DRAFT AND POWER REQUIREMENTS FOR SOME TILLAGE IMPLEMENTS OPERATING IN LOAMY SOIL

Abstract

The availability of draft and power requirements data of tillage implements is an important factor in tractor selection and matching of tillage implement. Previous studies had attributed the lack of relevant data to frequent breakdown of tractors and implements on Nigerian farms. The effects of tillage depths (10, 20 and 30 cm) and tractor forward speeds (3.6, 5.4, 7.2, 9.0 and 10.8 km/hr) on draft and power requirements for three selected tillage implements namely 3-bottom disc plough, spring tine cultivator and offset disc harrow operating in loamy soil were investigated. At a tillage depth of 10 cm, draft and power requirements for 3- bottom disc plough at 0.82 m/s; spring tine cultivator at 0.74 m/s and offset disc harrow at 0.79 m/s implements’ speeds were 1.06 kN and 0.87 kW; 0.12 kN and 0.09 kW and 0.92 kN and 0.72 kW. The results showed that draft and power requirements increased with increases in tractor speed at increasing levels of tillage depth. There were no optimum values of speed and depth for which minimum draft and power occurred. The 3- bottom disc plough and spring tine cultivator had the highest and lowest draft and power requirements, respectively in loamy soil. Statistical analysis indicated that tractor speed and tillage depth and their interactions had significant effect on draft and power requirement at probability of 5 % (P≤0.05).