Lazar Savin

The effects of working parameters and tillage quality on rotary tiller specific work requirement

Accepted 31 October, 2011 The aim of this paper was to analyze the influence of rotary tiller rotor rotation direction on specific work requirement (SWPTO). The SWPTO was calculated by measuring the power take-off (PTO) torque, PTO speed, working speed and depth, as well as the working width. The tillage quality was determined by the bulk density and soil structure. Reverse rotor rotation direction concept is characterized by more efficient tillage which provides significantly higher amount of macro-structure aggregates (0.25 to 10 mm) and their better distribution in the soil. Significantly lower SWPTO was observed with the reverse rotor rotation direction. It was within the range of -2.15-27.74% (14.35% on average) depending on the work speed which was 0.29 to 1.08 m s -1 . Multiple linear regression provided new equations for the calculation of SWPTO depending not only on the working parameters, but on the intensity of soil breaking and soil conditions as well. The obtained equations had high values of Coefficients of determination R 2 (0.92 to 0.99 for conventional and 0.84 to 0.93 for reverse rotor rotation direction). Reverse rotor rotation direction had lower SWPTO values which were 20.3 and 15.5% for the working speeds of 0.5 and 1.0 m s -1 , respectively, and were obtained for equal values of tillage intensity parameters.

Application of an original soil tillage resistance sensor in spatial prediction of selected soil properties

Implementation of novel three-point-hitch measuring system.Investigation of potential of new measuring system for better soil observation.Utilization of geostatistics for maps generation of soil physical properties.Study of interactions between soil tillage resistance and standard soil properties. Horizontal and vertical variability of soil properties, temporal dynamics, and the complexity of monitoring and prediction processes are the limiting factors for full implementation of all the postulates of site specific crop management. The aim of this research was to prove the possibilities for utilization of original soil tillage resistance measuring device in spatial assessment of some physical properties of soil.The tillage resistance measurement and soil evaluation were performed in 2012 on a field of 0.78ha, with calcic chernozem type of soil. The year before, the field was divided into three equal plots where three types of tillage were applied (moldboard plowing, disc harrowing and chisel plowing) in order to increase spatial soil differences and to ensure more reliable testing. Soil physical properties were observed at 30 points that were arranged on the nodes of a rectangular grid all over the field along with their geopositioning. Soil tillage resistance was measured in real time and space, during 30 passes that were made on the entire field by a standard tractor and plow.The tillage management applied in 2011 resulted in the differences of some soil parameters. Significant differences between the field plots arose with respect to cone index, moisture content and soil tillage resistance. However, no differences arose regarding the texture (sand, silt+clay content) and bulk density. The correlation analysis showed a high positive correlation between soil resistance and cone index (R=0.82) and a negative correlation between soil resistance and moisture content (R=-0.41). Fitting of variograms in the modeling of spatial correlation gave the highest prediction error for cone index (13.9%), then for tillage resistance (9.32%), sand content (3.95%), moisture content (3.34%), bulk density (2.4%), and finally clay+silt content (2.2%). The generated maps showed that the soil compaction, moisture and tillage resistance had certain orientations with respect to the field plots.