International Journal of Agricultural Engineering

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access
Open Access Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Restricted Access Subscription Access

Development and Performance Evaluation of a Digger for Harvesting Onion (Allium cepa L.)


Affiliations
1 Department of Soil and Water Engineering, College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana (Punjab), India
     

   Subscribe/Renew Journal


Onion harvesting machinery like all other farm equipments has passed through various stages of development. In this study an effort has been made to develop and evaluate the performance of an onion digger. Blade made up of high carbon steel material (EN 45) was the main component having dimensions 143cm × 7cm × 1.5 cm. Depth control wheels were provided to control the depth of cut by blade. Tests were conducted to check the comparative performance of developed onion digger and manual labor in the field. The digger was operated at a speed ranging 3.76 to 4.83 km/h with minimum losses at 4 km/h in first high gear at a field capacity of 0.46 ha/h. The average operational depth of 7.62 cm of the developed digger was suitable with practically no damage to the onion bulbs. The operational time of digger including and excluding the time in turning were 3.10 h/ha and 2.38 h/ha, respectively. Lift percentage, mean digger efficiency and damage percentage were 94.9, 89.8 and 5.1, respectively. It was found that there was 58 per cent and 49 per cent saving of labor and cost, respectively.

Keywords

Development, Evaluation, Digger, Onion, Lift Percentage, Efficiency.
Subscription Login to verify subscription
User
Notifications
Font Size


  • Anonymous (2005). Package of practices for vegetable crops of Punjab, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana (PUNJAB) INDIA.

  • Anonymous (2009). Economic survey of Maharashtra (2009-10), Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Planning Department, Gov. of Maharashtra, Mumbai (M.S.) INDIA.

  • Anonymous (2011). Statistics at a glance. Directorate of Onion and Garlic Research, Rajgurunagar, Pune (M.S.) INDIA.

  • Al-Jamal, M.S., Ball, S. and Sammi, T.W. (2001). Comparison of sprinkler, trickle and furrow irrigation efficiencies for onion production. Agric. Water Mgmt., 46 : 253-266.

  • Augusti, K.T. (1990). Therapentic and medicinal values of onion and garlic. In onion and Allied crops. Ed. Brewster, J. L and Robin with, H.D., Baco Ratani, Flourido, CRC Press, 3 : 93-108.

  • FAO (2008). Food and agriculture organization food production Year Book.

  • Ibrahim, M.M., Amin, E. and Farag, A. (2008). Developing a multi purpose digger for harvesting ischolar_main crops.Misr. J. Agric. Engg., 25(4) : 1225-1239.

  • Jadhav, R.V., Turbatmath, P.A. and Gharte, L.V. (1995). Design development and performance evaluation of onion digger windrower. Agric. Mech. Asia, Africa & Latin America, 26(3): 35-38.

  • Kanafojski, C.Z. and Karwowski, T. (1976). Agricultural machines, theory and construction, US Department ofAgriculture and National Science Foundation, Washington DC.

  • Laryushin, N.P. and Laryushin, A.M. (2009). Energy saving onion harvesting technology. Russian Agric. Sci., 35(1) : 66-67.

  • Laryushin, N.P., Polikanov, A.V. and Kukharev, O.N. (2005). Kompleks dlya proizvodstva luka. Teoriya, konstruktsiya, raschet (Set of Machines for producing onions. Theory, Design, Calculation), Masco: Rosinformagrotekh.

  • Maw, B.W., Purvis, A.C. and Mullinix, B.G. (2002). Enhancing the performance of the onion harvester. Trans. American Soc. Agric. Engineers, 18(1): 23-28.

  • Maw, B.W., Smittle, D.A. Mullinix, B.G. and Cundiff, J.S. (1998). Design and valuation of principles for mechanically harvesting sweet onions. Trans. American Soc. Agric. Engineers, 41(3): 517-524.

  • Maw, B.W., Torrance, R.L. and Mullinix, B.G. (2002). Suitability of full bed elevator for onions. Trans. American Soc. Agric. Engineers, 18(1): 29-33.

  • NHB (2011). Indian Horticultural Database, pp. 162-69. National Horticultural Board, Ministry of Agriculture, Goveronment of India, Gurgoan.

  • Kabir, A. (2007). Rising onion prices. Internet addition of January 1, 2007. http://DAWN.com.


Abstract Views: 558

PDF Views: 0




  • Development and Performance Evaluation of a Digger for Harvesting Onion (Allium cepa L.)

Abstract Views: 558  |  PDF Views: 0

Authors

Mahesh Chand Singh
Department of Soil and Water Engineering, College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana (Punjab), India

Abstract


Onion harvesting machinery like all other farm equipments has passed through various stages of development. In this study an effort has been made to develop and evaluate the performance of an onion digger. Blade made up of high carbon steel material (EN 45) was the main component having dimensions 143cm × 7cm × 1.5 cm. Depth control wheels were provided to control the depth of cut by blade. Tests were conducted to check the comparative performance of developed onion digger and manual labor in the field. The digger was operated at a speed ranging 3.76 to 4.83 km/h with minimum losses at 4 km/h in first high gear at a field capacity of 0.46 ha/h. The average operational depth of 7.62 cm of the developed digger was suitable with practically no damage to the onion bulbs. The operational time of digger including and excluding the time in turning were 3.10 h/ha and 2.38 h/ha, respectively. Lift percentage, mean digger efficiency and damage percentage were 94.9, 89.8 and 5.1, respectively. It was found that there was 58 per cent and 49 per cent saving of labor and cost, respectively.

Keywords


Development, Evaluation, Digger, Onion, Lift Percentage, Efficiency.

References