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Adaptation of High Speed Rotary Tiller for Conservation Tillage

M A Wohab
Senior Scientific Officer
Farm Machinery and Postharvest Process, Engineering Division, BARI. Gazipur 1701.

K C Roy
Chief Scientific Officer
Farm Machinery and Postharvest Process, Engineering Division, BARI. Gazipur 1701.

S Ahmmed
Principal Scientific Officer
BARC, Dhaka

M N Amin
Scientific Officer
Farm Machinery and Postharvest Process, Engineering Division, BARI. Gazipur 1701.

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The concept of minimum tillage or reduced tillage is becoming important to reduce the cost of land preparation and to maintain soil health and timeliness of operation. Considering the benefit of reduced tillage, a power tiller operated minimum tillage seeder was modified as high-speed rotary tiller (HSRT). The tiller was used for tilling upland crops such as wheat, onion and garlic in Rajbari, Magura and Jhenaidah districts. Effective field capacity of the tiller was 0.12 ha/hr at an operating speed of 1.5 km/hr. The crop area covered by each tilIer was about 50 ha. Cost of tilling by the tiller and traditional power tiller for onion and garlic were Tk 3200 per ha and Tk 4400 per ha, respectively. Time and money saved by the tiller for land preparation were 71 per cent and 27 per cent, respectively. Tilth quality of the tiller was better than that by traditional power tiller. Time and money required for planting onion/garlic in HSRT field were 135 man-day/ha and Tk 9450 per ha, respectively and those by traditional tiller field were 180 man-day/ha and Tk 12600 per ha, respectively. Total saving of time and money by the tiller over traditional power tiller were 50 man-day per ha (26%) and Tk 4350 per ha (25%), respectively. Price of HSRT unit was Tk 20000.

Keywords: Adaptation, Rotary tiller ,Conservation, Onion, Garlic, Upland crops.

Location: Farm Machinery and Postharvest Process Engineering Division workshop, BARI, Gazipur.

Start Date: 00-00-2003

End Date: 00-00-2004

Program Area: Farm Mechanization

Commodity: Power Tiller

Objectives:

a) To modify the minimum tillage seeder as high speed rotary tiller,

b) To demonstrate suitability of the tiller in farmers field for growing onion, garlic and other upland crops.

Methodology:

In the year 2003, one unit power tiller operated minimum tillage seeder was collected from Wheat Research Center (WRC), Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute (BAR I) with the help of International Wheat and Maize Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Bangladesh. All the functional parts of the seeder were removed from the minimum tillage unit and only rotary tilling parts with leveling roller were kept together. This rotary- tilling unit was called as high-speed rotary tiller because of its high rotary speed of 500 rpm. All modifications were done in Farm Machinery and Postharvest Process Engineering (FMPE) Division workshop, BARI, Gazipur. After modification, the tiller was tested in divisional experimental plot setting with a Dong Feng brand power tiller. The tiller was tested at Baliakandi under Rajbari district. First tillage operation by local power tiller and second tillage operation by HSRT were enough for planting onion and garlic. At the first year, about 13 ha of lands were prepared by the tiller for onion cultivation on cash payment system at Tk 8 per decimal per tillage operation. On the other hand, cost of land preparation up to final tilth (5 to 6 tillage) by local power tiller was Tk 18 per decimal.

In the year 2004, fifteen units HSRT were distributed among the farmers on credit. Fanners paid 50% of total price at the time of receiving the tiller and the rest 50% of the price would be paid in 12 installment in 12 months. Before power tiller with HSRT unit distribution, the machine owner and operators were trained up on operation, repairing and maintenance of power tiller and minimum tillage seeder. Since, all the farmers had power tiller previously, this training was very important for them and they used these HSRT successfully. In the Rabi season 2003-2004, the tillers were mainly used for growing wheat, onion, garlic and other Rabi crops. Total area covered by HSRT was 633 ha, of which 481 ha in Baliakandi upazila and 152 ha in Pangsha. In these two upazilas total area covered were 22,327 ha by traditional tiliers. The area covered by HSRT under wheat, onion and garlic in Pangsha and Baliakandi along with area covered by traditional method. The high demand of the tiller for preparing land for onion and garlic, each tiller owner had to employ 2 to 3 operators to operate the tiller day and night during the season. Cost of first tillage by traditional tiller was Tk 3 per decimal and second tillage by HSRT was Tk. 10 per decimal. For complete land preparation of onion and garlic by traditional power tiller required 5 to 6 tillage operations. Cost of tillage operation by traditional tiller was Tk 3 per decimal per tillage.

Source of Information: Journal of Agricultural Engineering The Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh, Vol. 33/AE, pp.15-20, December. 2007

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

HSRT can be successfully used for land preparation of onion, garlic, potato, vegetables and other upland crops. Use of HSRT can save fuel, oil, maintenance cost, time, money and drudgery. It can play an important role in maintaining soil health through reduced tillage. Extensive demonstration is needed for further extension of HSRT.

Knowledge Management: Journal