Design, Development, and Performance Evaluation of an Agriculture Crop Residue Collection Machine (CRCM) for Sustainable Farming

Abstract

Post-harvest crop residue management remains one of the most pressing environmental and agricultural challenges in India, where approximately 500–620 million tonnes of residue are generated annually, of which around 140 million tonnes are openly burned. Open-field burning causes severe air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and soil fertility degradation. This paper presents the design, development, and performance evaluation of a tractor-mounted Crop Residue Collection Machine (CRCM) that automates the process of cutting, collecting, conveying, and storing crop residue. The machine integrates a sickle-bar cutter, rod-type chain conveyor, bevel gear power transmission, and a V-belt pulley system driven by the tractor’s Power Take-Off (PTO) shaft at 540 RPM with a gear ratio of 2:1. The prototype, fabricated predominantly from mild steel and high-carbon steel at a cost of ₹25,795, demonstrated a field capacity exceeding 0.5 ha/hr and a collection efficiency greater than 85%, significantly outperforming manual collection methods. The machine reduces labor requirement by approximately 80% and eliminates the need for residue burning, thereby supporting climate-smart agriculture. A design patent was granted by the Government of India (Design No. 439135-001, dated 05/11/2025)