Conventional and Conservation Seedbed Preparation Systems for Wheat Planting in Silty-Clay Soil

Roberto Fanigliulo, Daniele Pochi and Pieranna Servadio
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Roberto Fanigliulo: Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e L’analisi Dell’economia Agraria (CREA), Centro di Ricerca Ingegneria e Trasformazioni Agroalimentari (Research Centre for Engineering and Agro-Food Processing), Via della Pascolare 16, 00015 Monterotondo, Italy
Daniele Pochi: Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e L’analisi Dell’economia Agraria (CREA), Centro di Ricerca Ingegneria e Trasformazioni Agroalimentari (Research Centre for Engineering and Agro-Food Processing), Via della Pascolare 16, 00015 Monterotondo, Italy
Pieranna Servadio: Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e L’analisi Dell’economia Agraria (CREA), Centro di Ricerca Ingegneria e Trasformazioni Agroalimentari (Research Centre for Engineering and Agro-Food Processing), Via della Pascolare 16, 00015 Monterotondo, Italy

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 11, 1-19

Abstract: Conventional seedbed preparation is based on deep ploughing followed by lighter and finer secondary tillage of the superficial layer, normally performed by machines powered by the tractor’s Power Take-Off (PTO), which prepares the seedbed in a single pass. Conservation methods are based on a wide range of interventions, such as minimum or no-tillage, by means of machines with passive action working tools which require two or more passes The aim of this study was to assess both the power-energy requirements of conventional (power harrows and rotary tillers with different working width) and conservation implements (disks harrow and combined cultivator) and the soil tillage quality parameters, with reference to the capability of preparing an optimal seedbed for wheat planting. Field tests were carried out on flat, silty-clay soil, using instrumented tractors. The test results showed significant differences among the operative performances of the two typologies of machines powered by the tractor’s PTO: the fuel consumption, the power and the energy requirements of the rotary tillers are strongly higher than power harrows. However, the results also showed a decrease of these parameters proceeding from conventional to more conservation tillage implements. The better quality of seedbed was provided by the rotary tillers.

Keywords: secondary tillage; machine testing; traction force; fuel consumption; tractor CO 2 emissions; tillage quality parameters (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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