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) with the support of a Real Time Kinematic (RTK) system was used to map the levelness of the land. Land levelness mapping data was taken after each land preparation activity was done. Following that, the mapping data was processed to determine the levelling index for each activity. A high value of the levelling index indicated a more perfect levelling quality of the land. A total of two study plots at MARDI Parit Station, Perak, were used for this study, with each plot having an area of 0.5 hectares. The results showed that the average levelling index for the power tiller, box leveler, and power harrow was 60.0%, 76.8%, and 85.9%, respectively. The use of a box leveler resulted in the greatest increase in the levelling index, with a difference of 24.2% compared to an increase of 11.9% with a power harrow. In conclusion, some land preparation activities can improve land levelness quality even during the wet season. Furthermore, during the wet season, the use of a box leveler can be recommended during land preparation work to replace major levelling work that cannot be performed to improve the quality of the land's levelness.

Profitability analysis of Binadhan-20 production in some selected areas of Bangladesh

This study was conducted to analyze the profitability of Binadhan-20 producing farmers in Mymensingh, Jamalpur and Rangpur districts of Bangladesh. This study was based on primary data which were collected from 150 Binadhan-20 producing farmers. In the sampled areas data were collected through pre-designed interview schedule from February-March, 2022 for achieving the purpose. In the study, costs and return analysis were done on both cash cost and full cost basis for estimating profitability. The cultivation of Binadhan-20 was profitable from the viewpoint of the farmers. The study found that Binadhan-20 production is profitable. The average net return per hectare was Tk. 29964. The net return was highest in Rangpur (Tk. 31735/ha) followed by Mymensingh (Tk. 30142/ha) and Jamalpur (Tk. 28015/ha), respectively. Benefit cost ratio was 1.41 and 2.02 on full cost and cash cost basis implying that the Binadhan-20 cultivation at farm level was profitable. Cobb-Douglas production function was chosen to determine the factor affecting gross return of Binadhan-20 production. All of the factors namely, human labour cost, power tiller cost, seed cost, fertilizer cost, irrigation cost, wedding cost and insecticides cost were statistically significant and positive. The regression coefficients for farming experience and agricultural training under all areas had negative but significant relationship at 5% and 10% level, respectively. The regression coefficient of age was positive and significant at 5% level. Under all areas, the regression coefficient of education and farm size was positive but not significant. The farmers in the study areas encountered some constraints to Binadhan-20 production. The first ranked constraint was unavailability of seeds in all areas (92%). Other constraints were lack of training (65%), lack of technical know-how (40%), natural calamities (36%), lack of capital (26%) and low education level of farmers (14%). The economic return of Binadhan-20 production encouraging to the farmer’s for more production. Bangladesh J. Nuclear Agric, 37(1): 81-90, 2023

Development of a Power Tiller Operated Safe Grain Cleaner

Threshed grain contains impurities which should be removed as soon as possible after harvesting and certainly before storage. A clean grain has esteem value, improves storability, reduces price penalties, and improves milling quality. Traditionally farmers use wind or fan to remove foreign matter from the grain. In mechanical grain cleaner, a fan and several superimposed reciprocating sieves or screens are now used. These can be operated manually or by electric motor. Traditional cleaning methods are laborious and mechanical cleaners are costlier for a farmer. An attempt was made to develop a power tiller-operated grain cleaner incorporating safety protection. Power tiller-operated (PTO) grain cleaner has been developed at the BRRI research workshop and tested at farmers’ yards. Two flat bars of 680x100 mm size were taken and both ends of the bars were curved in the same direction. Those were fixed with a pulley as a cross blade and fitted rigidly with the flywheel of a power tiller engine and a protection cage was made as safety measures to protect the operators/ users from accidents. The cage was made with mild steel (MS) wire (1/8th) and tightly attached to the chassis and oil tank by nut bolts. The air flow rate was found 7 m/s at a linear distance of 1 m and decreased to 3 m/s at 5 m from the center of the flywheel. No foreign matter was observed in the cleaned grain during the operation. Fuel consumption was found about 700 ml/hr. About 1200-1600 kg paddy can be cleaned in an hour. Males or females can use it easily without any accidental risk i.e. clogging dress with flywheel. However, the developed safe grain cleaner can significantly contribute to improving product quality by separating un-ambient materials, especially foreign matter, insect bored, and diseased grain.

