FIELD INVESTIGATION OF THE PERFORMANCE OF ROTAVATOR UNDER HEAVY STRAW CONDITION

C. Ji, Q. Zhang, M. S. Miemon, A. A. Tagar, S. Jian, H. Fang, C. Arslan

Abstract: The incorporation of straw into the soil increases soil organic carbon storage and reduces soil erosion. Straw is rich in organic material and soil nutrients, thus it is increasingly considered as an important natural organic fertilizer. The present study investigated the physio-mechanical properties of soil, displacement and burial of straw under heavy straw conditions at three rotational speeds (180, 230 and 280 rpm). Soil and straw displacement were measured using tracer technology, soil shear properties were determined by direct shear box, penetration resistance was measured with a hand-held penetrometer (OK-JS1, Zhengzhou Oukeqi Instrument Manufacturing Co., Ltd). Results revealed that the lateral and forward displacements of both straw and soil increased with the rotational speeds. Forward displacement of both soil and straw was significantly larger than that of lateral displacement. The addition of straw increased the cohesion and internal friction angle of soil, thus strengthened the soil. The penetration resistance of soil decreased with the increasing rotational speeds. The mean clod diameter was smaller at higher rotational speeds, while the rate of soil breakage increased with increasing rotational speeds. The rate of straw burial increased with the increasing rotational speeds. It is concluded that the fields should be cultivated at the rotational speed of 280 rpm to achieve the better soil conditions, displacement and burial of straw.

Keywords: C-type rotary blade; mean clod diameter; physio-mechanical properties; soil and straw displacement and burial; soil breakage

Date published: 2017-09-04