Field evaluation of a bent leg tillage implement in dry soil conditions

Abstract

Tillage operations in dry soil conditions have increasingly been used in Iran in recent years. However, due to the recent droughts, the choice of suitable implements to reduce the clod and draught force is still under investigation. This study was aimed at determining the effect of the geometry of a bent leg tillage implement on the soil pulverisation and draught force in dry soil conditions. The treatments included three bent leg tillage depths (10, 15, and 20 cm) and three forward speeds (6, 9, and 12 km·h–1). The effect of the bent leg tillage implement on the clod mean weight diameter (MWD) and draught force was studied using a split plot experiment with three replications. The results showed that the tillage depth and forward speed affected the MWD and the draught force. Increasing the tillage depth from 10 to 20 cm increased the MWD and draught force by 24.9 and 35.1%, respectively. Increasing the forward speed from 6 to 12 km·h–1 decreased the MWD by 7.4% and increased the draught force by 40.0%. These findings show that the bent leg tillage technology has the potential to reduce the MWD and draught force at higher forward speeds. Therefore, a bent leg tillage implement can be suggested as a proper implement for tilling in dry land conditions.