2022

AGRICULTURAL AND BIOSYSTEMS ENGINEERING

BOARD EXAM REVIEWER

TILLAGE EQUIPMENT
by

Engr. Alexis T. Belonio, MS

Agricultural and Biosystems Engineer
ASEAN Engineer

Volume 3 – Agricultural Machinery and Equipment

 Tillage

It is the mechanical manipulation of soil for any desired purpose.

 Primary Objectives

n Elimination and permanent control of the original vegetation (weeds);

n Creation of conditions favoring the germination, emergence, and
growth of the cultivated plants; and
n Conservation and improvement of the soil as the growth medium for
cultivated crops.
 Basic Operation

n Reduction of volume (compaction) of the soil;

n Cutting of soil;
n Shear plane formation (crumbling, pulverization) in the soil;
n Transport or movement of soil from one place to another place; and
n Deformation of soil mass.
 Soil and Surface Characteristics

n Back Furrow – raised ridge left at the center of the land strip when
plowing is started center to side.
n Dead Furrow – open trench left between the adjacent strips of land
after finishing the plowing operation.
n Furrow – a trench left when the plow bottom cuts and turns the furrow
slice.
n Furrow Crown – a peak of the turned furrow slice.
n Furrow Depth – a ditch depth, pat depth, trench depth or depth of
depression below a specified soil surface.
n Furrow Slice – soil mass cut, lifted, pulverized, inverted and
thrown to one side of the plow bottom.
n Headland – unplowed soil at the end of the furrow strip.
n Ridge Height – bed height, hill height, windrow height, or height of
the soil above a specified soil surface.
n Root Bed – soil profile modified by tillage or amendments for use by
plant roots.
n Root Zone – part of the soil profile exploited by the roots of the
plants.
n Seedbed – soil zone which affects germination and emergence of
seeds.
 Classifications of Tillage Operation

n Primary Tillage – an operation that constitutes the initial major soil

working operations. It is normally designed to reduce soil strength,
cover plant residues, and rearrange aggregates.
• Moldboard Plow
• Disk Plow
• Rotary Plow
• Chisel Plow
• Subsoiler
 Effects of Primary Tillage Implement

Implement Moldboard Disk Plow Rotary Chisel

Effect Plow Plow Plow
Pulverizing Medium Medium Big Small

Loosening Big Medium Medium Big

Mixing Small Medium Big Small

Inverting Big Medium Small Small

 Factors Affecting the Energy
Requirement in Tillage
Operation

n Soil type
n Condition of the soil
• Moisture content, bulk density, and structure
n Shape working depth, and speed of tool
n Climatic condition
n Extent to which the power source and implement or tool match
n Correct adjustment or use of the implement
 Plow Draft

n It is the amount of pull required to move the plow.

n Plow draft is dependent on the size of the plow and the depth of
plowing.
n In plowing, at least ¾ of the available power should be used.
n One moldboard plow bottom requires about 10-20hp in order to
pull the implement.
Factors Affecting the Draft of Plows

n Soil condition
n Topography
n Adjustment of plow
n Hitch of the tractor
n Depth and rate of plowing
n Sharpness of shares, coulters, and jointers
 Center of Resistance of the Plow

n It is the point where all the horizontal and vertical forces meet
together.
n Plow Center Resistance
• Moldboard – at the intersection between the share and the
moldboard and to the right of the shin.
• Disk – at the left and below the center of the disk and is closer to
the furrow wall.
 Secondary Tillage

It is an implement intended to create refined soil conditions

following primary tillage operation.
• Harrow (spike tooth, spring tooth, disk, power harrows)
• Roller
• Pulverizer
• Mulcher
• Lister
Factors Affecting the Depth of Penetration
of Disk Harrow

n Angle of disk gang

n Weight of the harrow
n Sharpness of disks
n Size of disks
n Concavity of disk
n Angle of hitch
 Types of Gang Arrangement of Disk
Harrow

n Single Action - Two gangs placed end-to-end which throws the

soil opposite in direction

n Double Action or Tandem – Two sets of gangs follow behind the

front gangs so as the front gang throws the soil outward while the
rear gang throws the soil inward.

n Offset – the harrow is set in an offset position either on the right

or left of the tractor.
 Classifications of Tractor Mounted
Implement

n Trailing – The implement is attached to the tractor hitch and is

adjusted mechanically both for vertical and for horizontal
operations.

n Semi-Mounted – It is called as direct-connected implement

wherein the front of the implement is connected to the tractor while
the furrow wheel of the implement supports the rear end. The
hydraulic system of the tractor controls the furrow wheel and
sometimes the ground wheel is provided to control the depth of
tillage operation.

n Integral Mounted – The implement is mounted at the rear of the

tractor 3-point hitch system where it is lifted or set for operation by
the hydraulic system of the tractor. The lifting and setting of the
implement is manually controlled by the tractor operator.
 Drawbar Pull

F = A Ds

where:
F - drawbar pull, kg
A - cross-sectional area of
cut of implement, m2
Ds - soil draft, kg/m2
Drawbar Horsepower

DHP = F V / 76

where:

DHP - drawbar horsepower, hp

F - drawbar pull, kg
V - implement velocity, m/s
Compute the drawbar pull and drawbar horsepower of a 4-bottom
moldboard plow on a clay loam soil having an effective width of cut of
0.3m per bottom and a depth of cut of 0.15m. The plowing speed is
10kph. (soil draft for clay loam soil is assumed at 8 psi).

