TNAU obtains patent for lever-operated sugarcane mother shoot cutter

Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) has come out with a lever-operated sugarcane mother shoot cutter for Sustainable Sugarcane Initiative (SSI).

Removal of the mother shoot being one of the main principles of SSI to get even tillers, the new equipment helps in cutting the plant just one inch above the ground after the establishment of sugarcane seedlings.

Conventionally, secateurs, knife and sickle are used for the cutting sugarcane mother shoot and their operational efficiency is low. The present invention, apart from reducing the cost of cultivation, also reduces considerably drudgery faced by the agricultural labourers, a TNAU press release said.

It also helps to improve the even tillers and increase millable canes per plant. The invention was developed with commercially available secateurs, mild steel plate and handles with suitable arrangements.

Several modifications were made in the initially developed tool to improve the operator, tool and cutter efficiencies, the press release said.

By using this tool, sugarcane mother shoots are cut at the rate of approximately 1200 numbers per hour. The cost of the tool is ₹1,000. This tool will reduce operator injuries and backache during the cutting of the sugarcane mother shoot.

The TNAU has obtained patent rights from the Central Government for 20 years, the release said.