EVALUATION OF INTER-ROW SWEEPS WITH DIFFERENT WORKING WIDTHS

Little information is available on the performance of inter-row sweeps. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of inter-row sweeps for mechanical weed control. Sweeps with different working widths (153, 280, and 330 mm) were tested at different working speeds (0.70, 1.53, and 2.22 m s(-1)) and a constant working depth (50 mm) in an indoor soil bin with a sandy loam soil. Measurements included soil disturbance characteristics: distance of soil throw (L), width of disturbed soil (W), mass of soil throw (M), height of soil ridge (H), and draft force (F-d). Results showed that L increased linearly with the working speed, but L was not affected by the working width of the sweeps. In contrast, W was slightly affected by the speed, but it was significantly increased if a wider sweep was used. Effects of working speed on M and H depended on the sweep width, and the smallest sweep traveling at 2.22 m s(-1) resulted in the highest M and H. Draft force was higher for a wider sweep and a higher working speed. Considering the potential weeding efficiency (defined as the ratio of W and F-d), the width of sweep would not make any differences, and a lower working speed would result in better performance.