A PROTOTYPE SWING MECHANICAL ARM WEEDER FOR WEED CONTROL OF ORCHARD TREES

Abstract

A weeder with controlled swing mechanical arm was developed to control and remove the weeds intra-rows orchards tree. The swing mechanical arm constructed from steel, ground wheel carried the arm. The DC Electric motor with 12 V was used as the source of power to operate the rotary blades Weeder. Three rotational speed 1600 rpm, 2200 rpm and 2600 rpm was adjusted and controlled by the short resistor circuit. The prototype electric Weeder was evaluated under three forward speed 3.2 kmh-1, 4.1 kmh-1 and 5.7 kmh-1 at three rotational speed 1600 rpm, 2200 rpm and 2600 rpm for weeder and two different blades. The result indicated that it could be able to use the electric power produced from the tractor can be used to operate of the electric weeder. The electric Weeder with controlled swing mechanical arm may be applied to control of the weeds in citrus orchards tree field. The rotational speed 2600 rpm and forward speed 3.2km. h-1gave the maximum weeding efficiency under orange orchards tree field conditions. The blades weeder was more effective in controlling weeds than the Tines. The developed electric weeder may be ideal for weeding under orchard trees. The type of blades was non-effect on fuel consumption at constant forward speed.