Effects of Tillage Depth and Tractor Speed on Implement Speed for Three Tillage Implements on a Clay Loam Soil

Abstract

The utilization of agricultural machinery represents the main aspect contributing to the total energy input in the agricultural system. The trials were achieved using five tractor speeds(3.6, 5.4, 7.2, 9.0 and 10.8 km/hr) and five tillage depths(10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 cm) to determine implement speed at different tillage depths for 3-bottom disc plough, spring tine cultivator and offset disc harrow on a clay loam soil. The design of the experiment used were two factors, five levels factorial of Central Composite Rotatable Design of Response Surface Method. The implement speed for 3-bottom disc plough, spring tine cultivator and offset disc harrow ranged from 0.78 to 1.95, 0.67 to 2.19 and 0.70 to 2.11 m/s, respectively. The effects of tillage depths and tractor speeds on implement speed for the three tillage implements were assessed. The results indicated that increasing the tillage depth decreased the implement speed for all the tested implements but increasing the tractor speed increased the implement speed. The tractor speed had more pronounced effect on the implement speed than the tillage depth. This study therefore recommends that the availability of time and implement width should be used in determining the speed required to finish the work on time.