Development of a tractor mounted wide spray boom for increased efficiency

A survey carried out in selected states of India showed that many farmers prefer chemical usage for plant protection. Spray booms of width 6.5 to 9 m are mostly used by the farmers but they prefer to have wider booms with a reasonable cost. Considering this, a wider spray boom was developed to reduce the application time and cost of operation, and for increased efficiency. A 15-m tractor mounted spray boom was systematically developed considering the stresses acting on the boom structure. It was tested in a laboratory and in the field to evaluate its performance. The developed spray boom's performance was compared with existing 9-m spray boom developed by a local manufacturer. Further, both spray booms were evaluated from the economic point of view. Statistical analysis showed that there was no significant variation in spray uniformity within a field for all the test trials. A 15-m spray boom was found to be more economical than the existing 9-m spray boom.