Design and development of power tiller operated coconut basin opener
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Date
2007-02-08
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Abstract
Every year, organic as well as inorganic fertilizers are applied to coconut palm by opening basins of 1.8m radius and 15-20 cm depth sloping towards the periphery for achieving higher productivity. This is a labour intensive job and therefore, the cost of application of fertilizer has become higher. A simple attachment has been designed and developed, which can be attached behind the modified rotor blade of the power tiller. This mainly consists of a soil dispenser which has a rectangular structure with straight surface at the left side (from behind the power tiller) and curved surface at the right side. Mild steel sheet of 18 gauge thickness, 200 mm width, at left end and 300 mm at the right end is gradually curved from left to right for easy moment of soil. A scraper blade made of spring steel plate of 760 x 80 x 6 mm, with the bottom end sharpened to cut the soil, was welded to the lower portion of the soil dispenser. During anticlockwise movement of the power tiller, a basin of 1.8m radius and 15-20 cm depth is obtained in about 5 minutes. The cost of the implement is Rs. 2000/- and the cost of opening one basin is Rs. 8.55/-.
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Keywords
Coconut basin opener, Power tiller, Economics of basin opening
Citation
J.Plantn.Crops 1999 v-27 i-1 p-54-58