AGY 210:

INTRODUCTION TO GENERAL
AGRICULTURE (CROPS)

[AGRICULTURAL MECHANIZATION SECTION]

Lecture 1

Course Lecturer
O.A. SADIKU
 AGY 210: AGRICULTURAL MECH. SECTION
1.0 INTRODUCTION
By definition, agricultural mechanization is simply the
reduction or complete substitution of human labour in
the production process with the aim of increasing
productivity per man.

By this definition, nothing is implied about the means

for that reduction, the size of machine or scale of
operation.

Its governing philosophy is Appropriateness and

Completeness.
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Another definition of agric. Mechanization was given by
Anzodo (1986) as: the process of development and
introduction of mechanized assistance of all forms and at
any level of sophistication in agricultural production in
order to
-reduce human drudgery;
-Improve timeliness and efficiency of various farm
operations;
-bring more land under cultivation;
-Provide better rural living conditions and markedly
advance the economic growth of the rural sector.

From this definition, agric. mech. Thus means more than

availability and use of tractors and modern equipment in
agriculture. 3
It also does not necessarily imply large scale mechanized
farming. The basic aim is ‘more food and higher profits,
not machines’.

1.1 Objectives of Mechanization

To improve timeliness in critical operations like ploughing,
planting, weeding and harvesting.
To induce better management by providing more free time
for study and planning [since it is labour saving].
To stimulate increased production through increased
hectarages and through more thorough recovery of useful
products.
To enable the performance of tasks that would be
impossible by hand e.g. application of toxic chemicals, land
grading etc. 4
 To increase the marketability and price of farm produce
by facilitating processing.
 To generate a rapid rate of social and economic
development especially in the rural areas.

 1.2 Essentials for successful farm mechanization

These have the Farmer as an individual in focus.
 Independence in decision making
Basic decisions about the type of input, method of
production, timing of operation and so on, should be left
to the farmer. Advice may be given but the Farmer takes
the final decision.

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• Complete control and mastery of the means of
production
The procurement of inputs like seeds, fertilizers,
chemicals, tractors and implements and even sales of
produce should be entirely left to the farmer(s)
cooperatives. When these are Government controlled,
agriculture declines because of remoteness or apathy
of government officials.

A good knowledge of the science of seeds, fertilizers,

chemicals and the engineering of farm implements is
important. The execution of various operations using
various methods and machines, their effectiveness and
relative costs, adjustments and minor repairs must be
thoroughly imbibed by the farmer/agric. Manager. 6
It is through such mastery that the full potentials of
seeds, fertilizer, chemicals and machines are realized.

•Painstaking and Far-sighted planning for needs and

operations
Timeliness in agric. operations deserves emphasis, and if
possible, all inputs should be available before enterprise
commences. For example, delays in planting, weeding and
chemical applications depress yield by climatic escape,
physiologic responses, pest and disease incidence etc.;
while delays in harvesting and processing result in losses of
some desired attributes due to over- ripening, over-drying,
over-maturing, shattering, lodging, pest and disease attack
etc. Each operation should fall in its proper sequence and
itself be carefully planned.
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The degree of thoroughness in performing an operation
influences subsequent ones e.g ploughing and harrowing
facilitates the performance of Planters and Cultivators.

•Comprehensive set of production machines, systems or

methods
Every one of the operations that are necessary for the
production must be provided for in the size, magnitude
and number envisaged. The least capacity often governs
the size of farm operations, e.g. the capacity to plough
large hectarages must be matched by equal capacity for
planting, weeding, spraying, harvesting and storing.
Otherwise, the enterprise bogs down.
It is therefore necessary to discuss all the stages involved
in agric. Production from bush clearing to storage. 8
2.1 The Agricultural Tractor
The role of the agricultural tractor in food production
cannot be over emphasized neither should it be
underestimated. In the early days of tractor power, the
standard tractor was designed principally for ploughing
and other heavy draught applications.

The present day all-purpose

tractor has been designed to be
capable of operating efficiently
a very wide range of implements
and machines other than those
employed in cultivation.

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Many devices have been incorporated in the mechanism
of the tractor for this purpose. Thus apart from land
cultivation, power can be tapped from the tractor for the
following operations:
•Seed drilling and planting
•Spraying (chemical application)
•Harvesting
•Hauling and transporting
•Processing operations e.g. shelling, grinding, cleaning
and sorting.
•Pumping irrigation or drainage water
•Electricity generating and many others.

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Power available from the tractor can be used indefinitely,
provided reasonable attention is paid to the lubrication and
it is kept supplied with fuel. Although the operator will
require his rest, it is not unusual for tractors to work around
the clock when relief operators are available for shifts.

