M. R. Bakhtiari, M. Loghavi,
Volume 12, Issue 44 (7-2008)
Abstract
In the conventional methods of herbicide and fertilizer application, a substantial amount of toxic chemicals is sprayed or broadcast into the furrows, which is later washed away by irrigation water and may contaminate ground water, human and animal environment. If herbicide and fertilizer application could be limited to the most needed parts of the field rather than overall broadcasting, the mentioned problems could be alleviated and the application efficiency could also be increased by reducing the consumption rate. In an attempt to achieve this goal, a combination cultivator capable of simultaneously performing cultivation practices such as weed control (mechanical + chemical), fertilizer application and pest control was developed and evaluated. This machine was able to perform band spraying (fungicide, insecticide and herbicide) and mechanical cultivation (within-the-row weed killing, furrow reforming and hilling) simultaneously and properly. The combination cultivator was able to reduce herbicide consumption up to 66%.
E Dehghan, M Almasi,
Volume 13, Issue 47 (4-2009)
Abstract
Soil tillage management for various crops in different regions needs use available indices and information about condition, manual manner, defects and preferences of various tillage methods. Therefore, this experiment was conducted in summer 2003 on clay soil containing wheat residual in Shawoor agricultural research center, situated in northern Ahwaz. Experiment was conducted as a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). Treatments included: conventional tillage in one pass of moldboard plowing in 20cm depth + leveler (T1), two passes of disk harrow in 8-10cm depth + leveler (T2), two passes of disk harrow in 12-15cm depth + leveler (T3), one pass of cultivator in 10cm depth + leveler (T4), one pass of cultivator in 15cm depth + leveler (T5) and one pass of rotivator in 5cm depth (T6). The results showed that fuel consumption decreased for T2-T6 57, 51, 67, 54 and 69 % as compared to T1 (49 L/ha), respectively. Total operation time decrease in T2-T6 42, 46, 42, 54 and 44 % in comparison to T1 (4.41 h/ha) respectively. Field capacity increased for T2-T6 as much as 2.4, 2.2, 2.4, 1.8 and 2.3ha/h compared to T1, respectively. Mean weight diameter (MWD) index increased in T2-T5 29, 21, 10 and 5 % than T1 (1.92cm), respectively, but decreased 6% in T6. Mean tillage costs reduced in T2-T6 as much as 40, 32, 54, 50 and 60 % compared to T1 (500000 Rial/ha), respectively.
