Agricultural Engineering Today
Year : 2000, Volume : 24, Issue : 4
First page : ( 1) Last page : ( 16)
Print ISSN : 0970-2962.

Collection, densification and utilization of paddy and wheat straw

-Present Status and Future Perspectives-

Thakur T.C., Professor and Joint Director Research (Engg.)., Bamaga Omar A.¹, Ph.D. Scholar, Verma M.L.², Professor Animal Nutriton

¹ Department of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar-263 145.

² Department of Animal Science, G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar-263 145.

Abstract

Huge amount of straw is wasted annually either by burning in fields or due to poor utilization which otherwise could contribute to the income of the Indian farmers. The task of increasing the quantity of straw harvested and reducing on farm losses presents an engineering problem that has not been solved yet, especially for combine harvested fields. Conservation of paddy and wheat straws as a livestock feed and/or its utilization as industrial raw material requires a series of on-farm and off-farm operations including collection, packaging, handling, transportation, storage and pre-feeding processing. Several methods of collection of straws have been tried in India and abroad. A description of these methods and their advantages and disadvantages as well as possibilities of using straw as industrial raw material have been critically reviewed.

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