Given: Plow - moldboard

No. of Plow -4
Width of Cut - 0.3 m
Depth of Cut - 0.15 cm
Speed - 10 kph
Soil Draft - 8 psi
Required: Drawbar pull and Drawbar horsepower
Solution:
F = 0.15 m x 0.30 m x 4 plows x 5818.2 kg/m3
= 1047.3 kg
DHP = (1047.3 kg x 10 kph x 1000m/km x
hr/3600sec) / 76.2 kg-m/sec-hp
= 38.2 hp
Assume that you are the Agricultural Engineer of a 500-hectare corn farm
with soil type that gives 10 psi draft when plowing at a speed of 4 km/hr.
Compute the drawbar horsepower required to pull a 3-disk plow with
effective cut of 12 inches per disk at a plowing depth of 6 inches.

Given: Area - 500 ha corn farm

Soil draft - 10 psi
Plowing speed - 4 kph
Plow bottom - 3 disk
Width of cut - 12 in. per disk
Plowing depth - 6 inches
Required:
Drawbar horsepower

Solution:

DPH = [3 x 12in. x 6in. X 10psi x4kph x 1000m / km-hr / 3600sec] /

76.2 kg-m/sec-hp
= 14.3 hp
Theoretical Field Capacity

Ct = 0.1 W V

where:

Ct - theoretical field capacity,

ha/hr
W - width of implement, m
V - implement velocity, kph
Effective Field Capacity

Ce = ξf Ct

where:
Ce - effective field capacity, ha/hr
ξf - field efficiency, decimal
Ct - theoretical field capacity,
ha/hr
A 3-bottom plow is plowing at a speed of 8kph. The effective width
per plow bottom is 25 cm. If the plowing efficiency is 80%, compute
the theoretical and effective field capacity of the implement.

Given: No. of plow bottom -3

Plowing speed - 8 kph
Effective width per plow - 25 cm
Plowing efficiency - 80%

Required: Theoretical and effective field capacity

Solution:
Ct = 0.1 x 0.25 m x 3 x 8 kph
= 0.6 ha/hr
Ce = 0.6 ha/hr x 0.80
= 0.48 ha/hr
A tractor pulls a 1.0m-wide heavy- duty offset disk harrow at an
operating speed of 6kph. What is the theoretical field capacity of the
machine?

Given:
Implement - heavy duty offset
disk harrow
W - 1.0 m
V - 6 kph

Required: Theoretical field capacity

Solution:
FCt = 0.1 W V
= 0.1 (1 m) ( 6 kph)
= 0.6 ha/hr
A rotary tiller has 2m operating width. If the tractor runs at a speed of
2 km/hr, what is the theoretical field capacity of the machine?

Given: Operating width -2m

Operating speed - 2 kph

Required: Theoretical field capacity

Solution:

TFC = 0.1 W V
= 0.1 ( 2 m) ( 2 kph)
= 0.04 ha/hr
 Power Requirement and Field Efficiency
of Various Tillage Implement

Equipment Draft Speed Field

Requirement Efficiency
Plow, indigenous 0.14-0.7 kg/cm2 1.6-3.5 kph 30-60 %
Plow, moldboard 0.21-1.12 kg/cm2 2.4-5.0 kph 30-80 %
Plow, disk 0.21-1.00 kg/cm2 2.5-5.0 kph 30-80 %
Disk Harrow, single action 0.45-1.50 kg/cm 1.6-4.2 kph 65-85 %
Disk Harrow, double action 1.20-2.70 kg/cm 1.5-4.0 kph 60-80 %
Rotary Tiller 0.70-3.50 kg/cm 0.8-2.8 kph 60-80 %
Harrow, Spike/peg 1.80-2.70 kg/peg 1.6-6.0 kph 70-90 %
Harrow, spring tine 10.0-25.0 kg/tine 1.6-5.0 kph 70-90 %
Rolling or Leveling 0.15-0.90 kg/cm 0.8-2.5 kph 60-80 %
Cultivating 6-20 kg/shank 1.6-4.0 kph 60-85 %
 Implement Cutting Width

Disk Plow W = 0.95 N S + 0.3 D

Single Disk Harrow W = 0.95 N S + 0.3 D
Tandem Disk Harrow W = 0.95 N S + 1.2 D
Double Offset Disk Harrow W = 0.95 N S + 0.85 D
Offset Disk Harrow W = 0.95 N S + 0.6 D

where:
N - number of spaces between disk blades
S - blade spacing, m
D - diameter of disk blades, m
 Other Tillage Equipment

n Roller Packer – An implement for crushing soil clods and

compacting the soil.

n Roller Harrow – Implement used for seedbed preparation which

crushes the soil clods also smoothens and firms the soil surface.

n Bed Shaper – A soil-handling implement which forms uniform ridges

of soil to predetermined shapes.

