Power performance of a tractor-seeder-fertilizer system as a function of furrower depth in no-till

Abstract

The negative effect of the traffic of machinery and agricultural implements associated with little soil disturbance promotes an increase in the density and resistance of the soil to penetration. An alternative to minimize the degree of soil compaction is to increase its mobilization in the seeding row utilizing the depth of action of the shank. The effect of plowing depth on the performance and energy requirement of a tractor-seeder-fertilizer combination was analyzed using a completely randomized design. The agricultural soil was an Oxisol with a clayey texture, submitted to soybean and corn cultivation in a no-till crop succession system. Using a shank at a greater cutting depth causes an increase in tractive effort, power demand, fuel consumption and slip, and reduces tractive efficiency.