Using the Rotary Weeder in Lowland Rice

Weeds are important constraints for rice production. Effective weed management can increase yields by more than 50%, but usually takes a lot of time. As a farmer it is therefore worthwhile investing in labor-saving weed management tools. One such labor-saving method is the use of herbicides, but if these herbicides are not applied in the right way, they may harm the crop, the human health and the environment.
Watch this video to learn how to control weeds in lowland rice using the rotary weeder. This video explains the need for transplanting and water management for effective use of the rotary weeder and how to obtain one.
For more information, please contact Jonne Rodenburg ([e-mail]).
Web published by: R.Raman, AfricaRice

[@JD-nt2sc]

I made a transcript of this video for agriculture students studying English in the JICA program. It may have a few errors. Transcript Note: The speaking speed is at a fast, native English speaker pace. It may be difficult for students studying English to understand. Transcript Using the Rotary Weeder in Lowland Rice 0:07 This farmer is weeding is crop using the rotary weeder. 0:10 It is hard work but still he is better off than this fellow rice farmers 0:14 who do weeding by hand. You have to walk about 10 kilometers in this bent 0:18 position 0:19 to weed just one hectare of rice. Now that's hard work. 0:31 Ms Testiness Stanislaus, Rice Farmer - “Hand weeding is really tough. 0:33 Two weeks after planting you start to see weeds, and that’s the time you start hand weeding. 0:39 There are lots of challenges. You get back pain from bending over for a long time 0:44 and when you get home you're too tired to work to help your family. 0:47 Secondly, snail shells cut us and insects bite us. 0:51 Rough leaves cut our hands, 0:54 so we face problems throughout the weeding process. 1:02 Weeding usually takes up a lot of time, much more than any other management 1:06 practice 1:07 necessary for growing rice. Ms Salima Kipeleka, Rice Farmer - 1:12 “I have to hand weed my farm three times. 1:18 It takes me a lot of time to complete the job 1:24 because it's really hard work. I can’t do it just once.” 1:32 But weeding is a must. 1:36 If you don't take care of the weeds your yields will be very low. 1:39 Weeds compete with the rice for nutrients water and sunlight. 1:44 Hence the more weeks there are, the less of these will remain available for the rice 1:48 crop to grow 1:49 and to produce grains. To obtain good yields, 1:53 weeds need to be controlled at least once but often twice or more 1:56 before the crop’s canopy is closed. Weeds can be controlled in different ways by 2:01 hand, by herbicides 2:03 or by using tools. The best approach is to combine several methods. 2:07 In such an integrated approach, 2:11 land preparation, transplanting and flooding are all important processes. 2:15 By transplanting in a clean and level field, 2:18 with a permanent layer of water, weed problems can be reduced. 2:22 Weeds that stil appear can then be controlled by hand weeding, 2:26 herbicides or mechanical tools, such as the rotary weeder. 2:29 The rotary weeder is a mechanical weeding tool you can push or pull 2:34 in between the rows to uproot and bury weeds. Weeding with the rotary weeder 2:38 is two to three times quicker than by doing it by hand. 2:42 It is not expensive and once bought can serve you 2:45 for several seasons. Mr Nasibu Katoto, Rice Farmer - 2:57 “When you hand weed, we take all the weeds out of the soil. 3:04 When using a rotory weeder, instead of removing the weeds 3:08 they are cut down and buried and add nutrients to the soil. 3:14 That's what the rotary 3:18 teeth do. 3:22 Secondly, the weeder doesn’t kill microorganisms 3:27 in the soil. 3:37 Compared to herbicides, the rotary weeder is better for your health, 3:40 better for the environment and much cheaper. Mr Msofe Apoinari, Rice Farmer - 3:49 “It is also cheaper because for about 3:54 twenty-five dollars I have 3:55 the weeder for about 10 years but herbicides 3:58 need to be bought yearly.” 4:03 Using the rotary weeder 4:08 requires line planting or sowing, and while this takes more time than 4:12 broadcast sowing, 4:13 the investment will pay off as you need much less time for weeding later on. 4:17 Mr Hamis Mtambo, Rice Farmer - “The first time when I didn't understand how to transplant 4:24 in parallel rows, I thought it was a difficult job to do but 4:28 later I realized it was easy and the best method to transplant. 