Performance evaluation of tractor operated spade plough with disc harrow

Abstract

Reducing the number of passes of tillage through the development of cost-effective machinery is highly essential in the extensively followed cropping system of Maharashtra. This involved the use of alternative machinery instead of the plough. The spading machine operates the cut of a slice of soil, which is turn off and launched behind the machine, so that it is crumbled. Disc harrows are being widely used throughout the world to perform primary soil loosening, soil pulverization, stubble cut-ting, weed control, incorporation of manure, fertilizers, and herbicides and orchard cultivation. The rolling discs with reduced draft and slip, improved crop residue incorporation, better soil inversion and pulverization, excellent penetrating ability, reduced number of passes and better energy utilization of the tractor. Combination tillage gained popularity due to the reduced number of passes required for seedbed preparation with increased efficiency and lower costs without sacrificing the quality of work. The study focuses on the performance evaluation of a tractor-operated spade plough with an integrated disc harrow to achieve combined tillage operations. The equipment was developed at ICAR-AICRP on Farm Implements and Machinery, Dr. A.S. College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri. The prototype was tested under medium black soil conditions for a total of 36 hours. The developed implement achieved an effective field capacity of 0.33 ha h⁻¹ with a field efficiency of 77% and cost savings of 47% over the conventional tillage method. This combined implement ensures efficient seedbed preparation with reduced fuel and time consumption, making it suitable for mechanized tillage operations.