Evaluating the Performance of Combined Equipment (RAU) and Field Tested

Abstract

An experiment was carried out evaluate the performance of RAU combined equipment under three levels of practical speed, (V1) 4.06 km. h-1, (V2) 4.43 km. hr-1 and (V3) 5.76 km. hr-1, and three levels of depth with 10,20and 30 cm. It is denoted by D1, D2, D3 respectively. A split plot design was used within the RCBD design with three replications. The experiment results showed that the first practical speed 4.06 km.hr-1 achieved the lowest slippage percentage from 9.61%, lowest traction power 14.65hp, lowest soil penetration resistance to1.34 kg.cm-2, and the highest total operating costs (40803.4 ID.ha-1, while the third speed achieved the opposite results. The first treatment depth achieved the lowest results for slippage percentage 8.52%, traction power 15.34hp, soil penetration resistance 1.17 kg. cm-2, and total operating costs 37215.0ID. ha-1, while the third depth achieved the opposite results. Interaction between treatment depth and practical speed showed that the first treatment depth with the first practical speed has the lowest average of slippage percentage 7.63%, the lowest value of the traction power 13.77 hp, and the lowest average of soil resistance to penetration 1.03 kg.cm-2, while the first treatment depth and third practical speed has lowest average of the operating costs 34533.4 ID.ha-1.