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Volume 3, Issue 2
Development of a Mechanical Harvester for Mehandi
Author: Amogh Sharma,Dr. D.P. Darmora, Dr. Dhiraj Singh
Abstract:
A mechanical mehandi harvester was developed to address the harvesting problem associated with mehandi crop. The developed mehandi harvester has a field capacity of 1.4ha/day against 0.1 ha/day field capacity of sickle which is used traditionally to harvest the mehandi crop.
The harvester consisted of a prime mover, a rotary disc type cutter assembly, a crop windrowing system and two pneumatic ground wheels to support the harvester components and forward movement of the harvester.
The harvester equipped with a 35.8cc, 4 stroke petrol engine as prime mover was found effective to harvest the mehandi crop in levelled field. A more powerful engine of 47.9cc was, however required as prime mover to harvest the mehandi crop transplanted 15-20 years ago as field turned undulated during long time span of 15-20 years due to irregular stem base development and disturbed row to row spacing. The harvester saved about 80% harvesting cost against traditional harvesting with sickle.
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