Coimbatore: Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) has introduced a lever-operated sugarcane mother shoot cutter designed for the Sustainable Sugarcane Initiative (SSI).
As one of the fundamental principles of SSI involves removing the mother shoot to promote even tillers, this new equipment facilitates cutting the plant just one inch above the ground once sugarcane seedlings are established. Traditionally, secateurs, knives, and sickles are used for this task, but their operational efficiency is limited. According to a TNAU press release, this invention not only reduces cultivation costs but also significantly alleviates the toil experienced by agricultural labourers.
Furthermore, it contributes to enhancing even tillers and increasing the number of millable canes per plant. The invention, developed using commercially available secateurs, mild steel plates and handles with appropriate arrangements, underwent several modifications to enhance operator, tool, and cutter efficiencies.
With this tool, sugarcane mother shoots can be cut at a rate of approximately 1200 per hour, and its cost is ₹1,000. It is anticipated that this tool will minimize operator injuries and backaches during the sugarcane mother shoot-cutting process. According to the release, TNAU has secured patent rights from the Central Government for 20 years.