Estimation of Air Pollutant Emissions by Tractor Utilization in Korea

The utilization of tractors is essential because of both the shortage of agricultural labor forces and the rapid aging of farmers in Korean agriculture. Tractors can be classified into two types: a walking tractor called as a power tiller, and a riding tractor. In this study, diesel emission inventories of tractors were established and variations of air pollutants were analyzed with each other using 2011 and 2019 survey data in Korea. Agricultural tractors including walking and riding types, which were categorized into three levels via the rated output power, were the main sources of diesel emissions. The emission inventory including CO, NOx, SOx, TSP(PM10), PM2.5, VOCs, and NH3 were established using a Tier 3 methodology. The total amount of emissions using agricultural tractors was decreased by about 13% from 2011 to 2019. The number of walking tractors were decreased by about 19% in 8 years; on the other hand, that of riding tractors were increased by about 12%. However, the emission reduction is about 48% for walking tractors, and the emission increment is about 5% for riding tractors. Thus, the total emission from agricultural tractors was decreased by about 16% in those periods. It is due to the decrease of 21% and 15% in the hours of use of walking and riding tractors, respectively, in 2019. Walking tractors mainly emit air pollutants from spraying and transporting. Riding tractors emit about 61% of the total air pollutants mainly from soil preparation and transporting operations. The geographic information system (GIS) was used to visualize the distribution of air pollutants in Korea. High-emission generating regions and the changes of emissions over 8 years were clearly seen in the GIS analysis. High air-pollutant emitting regions are mainly located in the western and southern regions of Korea, which have plenty of arable areas compared to other regions in Korea.

전남 지역 농기계 탑승자 인적피해 교통사고의 유형별 특성 및 저감 대책

This study aimed to provide foundational data for establishing measures to prevent
 agricultural machinery traffic accidents by analyzing Jeonnam Police Agency's data on traffic
 injuries to agricultural machinery occupants between 2014 and 2018. Out of 760 accidents,
 52.9% were vehicle-to-vehicle collision where agricultural machinery operators involved as a
 secondary party(less responsible to accidents), 25.9% were single agricultural machinery
 accidents, and 21.2% were vehicle-to-vehicle collision where agricultural machinery operators
 involved as a primary party(more responsible to accidents). 95.8% of the accident-involved
 agricultural machinery operators were male, 45.9% were in their 70s, and the main types of
 agricultural machinery involved in the accidents were power tillers (61.6%), tractors (11.3%),
 and unidentified types (22.0%). Results of the multivariable logistic regression showed higher
 death risks for elderly drivers, single machinery accidents (10.0 times higher than primary
 party accidents), power tiller accidents (1.7 times higher than tractor accidents), and
 accidents on downhill roads (1.7 times higher than flat or other roads). Different accident
 characteristics appeared based on involved parties, suggesting the need for specific preventive
 measures considering each type's accident characteristics and representative accident forms.

Design and Fabrication of a Ploughing and Seeding Machine and Its Applications

Agriculture being one of the major livelihoods in India, it is very indispensable to discover and implement new idea in this field though lot of work has been done in this area. It is unfortunate that, these ideas are not been implemented properly in actual field. This is due to high cost and is complicated for rural people. Agro-technology is the technology of agriculture, as the methods or machinery needed for efficient production. Agriculture sector need an improvement in the efficiency of the crop produced and also to develop a better mechanical machine to help the agriculture field which reduces the amount and time of work spent on one crop. Ploughing and seeding processes are fundamental stages in agricultural field, they can impact crop yield and overall farm productivity. Nowadays farmers using bulls for ploughing a crop, it takes lot of time if it is done by farmer and animals. There is another way to plough a field that is by using tractors, but the tractors are very expensive. A farmer cannot effort that much of money. In order to rectify this problem, a power tiller machine has been designed which is capable of doing ploughing and seeding operations simultaneously. This is fabricated with less capital. The electric power tiller machine helps to reduce the time and cost involved in tilling. The development of this ploughing and seeding machine represents a significant step towards a more sustainable and technologically advanced agricultural sector.

