Performance evaluation of a rotary weeder using artificial weeds in controlled soil bin conditions

Abstract

This paper presents a soil-blade investigation of a rotary tiller conducted in a controlled soil bin. Among the various soil-cutting agricultural tools, rotary blades are considered one of the most promising due to their ability to save time and labor. The working tool is blades, with various shapes such as serrated, finger, and plain types. For tillage systems, accurately predicting the required torque and penetration force while cutting soil with a blade is crucial for farming operations. However, assessing soil parameters in a controlled laboratory setting posed challenges due to the numerous factors affecting blade performance during operation. The study utilized a Randomized Block Design (RBD) to optimize the tests, which followed Indian standards and validated methodologies to ensure reliable results. The findings revealed that serrated blades produced the lowest torque and highest weeding efficiency compared to finger and plain blades, particularly at a blade speed of 180 rpm, a forward speed of 1.5 km/h, and an operating depth of 40 mm. The minimum and maximum torque and weeding efficiency for serrated blades were recorded at 11 to 26.05 Nm and 71 to 86%, respectively. For finger blades, the minimum and maximum torque and weeding efficiency ranged from 14.15 to 29.9 Nm and 60 to 80%. Plain blades exhibited higher minimum and maximum torque and weeding efficiency values, ranging from 20.12 to 33.2 Nm and 50 to 70%, respectively. Overall, serrated blades demonstrated the best performance in soil pulverization compared to the other blade types.