¾Culti-Packer – it is used to compact the surface of the soil in order

to minimize water evaporation.
¾ Soil Sifter – it is used to remove stones from the field.

¾ Soil Chopper – used to form non-uniform ridges to

entrap water, especially when rained or applied with
surface water during irrigation.

¾ Soil Dreger – used to construct irrigation and drainage

canal.
QUESTIONS AND PROBLEMS
1. Mechanical manipulation of soil
for any desired purpose.
a. Land grading
b. Tillage
c. Earth moving
d. None of the above
2. Which of the following is a
primary objective of tillage?
a. To eliminate and to
permanently control the growth of
weeds.
b. To create a favorable condition
for germination, emergence and
growth of the cultivated plants.
c. To conserve and to improve the
soil as a medium for the growth of
cultivated crops.
d. All of the above
3. General fragmentation of soil
mass resulting from the action of
tillage forces.
a. Soil reaction
b. Soil shatter
c. Soil sliding
d. None of the above
4. Which of the following is not
basic to tillage operation?
a. Reduction of volume of the soil
b. Cutting of soil
c. Deformation of soil mass
d. None of the above
5. Operation that constitutes the
initial major soil working operation.
a. Primary tillage
b. Secondary tillage
c. All of the above
d. None of the above
6. Operation intended to create
refined soil conditions.
a. Primary tillage
b. Secondary tillage
c. All of the above
d. None of the above
7. Primary tillage operation
includes:
a.pulverizing
b. mulching
c.plowing
d. All of the above
8. Secondary tillage operation. 11. Minimum soil manipulation
a. Listing necessary for crop production
b. Subsoiling or for meeting tillage
c. Harrowing requirements under existing
d. All of the above soil condition.
a. No-tillage planting
9. Tillage operation traditionally
b. Much tillage
performed in preparing seedbeds
c. Minimum tillage
for a given crop commonly
d. None of the above
grown in a given geographical
area.
12. Tillage or soil preparation
a. Conventional tillage
in which plant residues are
b. Conservation tillage specifically left on or near the
c. Strip tillage surface.
d. None of the above a. Strip tillage
b. Mulch tillage
10. Primary tillage operation that
c. Optimum tillage
manipulates the soil to a depth d. None of the above
greater than 300mm.
a. Reservoir tillage
b. Deep tillage
c. Ridge tillage
d. None of the above
13. Tillage system that operates
with fewer or lesser energy
compared with that of the
conventional tillage.
a. Minimum tillage
b. No-till tillage
c. Reduce tillage
d. All of the above
14. When 30% or less of the soil
surface is tilled, the tillage
operation employed is ____.
a. minimum tillage
b. strip tillage
c. ridge tillage
d. All of the above
15. Which of the following
affects the energy requirement
in tillage operation?
a. Type and condition of the soil
b. Shape, working depth and
speed of tool
c. All of the above
d. None of the above
16. Equipment, which displaces
and shatters soil, used to reduce
soil strength and to bury or mix
plant materials and fertilizers in the
tilled layer.
a. Primary tillage equipment
b. Secondary tillage equipment
c. Seeding and planting equipment
d. None of the above
17. Pushing or rolling of soil by a
steeply inclined blade.
a. Bulldozing
b. Chiseling
c. Subsoiling
d. None of the above
18. Soil-tool reaction in which soil
slides along the surface of the
tillage tool without significant
adhesion.
a. Sliding
b. Scouring
c. Soil cutting
d. None of the above
19. Primary or secondary tillage a. Listing
implement used for broadcast or b. Harrowing
for strip tillage and also used as a c. Chiseling
chemical incorporator prior to d. None of the above
planting.
a. Roller tiller 22. Secondary tillage operation
b. Roller harrow which pulverizes, smoothens and
c. Packer packs the soil during seedbed
d. None of the above preparation and also controls
weeds.
20. Secondary tillage implement a. Harrowing
consisting of one or two in-line b. Listing
gang rollers used for crushing soil c. Chiseling
clods and for compacting the soil. d. None of the above
a. Roller tiller
b. Packer 23. Deep chiseling, below 16
c. Roller harrow inches, for the purpose of
d. None of the above loosening the soil for root growth
and/or for water movement.
21. Tillage and land-forming a. Ridging
operation using a tool that splits b. Chiseling
the soil and turns two furrows c. Subsoiling
laterally in opposite directions, d. None of the above
thereby providing a ridge-and-
furrow soil configuration.