Effect of Soil Type and Conditions on Field Efficiency of Selected Tractor-Hitched Farm Implements in South Eastern Nigeria
Authors: Oduma O, Edeh JC, Ehiomogue P, Umunna MF, Orji FN, Okeke CG
DOI Info: N/A
ABSTRACT
The effect of soil type and conditions on the field efficiency of some selected tractor-hitched implements in south-east Nigeria was studied. This was to obtain data on the efficiencies of the implements based on soil types/conditions in the area for proper selection, to avoid unnecessary breakdown or wastage of energy during operation. The implements studied include plough, harrow, rotovator, ridger and planter using a Massey Ferguson tractor of model MF 430E and capacity of 55.2 kW. Results obtained revealed that the average performance efficiency of all the implements was highest on sandy-clay soil with plough recording average field efficiency of 88.07%, harrow 89.12%, ridger, rotovator and planter having average field efficiencies of 88.03%, 87.64% and 84.92%, respectively. The average moisture content of the soils before tillage operation was 17.74%, thereafter the moisture content reduced to 16.3% (w.b) after ploughing, 15.45% (w.b) after harrowing, 14.70% (w.b), 14.23% (w.b), and 14.13% (w.b) after ridging, pulverization with rotovator and planting operations, respectively. Furthermore, the average bulk density of the soil decreased from initial value of 1.62 gcm-3 obtained prior to the field operations to 1.48 gcm-3, 1.40 gcm-3, 1.33 gcm-3, 1.29 gcm-3 and 1.35 gcm-3, respectively after ploughing, harrowing, ridging, rotovator and planting operation.
Affiliations: Department of Agricultural and Bioresources Engineering, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, Nigeria
Keywords: Soil Type, Condition, Field Efficiency, Tractor, Implements
Published date: 2020/06/30
