Field evaluation of small scale interculture implement in grapevine yard

Grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) is one of the major fruit in Pakistan and its 70% of area lies in Baluchistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Pothwar region of Punjab while Baluchistan is the major contributor in country total production. Annual country production of grapevine is 122 thousand tons with average yield of 19 tons/ha against the potential yield of 25 tons/ha. Main cause of low productivity is due to heavy weed infestation. Effective weed control is vital, as weeds use most of space, sunlight, water and nutrients due to their fast growth habits. A mall-scale intercultural implement by means of three shapes of blades with treatment T1 L-shape, treatment T2 C-shape and treatment T3 J-shape blade, suitable for small farmers under existing field conditions was developed during 2018-19. Implement performance was evaluated at Arid University Research Farm Koont, Chakwal, North Punjab, Pakistan in grapevine yard. Field performance of implement was tested for weeding efficiency, plant damage, speed, depth, theoretical field capacity, effective field capacity, field efficiency, fuel consumption and operational cost. Data recorded was statistical analyzed using Randomized Complete Block Design. Software statistic 8.1 was used for ANOVA and treatment means were compared at 5% level of probability. Treatment T1 with L-shaped blade had the better performance as compared to other shape of blades in grapevine yard.


Introduction
Grape (Vitis vinifera L.) is one of the world's major fruits that has very old history. It has been praised in "The Holy Quran". The European grapevine is believed to have originated in the area between Black and Caspian seas, where it still grows wild. It is believed that it was introduced throughout the Europe and later by explorer to all continents [1]. Herbicides are increasingly applied in vineyards worldwide. In an experimental vineyard in Austria, it was examined the impacts of three within-row herbicide treatments (active ingredients: flazasulfuron, glufosinate, glyphosate) and mechanical weeding on grapevine root myorrhization [2]. A better understanding of side effects of different weed control methods within vineyard ecosystem would help to develop more ecologically sound viticulture management practices [3]. The aim of the current study was to examine non-target effects of chemical and mechanical weed control on soil biota and grapevine nutrition. Earthworms mycorrhizal fungi and also soil microorganisms have been shown to be affected by chemical herbicides, it was hypothesized that herbicide induced alterations would be evident through changes in plant as well as in the soil [4]. Manual weeding requires huge labour force and interpretations near about 25 % of the total labor requirement. In India, this operation is commonly performed manually with cutlass or dig out that requires high labour input, very cloudy and time wasting process. Moreover, the labour requirement for weeding depends on weed plants, weed intensity, time of weeding, and soil moisture at the time of weeding and efficiency of worker [5]. Researcher reported that in weeding operation; recently power weeders are introduced with rotary tillage equipment having 3.7-5.5 kW capacity and engine weight of 300-400 kg. These implements are not become popular due to clogging of weeds in between tines and intermediate cleaning is required when used in higher moisture content. Present pattern of row cropping concept widely adopted by Indian farmers and development of self-propelled sweep or drag type weeder is the need of the day. In this view, self-propelled small engine operated weeder is better option due to its medium cost and small size implying better manoeuverability in the small land holdings [6]. To investigate the rotary tillage operation because of its higher ability to mix, roll out and pulverize soil. The rotary weeder can be made to operate various working depths, widths and soil conditions. The rotating blades cut and mix the residues regularly throughout the working depth compared to any other mechanism. Weeders are mechanical implements which are used for weed removal [7]. Weeders was an implement used for weed deduction. Mechanical preparing is one of the prominent methods of weed removal. Smaller weeding implements normally known as moveable weeders are solely used for weed removal in agricultural fields, gardens etc. Unlike tractors, weeders are non-conventional as for as, the movement of labour is concerned. In promoting weeders especially considering the fact that the majority of growers are having small land. So they can hardly accomplish to pay for expensive tractors [8].
The designed and developed a tractor operated 3 rows turning weeder for red gram crop. The weeder was designed using computer supported design and a proto type was made-up. The operational parameters selected for the study were three forward speeds 2.0, 2.5 and 3.0 km h -1 and two rotary speeds of 210 and 240 rpm. Three types of blades were used in the rotary weeder tests i.e., L, C and J-type blades [9]. Scientist designed and advanced a ridge profile power weeder have 2.20 kW petrol-start kerosenerun engine. The weeding efficiency ranged from 74.47 to 93.89% and plant damage varied from 0.88-7.33% for different soilimplement interaction parameters combinations. Actual field capacity was 0.069 ha h -1 . The performance index was observed to be maximum 192.34 in case of C-type blade and lowest 153.94 for flat-type blades [10]. The weeds are cut due to rotary action and deposited in the soil so that it works as biological manure. Implement is equipped with pneumatic wheels, so that it can easily move on road as well as on field. Negative draft helps to move the implement in forward direction. The impact of rotating blade on soil helps to create tangential thrust force to push the implement forward with negligible slippage [11]. Researchers concluded that during his experimentation that tractor operated L-shaped blades performs better as compared to C and J type blades in trashy conditions as they are more effective in killing weed and they do not pulverize the soil as much [12]. Keeping in view above cited statements, the objective of experiment was to test different shapes of intercultural blades in grapevine field to control weeds infestation and to increase yield.

Materials and methods
Present study was conducted for testing the performance of power operated manually propelled small scale intercultural implement. During experimentation, the performance was tested for available rotary weeder and locally developed small scale new intercultural implements with three different shapes of blades (L, C & J). The inter-culture implements were tested for following parameters in grapevine yard at university research farm koont-Mandra-Chakwal-road. Field parameters of soil before weeding operation Soil texture Soil samples were taken with help of auger from three difference location in the field. Soil texture of samples was measured before weeding operation. It was loam with electrical conductivity 0.81 dsm -1 , pH 7.27, organic matter 0.53 (%), available phosphorus 5.8 (mg kg -1 ), available potassium 120 (mg kg -1 ) and saturation 39 (%).

Moisture content
Moisture content of soil sample was measured with help of gravimetric method. Three samples were collected from field and moisture content of those samples was measured. Average moisture content was (9.85 %). Moisture content in trial field was almost same because all the treatment blocks were taken from same field. Research result are in line with finding of other scientists 2014 who found moisture contents in the field was (7.7-12.13 %) [13].

Bulk density
Bulk density of soil sample was measured according to oven dry method. Samples were collected from three different places from field. The bulk density was calculated 2.5291 (g/cm 3 ). Weeding efficiency It can be defined as the ratio between the number of weeds removed during weeding process to the number of weeds present in a unit area before weeding and expressed as a percentage. The weeding efficiency of the intercultural implement was calculated by the following equation Where; N1 = Number of weeds existing per unit area before weeding operation. N2 = Number of weeds calculated in same unit area after weeding operation.

Plant damage
It is the ratio of the number of grapevines destroyed after weeding operation in a unit area to the number of grapevine present before operation in the same unit area. R= q p Where; R = Plant damaged (%). p = Total number of grapevine per unit area before the weeding operation. q = Total number of grapevine damaged in the same unit area after the weeding.

Field capacity
The intercultural implement was tested on the experimented soil to calculate the field capacity. It is expressed the total area that a implement can cover per unit time can be calculated by using formula [13]. Field Capacity (ha/h) = 66 × 10,000 Where; A = Area covered (m 2 ), t = Time taken in minutes