TNAU developing robotic cotton harvesting machine, says Vice-Chancellor
The Hindu
The Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) is developing a robotic cotton harvesting machine, according to Vice Chancellor, V. Geethalakshmi.
Addressing a meeting of stakeholders on enhancing productivity and complete mechanisation in cotton at Cotton Research Station in Veppanthattai, on Tuesday, Ms.. Geethalakshmi said the technologies developed by TNAU so far had enabled farmers to secure yield of up to 25 quintals per hectare.
The mechanisation that paved way for high density planting system, pneumatic seed sowing, tractor operated self propelled boom spraying and mechanical spindle harvester was of high utility to cotton farmers in Perambalur district with a cultivation area of 13,000 hectare for the crop, the Vice-Chancellor said.
S. Somasundaram, Professor and Head, CRS, said that mechanisation of cotton farming had resulted in labour requirement decreasing from 240 man days per ha to 60 man days per ha with a benefit cost ratio of 2.6.
K Subrahamaniyan, Director, Tamil Nadu Rice Research Institute; C. Vanniarajan, Dean, Anbil Dharmalingam Agricultural College and Research Institute, Tiruchi; and P Rajkumar, Dean, Agricultural Engineering College and Research Institute, Kumulur, also took part in the stakeholders meeting.
Later, at a function organised by the Perambalur administration, the Vice-Chancellor joined the Collector P. Sri Venkada Priya in handing over farm equipment worth ₹8.14 lakh on behalf of TNAU to farmers belonging to the Scheduled Castes. The farm equipment were meant to reduce the dependence of cultivators on manpower. The 35 beneficiaries belonged to seven farmers’ groups in Perambalur, Veppanthattai and Alathur unions.