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Development and Evaluation of a Power Tiller Mounted Trencher for Sugarcane

S. M. I. Hossain
Bangladesh Sugarcane Research Institute, Ishurdi, Pabna, Bangladesh

S. U. K. Eusufzai
Bangladesh Sugarcane Research Institute, Ishurdi, Pabna, Bangladesh

M. A. Rahman
Bangladesh Sugarcane Research Institute, Ishurdi, Pabna, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

A power tiller mounted trencher was designed and developed in Agricultural Engineering Workshop of Bangladesh Sugarcane Research Institute (BSRI), Ishurdi and its performance was investigated in the sugarcane field. The trencher is suitable to mount at the rear of the power tiller at the place of attaching trolley. The operator can run the power tiller sitting on the rear seat of the power tiller and can make trenches comfortably with the trencher. The trencher is suitable for making single trench at each run at a depth of 13-15 cm which is quite adequate for planting sugarcane setts. The operator can control the depth of trenches while running the power tiller and can also lift up the trencher bottom while making turn at the end of the field. The trencher can be used for making trenches as close as 0.75 m apart and the average field capacity is about 0.32 acre per day. The average cost of trenching is about Tk.2232.50 per acre which is about half of the cost incurred by spade with human labour.

Keywords: Sugarcane, Trencher, Power tiller

Location: BSRI, Ishurdi, Pabna, Bangladesh

Start Date: 01-01-2000

End Date: 31-06-2001

Program Area: Crop-Soil-Water Management

Commodity: Sugarcane

Objectives:

To development and evaluation of a power-tiller mounted trencher for sugarcane setts or settlings in deep trenches for increasing sugarcane yield in the country.

Methodology:

Design and Functional Considerations were taken up during the design of the power tiller mounted trencher. The functional components were designed and drawn by computer using AUTOCAD programme. For the fabrication of the trencher locally available material viz. mild steel (M.S.) angle bar, M.S. flat bar and M.S. sheet of different sizes were used. Galvanized iron (G.I.) pipes of different sizes, MS rod, rear wheel of power tiller, clutch cable of motor cycle and nut-bolt of different sizes were also used for the fabrication and attachment of the machine with a power tiller. The machine was tested in three fields of different sizes: 38 m x 23 m, 60 m x 41 m and 39 m x 35 m respectively. It was observed that the machine was not suitable for making trenches in the untilled field as well as in the field prepared/ tilled by tractor with disk plow or disk harrow. In the untilled field, engine of the power tiller became overloaded while in the deeply tilled field, excessive wheel slippage occurred. The machine was performing well in the field tilled by power tiller with rotavator. Therefore, the selected fields were tilled using power tiller with rotavator. Observation and test data were recorded to enumerate the following test parameters. Actual capacity and theoretical field capacity of the machine were calculated from the data obtained from the test. The actual field capacity of the trencher was calculated dividing the total area cut by the total time required. The field efficiency was also calculated dividing the actual field capacity by theoretical field capacity of the machine. For measuring the depth of trenches, 5 trenches were randomly selected and the depth at two ends (leaving 1 m from side) and at the middle of the furrows were measured and the average depth was calculated. The developed trencher was mounted with a Dong Feng Power tiller powered by a 8.8 kW (12 ps) diesel engine. The fuel consumption of the machine was measured using top filling method and expressed in liter per hour (1/hr). Ease of operation of the power tiller with the machine as well as depth and width control of the machine were enumerated from the field observations and operators' opinions. For this purpose three (3) operators were selected and allowed to operate the power tiller with trencher in the fields and their opinions were recorded, discussed and considered. For making easy turn at the end of the field a trencher bottom lifting mechanism was incorporated with the trencher. Ease of the power tiller operation was evaluated from the observations and operators' opinions. Cost of trenching for unit area was estimated adding operational cost with the overhead cost (fixed cost) of both the power tiller and the trencher. Purchase price of power tiller and trencher was taken as Tk.50,000.00 and Tk.10,000.00 respectively. Depreciation was calculated following straight line method assuming salvage values and economic life of both the power tiller and the trencher were 10% of the purchase price and 10 years respectively. Fifty percent (50%) of the total usages of the power tiller and cent percent (100%) of the total usages of the trencher were considered for trench ing operation. Considering one month (30 days) as plantation period of sugarcane annual trenching area was assumed to be 8 hectare (20 acres).

Source of Information: BANGLADESH JOURNAL OF SUGARCANE, Vol. 24-27, pp. 112-120, July 2005, ISSN- 1991-8925.

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

1. Government

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

From the design and functional considerations undertaken in the fabrication of the trencher together with the performance test and opinions of the operators it was assured that the developed power tiller mounted trencher performed well to achieve the desired objectives to provide better service to the sugarcane growers. In conclusion, the salient features and effectiveness of the developed trencher can be briefly outlined as follows: 1. The trencher can be mounted with nut-bolt at the back of the power tiller, where trolley is attached, without any modification of the power tiller; 2. Driver or operator can run the power tiller sitting on the rear seat and can make trenches; 3. The trencher can make single trench/ furrow at each run; 4. The operator can control the depth of trench while running the power tiller. The trenches can be made at a depth of 13-15 cm. 5. Distance between two trenches can be made as close as 0.75 cm or more as required; 6. Either rubber wheels or iron wheels can be used with the power tiller while trenching; 7. The capacity of the trencher is 0.32-0.36 ha per day; 8. Manufacturing cost of the trencher is about Tk.10000.00 (taka ten thousand); 9. Cost of trenching is about Tk.2232.50 per ha; Hence, the developed power tiller mounted trencher can be profitably used by the farmers for planting sugarcane setts or settlings in the fields.

Knowledge Management: Journal