Developing Sapling Carrier for Hand Lever Operated Trans-Planter

Abstract

Ergonomic assessment of manual hand trans-plantation and transplanting activity with new technology package i.e. saplingcarrier and seedling trans-planter in chilly and brinjal production system was carried out with 30 healthy farm women having minimum 8 years’ experience of transplanting. Field experiment was carried out in selected fields from six villages of Parbhani district. Chilly (Ankur 930) and brinjal (Ajay- Ankur) crops were selected for the experiment. Type of soil, soil condition, bund height and length, row to row and plant to plant spacing, type of irrigation, use of mulching paper was planned before the experiment in consultation with farmers and agricultural scientists. Study revealed that manual hand transplanting and trans-planter method were at par with respect to productivity out-put factors. Physiological work load of transplanting activity was reduced significantly (18 %) when work was performed with trans-planter and seedling carrier .With respect to posture and muscle skeletal disorder in trans- planter method, there was significant reduction in angle of deviation and level of pain at neck, wrist and lower back. Perceived rating on time load indicated that trans-planter method was moderately heavy and as per the perceived rating on exertion, it is light task. Strain index for both the hands in improved method were similar. Strain index of right hand in conventional method was highest i.e. 8.04 indicated that job was probably hazardous. Grip strength of the right hand of the worker was reduced in conventional method i.e. right hand was more fatigued. On the whole it can be concluded that transplantation by conventional method is hazardous for the farm women whereas use of sapling carrier with trans-planter was helpful in reducing drudgery and making job safe.