Vol. 7, Issue 2, Part A (2025)

Efficient and sustainable weed management is a major challenge in dryland farming, where traditional manual and animal-powered methods are labor-intensive, time-consuming and unsuitable for small and marginal farmers. To address this gap, a battery operated dryland weeder was designed and developed as a lightweight, eco-friendly and farmer-friendly implement. A battery operated dryland weeder was designed and developed for small and marginal farmers. The implement was fabricated using a mild steel square pipe frame to ensure structural strength and durability under dryland conditions. The weeding mechanism consists of a rotor shaft fitted with six rotary blades, each with a bite length of 60 mm, designed to achieve an average cutting depth of 40 mm for effective weed removal. The power unit comprises a 24 V, 350 W permanent magnet direct current (PMDC) motor with a rated speed of 324 RPM, selected as the prime mover. Power from the motor is transmitted to the rotor shaft through a chain and sprocket mechanism, ensuring efficient torque transfer and smooth operation. A 27 V, 12 Ah Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO₄) battery was employed as the power source, chosen for its longer cycle life, safety, and environmental compatibility. The machine operated at a constant forward speed of 0.7 m/s, suitable for intercultural operations in row crops.Its modular design, low maintenance requirements, and adaptability to dryland crop conditions make it a practical solution for sustainable weed management.