Fabrication and testing of manually operated potato ridger cum earthing attachment tool for wheel hoe

Abstract

Manually operated ridger cum earthing implement is becoming popular for Potato and other vegetable earthing because of its less initial investment, easy operation, low repair and maintenance cost. Here, we analyze the human comfort during operation of earthing for assessing the suitability to rural men. A comparison was also made between mechanized and manual operations. Three male subjects were selected for the investigation. The selected three subjects were calibrated in the field by direct assessment of oxygen uptake. The heart rate of all three subjects varied between 94.67 to 128.67 bpm in light soil at moisture content of 7.94 % (db) and bulk density of 1.67 g/cc and 99.00 to 134.33 bpm in soil of moisture content of 9.24 % (db) and bulk density of 1.34 g/cc at different speeds. The postural configuration of all three subjects varied between 2.110 to 5.890 in light soil and 2.500 to 6.110 in soil. The anthropometric data for the subjects were different which changed the level of posture for different subjects. Effect of all the three subjects on overall discomfort rating varied between 2.17 to 4.50 in light soil and 2.50 to 5.00 in soil. Based on the mean energy expenditure, the operation was graded as moderately heavy for direct earthing.