Performance of a machine for shallow hoeing around plants [electronic resource].

Includes bibliographic reference.

The main aim of this research was to evaluate the performance of a hand steering brush cutter for shallow hoeing around plants in order
to achieve both very accurate transverse and longitudinal positional control to avoid crop damage. Field tests were carried out in the
cucumber field under average three values of the soil moisture contents 31.2 %, 25.4 and 20.1 %. The brush cutter was tested using three
types of hoeing blades (standard, weed brush and weeding plate) at average possible forward speed for the labor to maintain continuous
operation 0.1 m/s (0.36 km/h). The field experiments of the machine showed that, in the case of using the hoe blade standard, the weeds
were mowed only without soil agitation after hoeing. While in the case of using weed brush and weeding plate, the weeds were uprooted
or killed with shallow agitation of the soil after hoeing. The weed control efficiency ranged from 61 to 98 % according to the used
hoeing blades and the soil moisture contents. Injured plants percentage was always less than 0.5 % and may rarely be more than 1.0 %.
The actual field capacity was 0.118, 0.111 and 0.108 fed/h by using hoe blade standard, weed brush and weeding plate, respectively.
The total cost to hoe one feddan (Shallow hoeing around plants for raking weeds) by using the hoe blade standard, weed brush and weeding
plate were 180, 190 and 200 L.E, respectively.

Summary in Arabic.