2.1.1 Tractor classification

Tractors can be classified as follows:
•Fuel used: This could be Petrol, Diesel, Liquefied Petroleum
Gas (LPG) Biodiesel (a blend of diesel and ethanol) and
electric (for industrial tractors mainly).

•Wheel arrangement & horse power rating:

(a)2-wheel walking type;
(b)4-wheel garden tractor (less than 15 kw); 11
A typical Electric Tractor
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(c) 4-wheel regular (general purpose);
(d) 4-high clearance (field cultivation);
(e) 4-wheel tricycle front (field cultivation);
(f) 3-wheel tricycle; ½-track;
(g) 4WD-high horse power (100 – 200 hp). Permanent or
selective front wheel drive (front wheel assisted, FWA); (h)
Track-type-tracklayers sometimes referred to as
‘Crawlers’ are tractors of large horsepower rating and are
usually used for heavy field work.

•Make and model: Just as there are several makes of tractors,

there are also different models of each make. The newer
models come as an improvement over the earlier ones. The
model number comes after the make e.g. John Deere 1030,
1130,1630; David Brown 885 and 885G etc. 13
However, the following makes of tractors are available in
Nigeria: Massey Ferguson, David Brown, John Deere, Ford,
International, Steyr, Mark, Belarus, Zetor, Deutz etc.

2.1.2 Attributes of the Agricultural tractor

a)Constant speed
•The tractor is a constant speed source up and down a slope.
Field operations are done at specific speeds which have to
be maintained (i.e. constant). Only the tractor can give this.
Table 1 shows results obtained with Massey Ferguson, MF
260 at ½ throttle, up and down the slope.

From the table, observe that the times at corresponding

points are similar. A plot of distance (m) versus time (sec) is
surely a straight line. 14
• The tractor can be a constant output source with the use
of devices like the automatic draft control and traction
control.
Table 1: Massey Ferguson 260 Speed Up and Down the Slope at ½ Throttle
Distance Gear 2L [t sec] Gear 2H [t sec] Gear 3H [t sec]
(m) Up Down Up Down Up Dowm
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
6 14 10 3.5 3.5 1.5 1.5
12 19 20 7 6.8 3 3
18 28 29 10.5 10 4 4
24 36 38 14 13 5 5.5
30 45.5 46.5 17.5 16.5 6.5 6.5
36 54 57 21 20.5 8 8

• The throttle position determines tractor speed at any gear.

Speed approximately doubles when throttle opening is
doubled [see Table 2].

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It is therefore possible to select precise speed for the best
performance of field and barn operations.
Table 2: Speed ratio of throttle position: MF 260
Gear Speed ½ throttle Speed 1/1 throttle Speed ½ throttle
m/sec m/sec Speed 1/1 throttle
1L 0.44 0.88 0.50
1H 1.74 3.08 0.57
2L 0.66 1.19 0.55
2H 2.58 4.69 0.55
3L 1.24 2.26 0.55
3H 5.08 - -

•The high position of the gears gives about four times

greater speed than low position. For example, the ratio of
gear 1H to gear 1L at ½ throttle is 3.95 while at 1/1 throttle
it is 3.47. Similarly, gear ratio 2H/2L at ½ throttle is 3.91
while at 1/1 throttle it is 3.94 16
• Gear 3H (and 2H on some models) is for transport and not
for field operations.
• The recommended tractor speeds for some operations are
as follows:
Table 3: Recommended tractor speeds for field operations.
Operation Speed (km/h)
Tillage 4.7-9.7
Row-crop planting combined with fertilizer 4.7-10.0
and herbicide application
Fertilizer application and spraying 4.7-7.9
Cultivation, forage harvesting 2.5-5.4
Combine 3.7-5.4
The speeds are however affected by the operator’s skill,
quality of each operation, traction of tractor wheels i.e.
achievable speed, landscape and condition (whether sloping,
rough, rooty or stumpy etc. and the power (horsepower)17
• Other important provisions on the tractor are:
(a)A live or independent power-take-off [PTO] shaft is
provided for driving implements (i.e. provides rotary
power) The normal operating standard speeds of the PTO
are 540 and 1000 revolutions per minute [rpm].
(b)A hydraulic system for operating implements like tipping
trailer.
(c)Adjustable wheels for widths ranging from 1.2-2.0 m.
(d)3-point linkage system for mounting implements.
(e)Head and rear lights.

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 Tractor Draw bar

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3-Point linkage system
Electric generator being driven by a tractor PTO drive.

PTO shaft being connected via a Universal joint The PTO shaft
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