Selection and Management of Agricultural Tractor and Implement: A Case of Finchaa Sugar Factory

Abstract

Sustainable agricultural mechanization refers to agricultural mechanization that is economically viable, environmentally conscious, and socially acceptable . There are still major gaps between current farm yield and the potential yield due to lack of a technological inputs. Estimated data based on soil type, implement working depth, and width is not accessible. There is a lack of information on the draft and power requirements of different agricultural implements operating on different soils in Finchaa Sugar Factory, which could affect the correct selection and matching of tillage implements for different types of soil. The implement drawbar pull and power requirement is important factor to determine tractor and implement selection in machinery management. The objective of this study is to optimize the selection, utilization, and management of tractors, and implements for Finchaa Sugar Factory. Three tractor models were selected for the study. The tractors were Newholland TM135, Belarus MTz1221, and Johndeer 6130J with four-disc plow . The experimental site was 0.9 ha, divided into four sections of 180 x 50m2 . Each unit was 14m apart to avoid plot border interaction and to be equally used as headlands for the start of the experimental procedures. The soil textural class of the field was determined based on the particle size distribution using USDA Soil Textural Triangle method. The soil analysis showed that the experimental field is vertisol, with sand 35.17%, silt 22.91%, and clay 41.92%. The results obtained shows that the relationship between tractor speed and draft of disc plough was linear, particularly at depths of 10 cm, and 30cm. In a case of Belarus MTZ1221, there was linear relationship between depth and draft force and the minimum and maximum draft force obtained was 5.5, and 7.5km/hr was 4.97, and 13.28KN, respectively. However, in a case John Deer 6130J tractor, the minimum and maximum draft force at different depth, width, and speed was 5.42 to 24.26KN, and depth, width, and speed was nonlinear relationship with draft force, and the maximum power utilization of the three tractors at D3, W3,S3 was 66,69,52%. The average fuel consumption both for New holland, Belarus MTZ1221 was 9.07/hr, while for Jondeer6130 was 8.79L/hr. The average fuel consumption for both Newholland TM135 and Belarus MTz1221 was 28.82%. In other way, johndeer 6130J consumed 31.14%. Generally, as Dbpull increases, FC increases, at the same time over/under utilization causes breakage of tractors and unnecessary wastage fuel.