4:33 First, it made it easy to weed and secondly, 4:37 when I use the weeder I only take a few days.” A direct sown crop 4:41 will require much more time for weeding during the early stages of the crop. 4:45 A line transplanted crop yields more, is more competitive against weeds 4:50 and is easy to access. 4:56 Hence weed control in rice is of utmost importance. 4:59 If you don't weed the crop won’t produce a good yield. 5:04 It is better to use a combination of methods rather than a single method to 5:07 control weeds. 5:08 After leveling, flooding and 5:12 transplanting, weeds can be best controlled by using a rotary weeder. 5:16 The rotary weeder is easy to use, time-saving 5:19 and relatively cheap. Using the rotary weeder 5:23 requires line planting or sowing, and while this takes more time than 5:27 broadcast sowing, 5:28 the investment will pay off as you will need much less time for weeding later on. 5:32 Let's take a closer look at this tool. 5:36 There are different types or rotary weeders, 5:39 but they usually have two rotating drums with straight, 5:43 bent or twisted teeth, or spikes. 5:46 Not all types of teeth are suitable for all types of soil. 5:49 For instance, if you have to work in heavy clay soil, 5:53 you need to make sure the teeth are not too close to each other because the soil can 5:56 easily get stuck between the teeth. 5:58 you have to find out which type works best in your field 6:02 and adjust the weeder if necessary. 6:05 A float in front is meant to guide the weeder through the crop, 6:08 to prevent the weeder digging into the soil. 6:12 The weeder has a handle and an arm so you can push and pull it 6:15 through the crop. Mr Nasibu Katoto, Rice Farmer - 6:19 “The weeder is specially made. 6:24 It has teeth that cuts the weeds and buries them into the soil. 6:28 It also has a floater to level the soil 6:31 so that the teeth can properly function. The arm is adjustable, with holes 6:36 to suit one's height. The handle makes it easy to push.” 6:44 Most rotary weeders are adjustable. Depending on the model you have 6:48 and the blacksmith who made it, you can change the angle of the rod 6:51 and the floater. Some have adjustable floater depths, 6:55 and the width of the weeder can be modified to fit better 6:58 to the rows of the crop. Now that we know what the weeder looks like, you might 7:03 wonder where 7:04 or how you can get such tools. Mr Msofe Apolnari, Rice Farmer - 7:09 “I bought this machine from a blacksmith 7:11 in our village for twenty-five dollars. It has many benefits 7:15 compared to those who weed by hand. The biggest 7:18 is that it takes less time to weed the farm.” 7:23 You can purchase a rotary weeder at the local blacksmith workshop. 7:27 If he doesn't know how to make them, ask another blacksmith 7:30 or ask extension workers or other farmers about it. 7:35 Different organizations like the Ministry of Agriculture, agricultural 7:39 research institutes 7:40 and Africa Rice have specialized staff that can provide assistance too. 7:44 If you ask a blacksmith to make this weeder for you, 7:47 make sure he makes it such that it can be adjusted according to your needs. 7:51 Mr Raphael Issa Msilumbe, KATC Technician - 7:56 “The weeder can be adjusted 8:00 through these holes, 8:02 by widening on narrowing its width. 8:05 The height can be adjusted by loosening the bolts, and use 8:09 these holes to make the rod higher or lower, depending 8:13 on your height. 8:18 You can also make holes 8:22 here to make the floater 8:23 adjustable in height.” 8:26 Ask the blacksmiths if you can try it out before he finalizes it 8:33 so that you are sure it meets the requirements of you and your crop. 8:37 Discuss the perfect model with your blacksmith and make sure the tool 8:41 suits you. Now that we know more about the rotary weeder 8:44 and how to obtain an adjust it, let us see what it takes to actually use the tool 8:49 in your rice field. As mentioned before, 8:52 an important issue to take into account when using the rotary weeder 8:56 is the need for planting or sowing in lines with fixed planting distances. 9:00 Depending on the width of the rotary weeder, the row distance could be 20 to 9:04 25 centimetres. 9:05 A rule of thumb is to observe a space 9:08 of at least two and a half centimeters at each side of the weeder. 