STUDY OF AGRONOMICAL AND SOIL PARAMETERS IN PADDY FIELD FOR DEVELOPMENT OF PADDY WEEDER

BASAVARAJ¹*, A. SURENDRAKUMAR², C. DIVAKER DURAIRAJ^3
1College of Agricultural Engineering, Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University, Sangareddy, 502001
²Agricultural Machinery Research Centre, AEC&RI, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, 641003
³AEC&RI, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, 641003
* Corresponding Author : basu.py009@gmail.com

Received : 19-03-2016     Accepted : 29-04-2016     Published : 28-08-2016
Volume : 8     Issue : 30       Pages : 1627 - 1631
Int J Agr Sci 8.30 (2016):1627-1631

Keywords : Weed, Paddy weeder, Soil moisture, Bulk density and Cone index
Academic Editor : Manjunatha Gowda D. C., Dr Parasappa Kanannavar
Conflict of Interest : None declared
Acknowledgements/Funding : None declared
Author Contribution : None declared

Weed is inevitable part of farming but these become threat to crops by augmenting unfavorable condition to main crop. Weeds, instead of harbouring insects, compete with the crop for water, light, plant nutrients and adversely affect the microclimate around the plant. Weeding is an important but equally labour intensive agricultural unit operation. Weeding accounts for about 25 per cent of the total labour requirement during a cultivation season. The major weeds of paddy crop identified in the paddy field were Echinochloa colona (Jungle rice), Echinochloa crus-galli (Common barnyardgrass), Chloris barbata (swollen windmill grass), Cynodon dactylon (Bermuda Grass), Centella asiatica (Gotu kola) and Cyperus difformis (Sedge). The agronomical, soil and machine parameters were analysed for development of paddy weeder. The average soil moisture was observed 44.89 per cent and varied from 30 to 56.34 per cent. The bulk density of upper soil (20 mm to 50 mm) layer was always found to be lesser than the soil at lower layer (50 mm to 100 mm). The bulk density of upper layer showed variation this was 1.30 to 1.50 g cm-3, where as in lower layer varied from 1.50 to 1.72 g cm-3. The average cone index was 0.172 kg cm-2 up to 20 mm depth and 1.44 kg cm-2 from 20 to 50 mm depth and 0.75 to 1.69 kg cm-2 for 50 mm depth varied. The increase in cone index with increase in soil depth was found from study. The study conducted in research plots of Tamilanadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore.