Central Luzon State University

College of Engineering
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL AND BIOSYSTEMS ENGINEERING
Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija 3120

AM 780 – AGRICULTURAL MECHANIZATION AND

MACHINERY MANAGEMENT

Crop Protection Machinery in Agriculture

FRAME MOUNTED POWER SPRAYER

Submitted by:
LARRY S. OLIPAS
MSAEn Student

Submitted to:
ROMEO B. GAVINO, Ph.D.
Professor VI

February 2020

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 AM 780 – AGRICULTURAL MECHANIZATION AND
MACHINERY MANAGEMENT

Crop Protection Machinery in Agriculture

[ Frame Mounted Power Sprayer ]

Introduction
Crop protection is the practice of removing weeds, adjusting weather and eliminating
pests. It may include managing everything that inhibit the growth of fruit, vegetables and all
farm produce [ CITATION Mar18 \l 1033 ]. It is the science and practice of managing plant diseases,
weeds and other pests that damage field crops, vegetable crops and fruits.
It is highly important because through this, higher quality crops are produced and
wastage is reduced. The increased crop production through proper crop protection leads to less
use of resources like land, water and labor. With less usage of land, biodiversity is preserved.
Through this, more farm crops and produce actually reach the markets, keeping the prices
low[ CITATION Mar18 \l 1033 ].
If farmers were to stop methods of crop protection, according to UN Food and
Agricultural Organization (FAO), around 40 percent will be lost due to pests and plant diseases.
An approach called integrated Pest Management (IPM) is helpful in reducing the wastage
of farm resources. In IPM, they combine the best cultural, biological and chemical measures to
keep pest and diseases away from the crops.

Objectives
This exercise has familiarized the students to the different crop protection machinery with

focus to the frame mounted power sprayer crop protection equipment presented in this paper in

comprehensive description discussing the machinery’s:

1. general function and adaptability 3. major parts and specification

2. operation and adjustments 4. current market prices

5. method of hitching

6. method of testing

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Methodology

The students visited the PhilMech, PhilSCAT and PhilRice and has identified different

crop protection machinery. The student then drafted its written report with the help of reading

materials and brochures given by the aforementioned agencies.

Several specifications were gathered from the Philippine Agricultural Engineering

Standards (PAES) Book, then verify the machine’s conformation with the prevailing standards

established in the country and latter from the internet for further understanding and information

depth about the subject machine/equipment.

The Students has also visited Go Traktora Traiding Inc. located at Brgy. Caanawan (the

closest agricultural machinery dealer at CLSU) to survey the current market price of the subject

machine/equipment.

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Crop Protection Machinery

Crop Protection Machineries are equipment used to apply insecticides, pesticides,

herbicides to the crops to protect from insects, pests and plant diseases. The most common
equipment are sprayers, dusters and weeders.
If farmers were to stop methods of crop protection, according to UN Food and
Agricultural Organization (FAO), around 40 percent will be lost due to pests and plant diseases.
An approach called integrated Pest Management (IPM) is helpful in reducing the wastage
of farm resources. In IPM, they combine the best cultural, biological and chemical measures to
keep pest and diseases away from the crops.

There are several ways and approaches to successful plant protection:

1. Chemical Intervention
First, we use herbicides to kill unwanted plants and weeds. Weeds can be a real problem because
they contest with the food crops for nutrients and space.
Plant-eating insects and roundworms attack the farm crops leaving these damaged and inedible.
To eliminate these harmful insects, we use insecticides.
Lastly, we use fungicides for fungi that cause serious disease and damage to agriculture.

2. Biological Pest Control

With biological means of pest control, we manage weeds, insects and diseases by using other
living organisms. We make use of beneficial insects that perform these valued services. You may
refer to this link to learn more about beneficial insects.

3. Barrier Methods
We can also opt for this method in which we create barriers between plants and potential harmful
pests, weather and diseases. We have bird netting, micromesh and the likes. We can also employ
electronic pest deterrents.

Pest Control Methods

In agricultural production a pest is anything that impedes or competes with the desired
crop. The pest may be other plants (weeds), insects, fungi or diseases.

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 Control of these pests is accomplished by chemical means, nonchemical treatments, or a
combination of measures sometimes known as integrated pest management (IPM).

The Basics of IPM

Integrated Pest Management, (IPM), is a systematic approach to managing pests that
focuses on long-term prevention or suppression with minimal impact on human health, the
environment, and non-target organisms. IPM incorporates all reasonable measures to prevent
pest problems by properly identifying pests, monitoring population dynamics, and using cultural,
physical, biological, or chemical pest population control methods to reduce pests to acceptable
levels[ CITATION Mar09 \l 1033 ].
Although the home and garden environment contain a large variety of organisms, only a
very small percentage of these organisms can be defined as pests. For the most part, these
organisms live together in harmony, and play an important role in the healthy ecology of the
household and its environs. The goal is to manage a pest problem without upsetting the natural
harmony of the organisms that compose the ecology of an area[ CITATION Mar09 \l 1033 ].

How do IPM systems works?

IPM is not a single pest control action, it is a series of events designed to effectively
manage pests to reduce them to acceptable levels. IMP requires planning and prevention,
deciding when to act, what control methods to select, applying the method, deciding on the
effectiveness of the action, and keeping records so that more informed decisions can be made at
a later date. Successful IPM methods are based on three major areas:

1. Prevention
2. Monitoring
3. Controlling

Benefits of IPM system

1. Reduces the need for pesticides by using several management methods;

2. Balances proper and minimal use of chemical pesticides with the need to manage pests;
3. Helps to protect the environment from excessive and unnecessary pesticide application;
4. Fosters sound structures and healthy plants.

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Non-Chemical Control Methods

These methods usually have low environmental impact but may be expensive, time
consuming or laborious. The high cost of chemicals, concerns about public health, environmental
impact of chemical controls, and the growing popularity of clean agriculture and organic farming
are all factors that have promoted the use of traditional and new nonchemical pest control
methods. In developed countries particularly for horticultural and fresh produce crops, there is
growing interest in these methods, even though they may be less profitable than chemical
controls. Traditional nonchemical pest controls have primarily focused on physical treatments.
This includes:
1. Mechanical weeding
2. Thermal Treatments
3. Vacuum Biological
4. Pest-control equipment
 glue boards
 noisemakers
 shiny foils that frighten birds
 bug zappers are pest control devices.

Chemical Control Methods

Chemicals that control pests, i.e., pesticides, can be classed as either contact or systemic.
Chemicals that control by contact must be in direct contact with the pest they are to control.
Systemic chemicals are absorbed into the plant by roots and leaves, and cause interference with
the ongoing growth process of the pest. Chemicals may be applied to the soil or to the foliage as
liquids (sprays) or as solids (dust and granular).

This includes:
1. Spraying
2. Dusting

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Sprayers
Sprayer is a machine to apply liquid chemicals on plants in the form of droplets. Sprayer is used
for the following purpose:
 Application of herbicides to remove weeds.
 Application of fungicides to minimize fungus diseases.
 Application of insecticides to control insect pests.
 Application of micro nutrients on the plants.

The main functions of sprayer are:

 To break the liquid droplets of effective size.
 To distribute them uniformly over the plants.
 To regulate the amount of liquid to avoid excessive application.

Requirements of a good sprayer

 It should distribute the chemical uniformly on plant surface
 It should have provision to increase or decrease the quantity of insecticides application
 It should break the liquid into fine droplets
 It should have provision to control or regulate the size of droplets

Basic Components of a Sprayer

Components of a sprayer are as follows
a. Pump
b. Chemical tank
c. agitator
d. Air chamber
e. pressure gauge
f. Pressure regulator
g. valves
h. Strainer
i. suction line
j. delivery line
k. nozzles

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Pump: A pump is a device used to move fluids, such as liquids or slurries, or gases from one
place to another. A pump displaces a volume by physical or mechanical action. Most hydraulic
sprayers are equipped with positive displacement pumps capable of developing pressure,
required for many spraying jobs. The discharge capacity of these pumps is approximately
proportional to the speed. A pressure relief valve or by-pass valve is required to protect these
positive acting pumps from damage when the discharge line is closed and for the convenience of
the operator.

Tank: It is the container to hold the chemical solution. It is made up of PVC, Brass, etc. It is
usually made of metal sheet or synthetic rubber or plastic having good resistant quality against
corrosion, erosion, and similar actions. The size of the tank varies according to the pump
capacity and the requirements.

Agitator: It is the device which stirs the solution and keeps the contents in homogenous
condition. Positive agitation of spray material in the tank is essential to permit using the full
range of spray materials including powdery emulsions, fungicides, cold water paints or other
spray material. The propeller or paddle type mechanical agitators or hydraulic agitators are very
common.

Air chamber: In a reciprocating type pump, an air chamber is provided on the discharge line of
the pump to level out the pulsations of the pump and thus providing a constant nozzle pressure.
Pressure gauge: It is a dial gauge which indicates the pressure at which the liquid is delivered
from the pump. A pressure gauge properly calibrated, within the pressure range of the pump is
provided on the discharge line to guide the operator for making proper adjustment of the pressure
at site.

Pressure regulator: The pressure regulator serves several important functions. It is the means of
adjusting the pressure as required for any spray job within the pressure range of the pump. With
the positive displacement type of pump, it also serves as a safety device in automatically
unloading the excess pressure by directing the unused discharge flow from pump back to the
tank.

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Valves: A valve is a device that regulates the flow of a fluid (gases, liquids, fluidized solids, or
slurries) by opening, closing, or partially obstructing various passageways.
Cut-off valve is provided in the delivery line to control the flow from the pump.
By-pass valve is provided in the delivery line to by-pass the flow from pump to tank when flow
in delivery line is reduced than the pump capacity.
Relief valve is an automatic device to control the pressure of fluid or gas within a range a
predetermined pressure.

Strainer: It is a small circular plastic ring with nylon wire mesh to filter any dust particle
coming with the chemical solution It is included in the suction line between the chemical tank
and the check valves. In some sprayer strainers are provided at the mouth of the chemical tank.

Nozzles: It is the component which breaks the fluid in to fine droplet. Automation of spray fluid
is usually achieved by discharging the liquid through an orifice called nozzle under pressure.
Atomization is also achieved by breaking up the jet of liquid with a blast of air.

Spray gun - It is a hand held metallic of PVC pipe to one end of which the nozzle is fitted and a
flow cut off valve and a handle are fitted at the other end. The delivery hose is connected to the
spray gun. It conducts the fluid from the delivery hose to the nozzle. The operator holds the gun
and does the spraying job. Area of coverage by a spray gun is less compared to the coverage of a
spray boom. Spray guns are used with low power sprayers E.g. Knapsack sprayers, rocker
sprayer.

Spray boom - It is a long metallic or PVC pipe to which several nozzles are fitted with. The
delivery hose is connected to the spray gun. High power and high capacity sprayers use spray
booms. The coverage is larger compared to spray guns. Booms are usually mounted on suitable
structures and used. E.g. Tractor operated sprayers, power tiller operated sprayers.

Over-flow pipe - It is a conduit pipe through which excess fluid from a pump is by-passed in to
chemical tank by the action of a relief valve or pressure regulator.

Classification of Sprayers
Based up on the volume of liquid handled, sprayers may be classified in to
1. High volume sprayer (more than 400 litres /ha)

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 2. Low volume sprayer (5 to 400 litres/ hectare)
3. Ultra-low volume sprayer (ULV) spray (less than 5 litres /ha)

The selection technique depends up on type of vegetation, kind of pests and approach to the
field.

Kinds of Sprayers

Hand Atomizer
This sprayer has a container of 0.5 to 3.5 litres capacity. The container has a built-in
pump inside. While in other cases, the air pump is mounted externally. In both the cases, the air
pump outlet pipe is suspended in the container. The outer end of the pipe terminates in a nozzle
with 0.6 – 1.6 mm diameter orifice. The container is filled to approximately three-fourth of its
capacity and air is compressed on the remaining space by means of the pump. Before use, the
plunger type pump is worked to develop an air pressure of 2-5 psi. The spray comes out from the
nozzle usually via a suitable trigger control valve. The application rate ranges from 18 to 45
litres per acre.

Designation Utility

It is ideal for small nurseries,

Hand atomizer sprayer small potted plants, kitchen
gardens and spraying wettable
insecticide and fungicides.

Knapsack Sprayer
This sprayer is suitable for applying chemicals to several field crops. The operator carries
the sprayer on his back and hence the name knapsack sprayer. It has a flat or bean-shaped tank of
10-15 litres capacity, a hydraulic pump fitted inside the tank, a handle to operate the pump,
agitator, filter, delivery hose, and spray gun with nozzle and flow control lever.

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 The tank is made of either brass or PVC material. The tank is filled with chemical
solution. When the pump is operated, it draws the fluid through the suction hole and delivers it to
the spray gun.
When the cut off lever is pressed spraying is done through the nozzle as fine droplets.
The pressure developed in these sprayers depends on the pump and varies from 43 to 171 psi.
The application rate is 500 lit/ha. The coverage is 0.5-1.0 ha/day.

Features of knapsack sprayers

1. Useful to develop high pressure with
less effort.
2. Light in weight and easy to carry on
the back of the operator.
3. High work rate and economical.
Designation
4. Robust and simple to maintain.
5. Both left- and right-hand operation
6. 6.10-15-liter capacity
7. Easy to spray chemicals.
Utility

The motorized sprayer enables

the farmer to apply chemicals
with relative ease as its usage
excludes the usually stressful
Knapsack Power Sprayer
manual pumping action.
Used for garden spraying-weed,
pest control, liquid fertilizing
and plant leaf polishing

Have tanks of fertilizer,

insecticide or herbicide that
gardeners wear on their backs to
spray gardens or trees. The
Knapsack Sprayer
gardener controls a nozzle with
his right hand and a pump
handle with his left hand to
keep up the pressure in the tank

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 For outdoor work such as
garden, vegetable plots, field
crops. Other features include a
High Pressure Knapsack
wide filling port, filling strainer
Sprayer
and pressure filtration, lance,
high quality seals and adjustable
nozzle for durability.

Physical Description and Construction

A lever-operated knapsack sprayer consists of reservoir or tank to carry liquid
chemical on the operators back. A lever operating either below or above the shoulder
with the left or right hand is used to operate a piston or diaphragm type pump, mounted
inside, but in some cases, outside the sprayer tank, which forces the liquid chemical into a
pressure chamber. Air trapped in this chamber is pressurized and forces the liquid
chemical, via a cut-off valve, to the nozzle fitted on a hand lance.
The sprayer tank is not pressurized and the operator must continue pumping while
spraying. Such equipment is hereafter referred to as the sprayer. The sprayer and related
accessories shall be built in such a way to minimize operator hazards and provide reliable
operation over the expected life of the equipment (life expectancy in hours shall be
specified by the manufacturer).
All parts of the sprayer shall be made of materials, which shall not be affected by
the use of a liquid chemical for a minimum of 48 hours use. The respective grades and
standards of materials used in pressure areas shall be specified by the manufacturer in the
sprayer manual.

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A Typical Lever-Operated Knapsack Sprayer (Piston type) with its Components

Design Criteria
 Weight of sprayer should not exceed 6kgs
 Valves are serviceable and replaceable
 Minimum volumetric efficiency of 80%, ranges from 270 kPa to 410 kPa
Piston Displacement Determination
The inside diameter of the cylinder and the actual length of stroke shall be measured. Piston
displacement shall be computed using the formula:

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  pressure shall not drop by more than 35 kPa for leak test
o Pump and lever
 pump shall be easily detachable from the sprayer without tools
 lever shall be adjustable to enable right or left hand operation
 Grip lever, minimum diameter of 25 mm and a minimum length of 100 mm.
 flow rate, should lie in the range of 0.3 to 1.4 L/min. at a mean pressure of 300 kPa
 Pumping rate shall not exceed 40 strokes/min, vertical movement at the end of the lever
shall not exceed 400 mm
 Operating pressure shall be 100 kPa

o Filter Assembly
 Filter basket mesh should have 100/cm2
o Filling hole
 capable of filling through the tank opening
 provided with filter, with minimum diameter of 100 mm and secure effective seal
 tank should limit the escape of spray liquid to 5 ml if the sprayer is completely inverted
for 5 minutes
o Hose and Lance
 rubber or synthetic material, If rubber, it shall have one or more plies of fiber
reinforcement
 connectors and couplings preferably by clamps or clips of the worm drive type
 lance length, not less than 100 cm

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 o Noozle Assembly
 Variable cone type nozzles shall not be used, fitted with fine and coarse spray application
o Strap
 at least 50 mm wide, can carry the load of the tank, with quick release.
o Pressure Regulation (optional)
 This prevent excessive pressure of the sprayer, with an accuracy of ± 5% of maximum
pressure
o Fluid Level Indicator
 The liquid capacity of the tank shall be clearly marked and visible, at 1-liter intervals,
within 5% accuracy

Rocker Sprayer
This sprayer consists of pump assembly, platform with frame and fork, operating lever,
pressure chamber, suction hose with strainer, delivery hose, extension rod with spray nozzles,
etc. The rocking movement of the handle helps in building pressure in the pressure chamber.
There is no built-in tank and separate spray tank is necessary. The sprayer builds up a high
pressure of 199-256 psi. In some it may be as much as 512 psi. It can therefore be used for
spraying the field crops. The sprayer is popular in some of the coconut areas. Long hose
connections up to 30 m are made to one or two outlets.

Designation Utility

Is suitable both for small- &

large-scale spraying on field
crops, orchards, tea, coffee &
rubber plantations.
Rocker Sprayer It develops maximum pressure
with a smaller number of
strokes. It is used for effective &
economical spraying of
insecticides & pesticides.

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Foot or Pedal Operated Sprayer
The foot or pedal sprayers, as they are commonly called, consist of plunger assembly,
stand, suction hose, delivery hose, extension rod with a spray nozzle etc. One end of the suction
hose is fitted with strainer and the other with a flexible coupling. Similarly, the delivery hose has
one end fitted with a sheet off pistol and the other with a flexible coupling. Foot instead of hand
operates it, but the principle is the same as in case of the rocker sprayer. The pump is fitted on
iron stand and a pedal attached to the plunger rod operates the sprayer by its upward and
downward movement. This sprayer also does not have a built-in tank. Constant pedalling is
required for continuous spray. It develops a pressure of 241-299 psi. It is easy to operate and can
be used for spraying tall crops as well as fruit trees.
Designation Utility

Is one of the ideal and versatile

sprayers used for multipurpose
spraying jobs. The plunger
pump being a positive
displacement pump, builds up a
Foot /Pedal Sprayer
high pressure to throw spray
liquid to larger distances with a
suitable boom. The pump barrel,
lance and the spray nozzle are
made from brass alloy.

Power Sprayer
It is a heavy duty and efficient sprayer. It consists of a triplex pump with stainless steel
piston with oil bath lubrication. It can develop 250 to 350 pounds pressure and can deliver the
solution up to 15 m. It can be powered by a 3 HP engine or electric motor. It is convenient to
spray with 4 to 6 spray lances at a time using the sprayer. There are sprayers can be operated by
tractor PTO as well as by a power tiller.

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 Designation Utility

These sprayers can be fitted

onto tractor or coupled with
engine/ electric motor.
These power sprayers are
Piston Power Sprayer specially designed for spraying
on Orchards and Hilly Terrain.
Also suitable for spraying on
Apple, Grape, Coffee, Rubber
Trees and Field Crops.

A sprayer is a device used to

spray a liquid, where sprayers
are commonly used for
projection of water, weed
Pressure Washer Sprayer killers, crop performance
materials, pest maintenance
chemicals, as well as
manufacturing and production
line ingredients.

Battery – Operated Knapsack Sprayer

The battery-operated sprayer developed consists of a 10 litre capacity plastic tank and a 6
Volt rechargeable battery both fixed in a frame which is carried on the back of the operator. A
plastic spinning disc along with a micro motor is fitted at the end of an aluminium handle.
Chemical is taken from the tank to the spinning disc through a plastic hose. A cut
off valve is provided in the hose line to stop of flow of spray fluid when desired. The
salient features of the unit are light in weight, less water requirement & low cost.

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 Utility
Designation

Functions like a regular

Knapsack sprayer but with
its pump lever removed in
Battery – Operated Knapsack exchange of a battery
Sprayer assisting the pumping and
suction of air in the tank to
provide pressure upon
spraying.

Hand Compression Sprayer

These sprayers are similar to the hand atomizer but are adopted for spraying large
quantities of liquids. They are more easily operated than the knapsack sprayer. The typical hand
compression sprayer comprises a tank for holding spray material and compressed air, vertical air
pump with a handle, filling port, spray lance with nozzle and release and shut-off devices.
Besides, it has a metal or plastic skirt which protects the bottom of the tank of the sprayer
against wear and makes the sprayer stable when placed on the ground. It also serves as a base for
the back- rest. In addition, it has adjustable straps. These should be made of cotton belt, leather
on plastic. As the spraying proceeds, the pumping is required to maintain the normal pressure of
28 – 50 psi.

Designation Utility
Hand Compression Sprayer
Consists of a tank for holding a
liquid insecticide formulation,
which can be pressurized by
means of a hand pump attached
to it. The compressed air forces
the liquid from the tank via a
hose with a cut-off valve, a

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 lance and a nozzle
Stirrup Sprayer
It consists of a single or double acting pump, placed into any ordinary bucket containing
spraying solution to create required pressure to spray small garden and low trees.

Designation Utility

Is a portable water pump used

to extinguish or control small
fires. It is operated by hand. The
Stirrup Sprayer (Pump) operator places a foot on a
stirrup-like bracket at the
bottom of the pump to hold the
pump steady.

Tractor Mounted Sprayer

These sprayers are designed to spray pesticide solution over a large area. They are most
often used in agriculture, forestry and right-of way pest control operations. They deliver low to
moderate application rates, usually 50 to 500 L/ha, at working pressures ranging from 150 to 500
kPa. The most common booms are between 6 and 10 m long and contain nozzles spaced at 50 to
100 cm intervals.

Designation Utility

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 For spraying on field
Tycoon Sprayer crops, tall trees, orchards
and plantations.

Airplane Sprayer
It consists of gear pump or centrifugal pump to force/ to spray liquid through the nozzle with the
pressure range of 43-121 psi. The pump gets its drive from a wind driven propeller having 4-6
blades. Lightweight aluminum tank of capacity of 450-2200 liters is used to store the liquid
depending upon the size of plane.

Designation Utility

It is used to cover large

Airplane-Assisted Sprayer areas such as wheat and
rice fields.

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Dusters
Duster is a machine used to apply chemicals in dust form. Dusters make use of air
stream to carry pesticides in finely divided form on the plants.
A duster essentially consists of
1. Hopper
2. Agitator
3. Feed control
4. Fan or blower
5. Delivery nozzle

Classification of sprayers and dusters

 Manually operated sprayers and dusters - Suitable for small holdings and are operated at
pressure ranging from 14-100 psi
 Engine operated sprayers and dusters - Suitable for large areas and are operated at
pressure ranging 284-712 psi
 Tractor PTO operated sprayers and dusters - Suitable for large scale works with higher
working pressure of more than 712 psi
 Air plane operated sprayers and dusters - Suitable for large scale commercial farming
with proper working pressure

Safety in handling plant protection machines

Some of the spray materials are poisonous and highly dangerous to the operators
unless very great care is taken in handling them. Small amount of poison taken into body
may produce no ill effect at first but being cumulating may suddenly give rise to serious
poisoning. Therefore some of the protection measures are as follows:
 Protective clothing must be worn during spraying
 Operators should avoid absorbing poison through the mouth, nose or skin
 The spray should always be shut off when nozzles are to be cleaned or changed
 Spraying in windy weather should be avoided
 When mixing poisonous chemicals, care should be taken to avoid splashing them into the
skin
 Operators should not eat anything during spraying the insecticides

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Types of Dusters
Plunger Type
It is a simple duster with a small piston. The piston drives a current of air over the
dust in the hopper. The dust is carried away through a delivery spout.
Designation Utility
Small hand pump dusters
of this type are available
and are suitable only
Airplane-Assisted Sprayer
where the area to be
dusted is small like
vegetable gardens.
Knapsack type
It is a duster with the powder container carried on the back of the operator. Knapsack dusters
have a hopper through which a current of air is blown to pick up the dust. The air current is
produced by a lever operated leather bellows. Shoulder straps are used to carry in the field.
Designation Utility

This duster is suitable for

Airplane-Assisted Sprayer
small areas.

Knapsack Motorized Mist Blower cum Duster

It is the simplest engine driven sprayer used in agriculture. It is carried on the
back of the operator. It consists of a 1.2- 3.0 hp high speed petrol engine, a blower, a 12
lit chemical tank, delivery hose, fleeted air hose, flow regulator knob and a plastic
atomizer grate. The tank is filled with the required chemical solution. When the engine is
started, the blower generates a high velocity air to which the chemical solution is fed. The
chemical mixed air stream is broken in to fine droplets at the atomizer grate and
sprayed. . By changing few parts the sprayer can be converted in to a duster.

Designation Utility

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 It is used for spraying to
all types of field crops
Knapsack Motorized
most popularly to paddy,
Mist Blower cum Duster
groundnut, cotton and
vegetable crops

Rotary duster
Hand rotary dusters are useful to apply chemicals which are in powder form. It
consists of a hopper, a fan, gear box, handle, delivery hose and a deflector plate. When
the handle is rotates the fan rotates at high speed and draws air from outside. The
chemical from hopper is fed in to the air stream in the suction side of the fan. The
chemical mixes with the air, passes through the delivery line and is applied on the plants.
The rate of delivery can be regulated.
Designation Utility

It is used to apply
powdery chemicals to
Rotary Duster
vegetables, sorghum etc.
crops.

Power operated duster

Power operated duster mainly consists of a power driven fan, a hopper and a
delivery spout. The fan creates strong air flow which causes the dust to blow off from the
hopper to a considerable distance vertically or horizontally. Direction of dust is regulated
by a movable spout suitably fitted with the unit.
Designation Utility

It is also a type of mist

duster that’s used to apply
powdery chemicals
Rotary Duster
But, its utility is as of
larger areas than regular
mist dusters.

Arial duster or crop duster

Crop Protection Machinery/Equipment

L.S. OLIPAS 2020
Aerial spraying and dusting permit prompt coverage of large areas at the moment when
application of pesticide is most effective and avoid the need for wheeled vehicles that might
damage crops. The technique was greatly improved in the 1960s with the development of
ultralow-volume applicators, in which concentrated pesticides are distributed in amounts as small
as 1 ounce per acre (70 grams per hectare).
Designation Utility

It is also a type of airplane

sprayer but this time it is a
Arial duster
dusters. It is used to cover
larger areas of plantation.

Crop Protection Machinery/Equipment

L.S. OLIPAS 2020
Weeders
Weeding equipment roots out and removes weeds from the soil. Its use is
becoming increasingly widespread, with improved effectiveness, on row-cultivated crops,
including winter cereals, vineyard and orchard crops. The operations performed in the
field after sowing but before harvesting the crop are called as intercultural operations.
Interculturing is described as breaking the upper surface of soil, uprooting the weeds
(unwanted plants), aerating the soil, thereby promoting the activities of microorganism
and making good mulch, so that moisture inside the field is properly retained from
evaporation.. These operations are accomplished by means of many tools and
equipments, such as hoes, cultivators, harrows, rotary hoes etc.

Popular Weeders
Hand Hoe
Hand hoe is the most popular manually operated weeding tool use in the farm. It
consists of an iron blade and a wooden handle. The operator holds the handle and cuts the
soil with the blade to a shallow depth of 2-3 cm thereby weeds are cut and soil is stirred.
The handle is short (30-40cm long) hence the operator uses the tool in bending posture.
The coverage is 5-7 cents per day.
Designation Utility
Used in piling soil around
the base of plants (hilling),
digging narrow furrows
Hand Hoe
(drills) and shallow
trenches for planting seeds
or bulbs.

Hoe Come Rake

The hoe cum rake is multipurpose hand tool, which consists of a flat blade on one
side like powrah and prongs on the other side. The blade and prongs are either made from
single stock with an eye in the centre or joined to an eye by welding. A wooden handle is
fitted to the eye for operation. The flat blade is used for digging and rake side for

Crop Protection Machinery/Equipment

L.S. OLIPAS 2020
 weeding and collection of weeds and trashes. The hoe cum rake is a secondary nursery
bed preparation tool and is used for lighter operations. The flat end of the tool is operated
with impact action and rake end.
Designation Utility
Used to collect leaves,
hay, grass, etc., and in
gardening, for loosening
the soil, light weeding
Hoe Come Rake
and leveling, removing
dead grass from lawns,
and generally for
purposes.

Long Handle Weeders

Hand hoes exert greater strain on the operator because of the short handle with
necessitates the operator to do weeding job in bent posture. To avoid this nowadays long
handles are used in hoes and hence they are called as long handle weeders. The popular
long handle weeders available are:
a) Star type weeder
b) Peg type weeder.
These weeders are also called as dry land weeders since they are used in dry lands.
a) Star type weeder
It is suitable for weeding in dry lands. It can be used in garden lands also when
the soil moisture is low (10-15 %). One limitation is that it works well in line sown crops
and not in broadcasted fields. It consists of a blade for cutting the weeds, a fulcrum wheel
for push-pull movement and a long handle for easy operation. The operating width of the
blade is 120 mm. The coverage is 0.05 ha/day.
b) Peg type weeder
It is suitable for weeding in dry lands. It can be used in garden lands also when
the soil moisture is low (10-15 %). One limitation is that it works well in line sown crops
and not in broadcasted fields. It consists of a blade for cutting the weeds, a fulcrum wheel

Crop Protection Machinery/Equipment

L.S. OLIPAS 2020
 for push-pull movement and a long handle for easy operation. The operating width of the
blade is 120 mm. The coverage is 0.05 ha/day.
Both star type and peg type weeders are also called as dry land weeders.
Designation Utility
a. The radial arms of
the fulcrum wheel are
cut in to star like
projections and hence
the name star type
weeder. Star wheel is
designed for loamy
soils.
Peg/Star type b. There are pegs
welded on the
periphery of the
wheel hence the name
peg type weeder. Peg
type wheel is
designed for clayey
soils

c) Wheel hoe
The wheel hoe is a widely accepted weeding tool for weeding and intercultural in
row crops. It is a long handled tool operated by pushes and pull action. The general
construction of wheel hoe comprises of a wheel, tool frame, a set of replaceable tools and
a handle Different types of soil working tools such as straight blade, V -blade, sweep,
shovel, etc. can be used for different works namely weeding , soil mulching, stirring
etc. .Long handle reduces drudgery to operator.

Designation Utility

Crop Protection Machinery/Equipment

L.S. OLIPAS 2020
 Wheel reduces energy
requirement for
pushing. All the soil
working components
Wheel Hoe
of the tool are made
from medium carbon
steel. The coverage is
0.05 ha/day.

d) Cono weeder
Cono weeder is useful for uprooting and burying weeds in line planted rice fields
in wetlands. It disturbs the topsoil and increases aeration. This facilitates better growing
environment to the crop. The weeder consists of a long handle, two numbers of truncated
conical rollers, and a float. The rollers are fitted at the bottom of the handle in opposite
direction one behind other. The conical rollers have serrated blades on the periphery.

Designation Utility
Use to operate in
between two rows of
standing crop, the
rollers up root the
weeds and bury them.
Cono The float prevents the
unit from sinking into
the soil. Soil should
be moist and little
firm at the time of
using the weeder.

Cultivators

Crop Protection Machinery/Equipment

L.S. OLIPAS 2020
 It is an implement for inter cultivation with laterally adjustable tines or discs to
work between crop rows. This can be used for seed bed preparation and for sowing with
seeding attachment. The times may have provision for vertical adjustments also.
The cultivator can be
1. Disc cultivator
2. Rotary cultivator
3. Tine cultivator

Disc cultivator
It is a cultivator fitted with discs.
Rotary cultivator
It is a cultivator with tines or blades mounted on a power driven horizontal shaft.
Tine cultivator
It is a cultivator fitted with tines having shovels.
The cultivator stirs the soil, and breaks the clods. The tines fitted on the frame of
the cultivator comb the soil deeply in the field. A cultivator performs functions
intermediate between those of plough and the harrow. Destruction of weeds is the
primary function of a cultivator. The following are a few important functions performed
by a cultivator.
1. Destroy the weeds in the field.
2. Aerate the soil for proper growth of crops.
3. Conserve moisture by preparing mulch on the surface.
4. To sow seeds when it is provided with sowing attachments.
5. To prevent surface evaporation and encourage rapid infiltration of rain water into the
soil.
Depending upon the type of power available for the implement, the cultivator can be classified as
1. Tractor drawn
2. Animal drawn

Trailed type cultivator

Crop Protection Machinery/Equipment

L.S. OLIPAS 2020
 It consists of a main frame which carries a number of cross members to which tines are
fitted. At the forward end of the cultivator, there is a hitch arrangement for hitching purpose. A
pair of wheels is provided in the cultivator. The life is operated by both wheels simultaneously so
that draft remains even and uniform. The height of the hitch is adjusted so that main frame
remains horizontal over a range of depth setting. The tines in each row are spaced widely to
allow free passage of the soil and trash around them. The tines in subsequent rows are staggered
so that the implement can cover the entire width nicely. The depth of working is set roughly by
adjusting the tine in their clamps and the final depth control is done by a screw lever. Usually the
tines are damaged due to turning the implement at the headland without lifting it up. Care should
be taken to lift the tines off the ground before turning.

Mounted Cultivator
Tractors fitted with hydraulic lift operate the mounted type cultivators. A
rectangular frame of angle iron is mounted on three point hydraulic linkage of the tractor.
The cross members carry the tines in two staggered lines. For actual cutting the soil,
different types of shovels and sweeps are used. A few important shovels and sweeps are:
a. Single point shovel
b. Double point shovel
c. Spear head shovel
d. Sweep
e. Half sweep
f. Furrower.

Depending upon the type of soil and crop, shovels are chosen for use on the
cultivators. Usually tractor drawn cultivators are of two types, depending upon the
flexibility and rigidity of tines:
a. Cultivator with spring loaded tines
b. Cultivator with rigid tines.

Cultivator with Spring Loaded Tines

Crop Protection Machinery/Equipment

L.S. OLIPAS 2020
 A tine hinged to the frame and loaded with a spring so that it swings back when
an obstacle is encountered, is called spring loaded line. Each of the tine of this type of
cultivator is provided with two heavy coil springs, pre- tensioned to ensure minimum
movement except when an obstacle is encountered. The springs operate, when the points
strike at roots or large stones by allowing the tines to ride over the obstruction, thus
preventing damage. On passing over the obstruction, the tines are automatically reset and
work continues without interruption. The tines are made of high carbon steel and are held
in proper alignment on the main frame members. The cultivator may be fitted with 7, 9,
11, 13 tines or more depending upon the requirements.

Designation Utility

This type of cultivator is

particularly recommended for
soils which are embedded
with stones or stumps.
Spring tine
A pair of gauge wheel is
provided on the cultivator for
controlling the depth of
operation.

Cultivator with Rigid Tines

Rigid tines of the cultivators are those tines which do not deflect during the work in the field.
The tines are bolted between angle braces, fastened to the main bars by sturdy clamps and bolts .
No springs are available with these cultivators. Spacing of the tines is changed simply by
slackening the bolts and sliding the braces to the desired position. Since rigid tines are mounted
on the front and rear tool bars, the spacing between the tines can be easily adjusted without
getting the tines choked with stubbles of the previous crop or weed growth. A pair of gauge
wheel is used for controlling the depth of operation.
Designation Utility

Crop Protection Machinery/Equipment

L.S. OLIPAS 2020
 This type of cultivator is
particularly recommended for
soils which are embedded with
Rigid Tine stones or stumps.
A pair of gauge wheel is provided
on the cultivator for controlling
the depth of operation.

Types of Shovels and Sweeps used in Tine Cultivators

Shovel type blades
a. Duplex shovel or spear head shovel – for sleeve type tines
b. Single point shovel – spring tooth
c. Double point or reversible shovel – for spring tooth

Sweeps blades
a. Full sweep
b. Half sweep right
c. Half sweep left
d. High speed sweeps
Type of soil, crops and weeds influence the use of a shovel or a sweep. Shovels
and sweeps should be operated as shallow as possible to prevent pruning of roots from
the plants thereby injuring the crop. Sweeps should be set almost flat. When the point is
resting on the floor, or ground, the outer tip of the wing should be elevated only 3-6 mm
above the floor. The shovels and sweeps should be set in between the crop rows 5 cm
away and at equal distances on each side of the row to avoid any damage to the standing
crop.
Engine-Operated Weeder
It is used for both intercultural and secondary tillage operations namely stirring
the soil, uprooting the weeds, breaking clods, covering seeds etc It consists of a 3-hp
engine (petrol start kerosene run), a pair of ground wheels, a cultivator frame with sweep
or shovel blades, steering clutch, main clutch, handle , a tail wheel and other control

Crop Protection Machinery/Equipment

L.S. OLIPAS 2020
 levers. The engine power is transmitted to ground wheels through belt-pulley and
sprocket - chain mechanisms. Ground wheels act as traction wheels and pull the
cultivator when moving, the tines to be set between rows with sufficient space away from
plant stems. To avoid any damage to plants, the tail wheel is provided at the rear of the
cultivator frame by raising or lowering of which the operating depth of the blades can be
altered. The field capacity is 0.75 – 1.0 ha per day.

Designation Utility

Useful for weeding in row crops like

tapioca, cotton, sugarcane, maize,
tomato and pulses whose rows
Rigid Tine
spacing is more than 60 cm,
Orchards and for hilly regions and
Depth of cut is 8 – 12 cm.

Crop Protection Machinery/Equipment

L.S. OLIPAS 2020