Experimental open-field trials were carried out in 1996 at the Centro Interdipartimentale di Ricerche Agro-Ambientali “Enrico Avanzi” of Pisa University (Italy), in order to test a digger as primary tillage operative machine. Tests were realized on a loam soil that had not been tilled for 10 years. The digger was equipped with a rear hood having an easily regulatable angle of opening (5 possible settings, with max angle equal to 60°C with respect to the ground normal). Trials were carried out with the hood raised to the highest position and fully lowered. Working time, working width and actual tillage depth, engine fuel consumption and power take-off torque were assessed. Soil moisture, dry bulk density and resistance to penetration were assessed before digging. Work quality was evaluated by residual clod presence and ground cover assessments, penetration resistance tests and surface roughness determination. The digger proved to be capable of carrying out primary tillage in difficult working conditions with elevated working speed and a working capacity comparable to that of a moldboard plough. Furthermore, the variation of the rear hood opening angle allowed to obtain different degrees of soil crumbling. Thus, the good results of these trials suggest that the digger may be effective and suitable on most of soil types and soil conditions.
Use of a digger for primary tillage: effects of different adjustments on implement performance and soil properties
PERUZZI, ANDREA;RAFFAELLI, MICHELE;GINANNI, MARCO;FONTANELLI, MARCO
2009-01-01
Abstract
Experimental open-field trials were carried out in 1996 at the Centro Interdipartimentale di Ricerche Agro-Ambientali “Enrico Avanzi” of Pisa University (Italy), in order to test a digger as primary tillage operative machine. Tests were realized on a loam soil that had not been tilled for 10 years. The digger was equipped with a rear hood having an easily regulatable angle of opening (5 possible settings, with max angle equal to 60°C with respect to the ground normal). Trials were carried out with the hood raised to the highest position and fully lowered. Working time, working width and actual tillage depth, engine fuel consumption and power take-off torque were assessed. Soil moisture, dry bulk density and resistance to penetration were assessed before digging. Work quality was evaluated by residual clod presence and ground cover assessments, penetration resistance tests and surface roughness determination. The digger proved to be capable of carrying out primary tillage in difficult working conditions with elevated working speed and a working capacity comparable to that of a moldboard plough. Furthermore, the variation of the rear hood opening angle allowed to obtain different degrees of soil crumbling. Thus, the good results of these trials suggest that the digger may be effective and suitable on most of soil types and soil conditions.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
