CAEPHT conducts test trials of multipurpose tool frame

GANGTOK, 20 Dec: The College of Agriculture Engineering and Post Harvest Technology [CAEPHT], Central Agricultural University [CAU] Centre of All India Coordinated Research Project on Increased Utilization of Animal Energy with Enhanced System Efficiency has developed attachments [digger, ridger and mould board plough] for animal drawn improved multi-purpose tool frame.
The test trials were conducted by Principal Investigator, Dr. RK Tiwari and Assistant Agriculture Engineer, SK Chauchan along with college staffs. The field test trials of light weight tool frame with attachments were conducted on terraces in the fields of farmer Roop Narayan Bhattarai of Samlik in East Sikkim.
The light weight multi-purpose tool frame [weight: 19.8kg] with seedling attachment was earlier demonstrated for sowing on terraces. The tool frame attached with mould-board plough [weight: 3.1kg, size: 150mm] for ploughing showed work rate of 215 sq.m/h and it was found to be advantageous over the traditional practice of ploughing using local plough.
The use of tool frame with ploughing attachments [weight: 9kg, unit price: Rs. 1000/-] saved 65% cost of operation and 55% time than the traditional method of ploughing [cost of operation Rs/ha= 3300/-]. The draft requirement for ploughing was 40kg in residual soil moisture [dry basis] of 18.2% and average depth of operation of 157mm.
For making ridges on terraces, two row attachment [weight: 4 kg, size: 256 mm of each ridger, unit price: Rs. 1500/-] was fitted to the multi-purpose tool frame and it showed work rate of 815 sq.m/h and cost of operation of Rs 465/ha. The ridger attachment fitted to the tool frame has created two ridges in single pass having 135 mm height at residual soil moisture [dry basis] of 18.3%.
The potato digger attachment [weight: 4.4 kg, size: 200 mm, unit price: Rs1500/-] was fitted to the tool frame and it showed work rate of 370 sq.m/h at depth of operation of 105 mm. The draft of potato digger with attachment to the tool frame [weight: 10.2 kg] at bullock speed of 2.57 km/h was 33 kg and cost of operation of digger was Rs 1000/ha.
There found net saving of Rs 3500/ha over the traditional method of manual digging [using narrow spade] in animal based farming system [cost of operation, Rs/ha = 4500/-].The potato growers in Sikkim may get benefit of 78% in cost of digging over existing traditional manual digging method [kudal/khurpa].
The unit price of the multi-purpose tool frame with five attachments was Rs 8500 which may be affordable due to multiple uses in different unit operations i.e ploughing, sowing, ridge making, potato digging and intercultural operations under animal based farming system in place of having separate equipment for each operation.
The durable and light weight attachments have been considered to be useful to bring down the human drudgery due to higher work rate, ease in operation and adjustment transportation/lifting under in terrace condition.