9:12 If the weeder is 15 centimetres, the row distance should be 9:15 at least 20 centimetres. Keep in mind that planting distances wider than that 9:20 may make weeding easier but will stimulate more weeds to grow, 9:24 and also reduces the number of plants per area, and hence 9:28 grain yield. The weeder can only control the weeks between the rows. 9:32 If there are any weeds left in the row, they should be uprooted by hand 9:36 after the passage of the weeder. If the rice is transplanted in a square planting 9:41 so that you get rows going both ways, the rotary weeder can travel in both 9:44 directions through the crop. 9:46 You can then either do both directions at the same time without additional hand 9:50 weeding 9:51 or only in one direction followed by hand weeding if necessary. 9:54 The next time you can weed in the other direction. 9:57 How to actually use the rotary weeder depends on how many weeds you have in 10:01 your crop 10:02 and how much time you have at hand. You should try out yourself 10:05 what works best for you and your crop. 10:10 Now, look at how these farmers make sure they transplant 10:13 at a fixed planting space and in nice straight rows. You can use a string with 10:17 marks to indicate where to plant. 10:19 When one row of transplanting is finished, you can move the string 10:23 to the next row. Line tracers are useful tools to make square plant patterns. 10:29 Transplanting of the rice seedlings can then be done at each 10:32 intersection. Mr Hamis Mtambo, Rice Farmer - 10:36 “Whenever I transplant my crops, 10:45 I use this 25 centimetre spacing wood. 10:49 Whenever I’m on the farm, I start from one side, 10:52 where I put my straight string from one end to the other. 10:56 From there I start using the spacing wood, 11:00 moving horizontally and vertically. Then you can see a square grid 11:05 from one end to the other.” 11:13 Transplanting should be done 11:17 when the seedlings are still young, between 15 and 20 days, 11:21 or at the 3 to 5 leaf stage, and you can plant 1 to 3 seedlings per hill. 11:27 The seedlings should not be planted too deep. As a general rule 11:30 the white part of the stem of the plant marks the depth of planting. 11:33 Make sure the green part stays above ground. 11:37 Transplanting should be done in saturated orsuperficially flooded soils, 11:41 and soon after planting you can flood your field to a depth of about five 11:45 centimetres 11:46 to prevent some weed species from emerging. But make sure the rice is not submerged. 11:51 Hence, water management is a second important point of attention. 11:54 The same flood layer that is necessary to control weeds is also necessary for 11:58 efficient use of the rotary weeder. 12:03 Mr Evoduce Mlokoz Francis, Rice Farmer - 12:07 The importance of having water on the fields is so that the rotary weeder 12:11 can properly function. Less water makes the mud stick to the teeth 12:15 and makes it difficult to rotate.” 12:21 Indeed, if you don't put water on your field, operating the rotary weeder 12:25 will be very hard, as the soil will get stuck between the teeth. 12:28 The best thing to do is to test the weeder 12:32 in a small part of your field to make sure it’s properly working 12:35 before you really start. The next important thing to keep in mind is the 12:39 timing. 12:39 Just like other weed control measures, the rotary weeder should be used 12:43 when there are enough weeds and only in the early crop stages. 12:47 The best timing is when the weeds have two to three leaves. 12:52 If the rice plants are too big, you can easily damage them with the weeder, 12:56 and when the weeds are small they're much easier to control. 13:04 Ms Asha Saela, Rice Farmer - 13:09 “I use this weeder to simplify my work. I prefer using it when the weeds are still 13:10 small, and the weeder works well by mixing the weeds with soil. 13:14 But when the weeds are bigger, it's difficult to work with the weeder.” 13:22 You can weed at two to three weeks after transplanting, 13:25 and then about two to three weeks later if there are many weeds. 13:28 But remember, that weeds only harm the rice in the early stages of your crop, 13:32 and that weeds should not grow too big. When the crop covers the soil well, 13:36 you don't need to weed any more. Now that we know how to plant the crop 13:40 and manage the water, and we know when to weed, let’s take a closer look at how the 13:44 weeding is actually done. 13:46 You should work systematically, weeding row by row. 13:50 When you finish, don't forget to pass through your field to hand pick surviving weeds 13:53 near the rice plants 13:54 if there are many weeds left. 13:58 In summary, there are four main points to take into account when using the 14:01 rotary weeder. 