Design and evaluation of a power tiller vegetable seedling transplanter with dibbler and furrow type

Vegetable production plays a vital role in ensuring food security in Bangladesh. However, the majority of vegetable seedlings are currently transplanted manually, which is not only time-consuming but also labor-intensive and costly. In this context, a semi-automated transplanter can be considered as an alternative solution for mechanized seedling transplanting. To mechanize seedling operations, two types of transplanters were designed, fabricated and tested: the power tiller-operated semi-automatic dibbler vegetable seedling (DVS) transplanter and the furrow opener vegetable seedling (FVS) transplanter. The goal was to evaluate their performance and impact on field crop productivity. In the DVS transplanter design, the larger sprocket was adjusted to enhance the precision of hole-making by pressing the dibbler into the soil, creating holes where seedlings would be transplanted. On the other hand, the FVS transplanter utilized a furrow opener to create furrows, and the seedling is placed in these furrow at a specific distance from the furrow opener wall, where the distance between seedlings within the furrow could be adjusted based on the specific requirements of the seedling crop. The results of the evaluation indicated that both transplanters successfully planted seedlings without any missing placements, while hole covering was achieved at 115 and 118.2% for the DVS and FVS transplanters, respectively. The field capacity and field efficiency for both transplanters were determined to be 0.05 ha h−1 and 61.18%, respectively, with a coefficient of variation of 5% or less. Field tests conducted with brinjal crops at a forward speed of 1.2 km h−1 and a spacing of 0.7 × 0.6 m demonstrated that both designs yielded higher yield productivity compared to manual transplantation. Additionally, no issues related to vegetative development were observed. Both transplanters exhibited promising performance and significant potential in terms of accurately transplanting seedlings, and ensuring satisfactory transplantation quality. Furthermore, these transplanters offer several advantages, including less time-consuming, lower labor demands and even distribution of seedlings. This design encourages small to medium-level farmers seeking to engage in mechanized vegetable farming practices.

Recent Use Pattern of Power Tiller, Tractor and Combine Harvester in Odisha

Abstract: The present study was conducted to determine the use pattern of power tiller, tractor and combine harvester .The data was collected with the help of a pre-structured questionnaire and interaction with selected farmers in three districts of Odisha. Namely Cuttack, Sonepur, and Khordha for the study. From each district, were selected three districts, and from each block, two villages were randomly selected. Young operators were relatively less careful primarily due to their age and maturity. On the contrary, it was observed that farmers in the age group of more than 35 years had proper experience and could handle minor troubles in their implements more efficiently. More than 50% of the operators were found in the age group of 35-50 years in all the districts as compared to 35% for age group 25-35 years and 15% for the age group below 25 years. The operators' educational qualification of 10" standard and above was found to be between 49-59% for power tillers as compared to 39-51% for tractors and 31-48% for combine harvester. The operators' educational qualification below 10th standard was found to be 53-65% for power tillers, 49-61% for tractors and 75-78% for combine harvesters. The rate of haring of power tiller amounting Rs.800.00 is noted in the districts with 5% deviation where as that of tractor was Rs 1500.00 with 15% deviation and for combine harvester was Rs 2500.00 with 10-15% deviation.

Analysis of Soil and Crop Parameters for the Development of Power Tiller-Operated Groundnut Digger

Groundnut (Arachis hypogea L.) is a major oilseed crop and holds an important place in the Indian agricultural economy. Odisha occupies 6th place in the major groundnut-producing states of the country with a total production of 0.388 MT and is grown in both Kharif and Rabi seasons. Harvesting is one of the major unit operations in groundnut cultivation and is mechanically harvested by tractor-operated diggers but their use is limited because of small land holdings and high capital costs and is not economical for small and marginal farmers of the state. However, the groundnut diggers to match with power tillers are not commercially available, therefore, efforts were made to develop a single-row groundnut digger operated by a power tiller. The study was conducted to relate the soil and crop parameters for the digger design, which influences the harvesting of groundnut. The design of a power tiller-operated groundnut digger to harvest a single row of groundnut requires the data of soil parameters (soil type, bulk density, cone index and soil moisture content) and crop parameters (plant population, plant height, pod zone, pod spreading radius, taproot length, taproot diameter, pod-vine ratio), suitable for different groundnut varieties. It was found that the majority of groundnut varieties were grown in sandy soils and harvested at 12-15 % soil moisture for more yield with a minimum power requirement. It was observed that for all types of groundnut varieties the plant population, plant height, pod zone depth, pod spreading radius, taproot length, taproot diameter and the number of pods per plant varies from 24-29/m2, 31-49.18 cm, 5.79-6.86 cm, 5.87-9.15 cm, 11.70-13.78 cm, 4.64-5.84 cm and 11-27/plant, respectively.