Ergonomic Comparison of Modified Hoe and Chisel Weeders for Enhanced Operator Comfort in Weeding

Vivekanand Singh^1*, Amit Kumar², Pradeep Prasad³, Ankit Kumar Upadhyay⁴, Utkarsh Dwivedi⁵and Nitish Singh⁶

¹Department of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agriculture University, Samastipur, Bihar, India.

²Regional Agricultural Research Station, Ambalavayal, Kerala, India.

³Department of Agronomy, Birsa Agriculture University, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India.

⁴Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Bihar, India.

⁵Aga Khan Foundation, Barabanki, India.

⁶Indian Council of Agricultural Research(ICAR), and Indian Institute of Vegetable Research (IIVR), Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Corresponding Author E-mail: vivekanandsingh251@gmail.com

DOI : http://dx.doi.org/10.12944/CARJ.13.2.19

Article Publishing History

Received: 06 Jun 2025
Accepted: 12 Aug 2025
Published Online: 01 Sep 2025

Review Details

Reviewed by: Dr. Vikas Singh Sengar
Second Review by: Dr. Sudhir Ahluwalia
Final Approval by: Dr. José Luis da Silva Nunes

Article Metrics

 

     PDF Downloads: 190

Abstract:

Manual weeding remains a labor-intensive and ergonomically demanding agricultural task, especially in smallholder farming systems. This study evaluated and compared the ergonomic performance of modified hoe and chisel weeders, incorporating adjustable handle angles (45–65°), lightweight mild steel frames (4.5 kg), and optimized cutter blades (175 mm length), to address gaps in existing designs. Field experiments at SHUATS, Prayagraj, involved four male operators aged 20–35 years, measuring anthropometric, physiological (heart rate, OCR, EER), and postural (BPDS) parameters. The chisel weeder demonstrated significantly lower physiological strain than the hoe weeder, with mean heart rate (90–134 vs. 91–135 b/min; p < 0.05), oxygen consumption rate (0.346–0.847 vs. 0.357–0.859 l/min), and energy expenditure rate (6.5–17.6 vs. 7.4–17.91 kJ/min). Postural discomfort (BPDS) was 28% lower for the chisel weeder (20–45 vs. 23–52), particularly in younger operators (20–23 years: BPDS 20 vs. 23). These findings underscore the importance of ergonomic modifications in manually operated weeders to enhance operator comfort, reduce fatigue, and minimize the risk of musculoskeletal disorders. The study provides design recommendations for further improving manual weeder ergonomics in small-scale agriculture.

Keywords:

Agricultural tool design; Anthropometry; Chisel weeder; Ergonomics; Hoe weeder; Manual weeding; Physiological strain Smallholder farming

Download this article as: 

[ HTML Full Text]