14:03 One - you need to plant or sow in rows with fixed distances between the rows, 14:09 possibly with fixed plant distances in the row. For instance, 20 by 20 centimetres. 14:15 This will allow you to weed in two directions if necessary. 14:19 Two - make sure your field is leveled and flooded with a layer of 14:22 water of at least five centimeters. This will make operating the weeder 14:26 easier. Three - test and adjust the weeders before the actual operation. 14:31 Make sure the weeder is easy to use, that it uproots and incorporates the weed 14:36 and that it does not damage the crop. 14:39 Four - do the weeding when the weeds are small and only when the rice crop has 14:43 not yet closed 14:45 so that you can still see open spaces in the rows. Remember that small weeds are 14:49 easier to control. The best timing is when the weeds have two to three leaves. 14:54 The number of weeding times is not fixed. It depends on the weediness of your field 14:58 and on the available time. You have to see for yourself 15:01 what works best in your field. Next, you should be able to pay for the weeder. 15:06 They cost between 25 and 40 dollars. If you cannot afford to buy a weeder yourself, 15:11 you can share the cost with a group of farmers. 15:14 As we heard before, you can also make a little money by renting it out or by 15:18 offering weeding 15:19 as a service. Ms Asha Saeta, Rice Farmer - 15:24 “This weeder gives me several advantages. I weed my farm quickly. 15:29 At the same time I can rent it out to other farmers 15:33 who pay me in return for its service.” 15:39 By being creative, you can find a way to purchase and use this tool 15:42 and make weeding an easier and quicker job. 15:48 Combining weed control measures works best, and the rotary weeder 15:52 is compatible with most other weed control measures. 15:56 The rotary weeder can control weeds in the row much faster 15:59 than can be done by hand. The rotary weeder requires planting or sowing in rows, 16:04 possibly at equal row and plant distance to enable to pass in two directions if 16:09 necessary. 16:10 The row distance should be wider than the weeder by at least two and a half 16:14 centimeters 16:15 at each side of the weeder. 16:18 Weeds should be controlled early. When the weeds are small, 16:21 they are easy to control. The weeder should be used with water on the field. 16:28 Purchasing and using a weeder can be done with a group. It will be cheaper 16:31 and easier. Contact extension services, 16:36 national research institutes, the Ministry of Africa Rice for more information, 16:40 such as technical drawings. 16:44 By improving weed management, you can raise your yields. 16:48 By using labor-saving weeding tools like the rotary weeder, 16:51 you can obtain these high yields while saving time 16:54 for other things. Credits: Executive Producer and Script Writer Jonne Rodenburg (AfricaRice) AfricaRice advisors Enos Onyuka Marco Wopereis Paul Kiepe Kazuki Saito Senthilkumar Kalimurhu Sarah Fernandes External Advisors Juma Mohamed Kayeke (MARI) David Johnson (IRRI) Philip Idinoha (Aga Khan Foundation) George Shundi (MATI- Igurus) Adam Pyuza (KATC) Tomás Chiconela (EMU) Carlos Zandamela (IRRI) Israel Dzomeku (UDS) Wilson Dogbe (SARI) Production by Real2Reel Film Productions Camera Rob Beechey Editors Rob Beechey Phil Reader Color Correction and Sound Mixing Nassos Chatzopoulos Production Manager Matthew Gugal Narrators Phil Reader (English) Matthew Richmond (Portugese) Estelle Mottier (French) Hashim Rubanza (Kishwahili) David Iddrisu Zed (Dagbani) Translators Adisa Yakubu (Dagbani) Alhassan Lansah Abdulai (Dagbani) Abdukari Abdul Kahar (Dagbani) Richard Talinga (Kishwahili) Juma Mohamed Kayeke (Kiswahili) Maimouna Dratta (French) Fassouma Sanogo (French) Tomás Chiconela (Portugese) Carlos Zandamela (Portugese) The following organizations are acknowledged for their support: DALDOs of Kilombero, Mvomero and Moshi Extension agents of Kilombero, Mvomero and Moshi Kilimanjaro Agricultural Training Center (KATC) Kilombero Agricultural Research and Training Institute (KATRIN) Video production is funded by USAID as part of the “Feed the Future” initiative AfricaRice

[@robertmukamakiiko9992]

please where can find these rotary weeders in Uganda

[@JosephMuleke]

I need this in kenya

[@suleimanali1099]

Naomba naomba ya simu niwaulize

[@xelromercansil9708]

Saan maka beli ng weeder