TITLE:
Assessment of BRRI Whole Feed Combine Harvester (Model BRRI WCH2021) for Mechanized Rice Harvesting in Bangladesh
AUTHORS:
Arafat Ullah Khan, Akm Saiful Islam, Md. Kamruzzaman Pintu, Subrata Paul, Md. Durrul Huda, Md. Anwar Hossen, Md. Monirul Islam, Md. Moudud Ahmmed
KEYWORDS:
BRRI Whole Feed Combine Harvester, Field Efficiency, Fuel Consumption, Harvesting Loss
JOURNAL NAME:
Agricultural Sciences,
Vol.15 No.2,
February
22,
2024
ABSTRACT: Agricultural mechanization plays a pivotal role in the transition from subsistence to commercial agriculture, with a particular focus on labour-intensive activities like harvesting. This study assesses the operational characteristics of the BRRI Whole Feed Combine Harvester (Model BRRI WCH2021) at the field level. Developed under the SFMRA project, the harvester’s technical performance and loss assessment were conducted during the Boro 2022 and Aman 2022 seasons in farmer fields in Bangladesh’s Rangpur region. The field efficiency of the harvester was determined to be 62.5% and 57.9% in the Boro and Aman seasons, respectively. Fuel consumption rates were recorded at 2.77 l/ha and 2.31 l/ha for the Boro and Aman seasons. The total harvesting losses, encompassing cutter bar, shatter, cylinder, and separation loss, averaged 0.56% and 0.48% in the Boro and Aman seasons, respectively. Mechanized harvesting with the BRRI Whole Feed Combine Harvester significantly reduced paddy losses by 5.81% compared to manual methods. The field evaluation results indicate the combine harvester’s satisfactory performance, highlighting its potential to alleviate labour demands during peak harvesting. The development of the BRRI WCH offers a sustainable solution for rice harvesting mechanization among progressive farmers. It paves the way for the broader adoption of advanced agricultural technology in Bangladesh.