Improving the efficiency of tilling the soil for combine harvesting potatoes

Abstract

The article deals with the problem of reducing the content of clods in the soil, in order to prepare it for combine harvesting potatoes. To do this, we proposed a soil-tilling rotary plow with a serrated knife shape. Tillage machines with active working bodies provide high quality tillage before planting, creating the conditions for the efficient cultivation of potatoes. The article also presents the results of a study of the influence of the cutter knife length, the milling drum rotation speed and the number of knives on the amount of the soil crumbling. The research program is presented, as well as the levels and intervals of factors variation are presented. Based on the research results, the regression equation was obtained and analyzed, which reflects in a coded form the influence of significant factors on the degree of soil crumbling. Theoretical background was verified by fi eld studies of the proposed rotary plow with a serrated knife profi le on the fi elds of Belaya Dacha Farming LLC, Tambov District, Tambov Region. Testing of a soil-tilling rotary plow with a serrated profi le of knives was carried out during the soil loosening after harvesting barley. Soil moisture content was 17.3–20.9 %, hardness was 0.8–1.8 MPa, soil density was 0.9–1.0 g/cm3 . The average height of plant and crop residues was 20 cm. From the results of the agrotechnical appraisal, it is clear that when processing the depth of 11.6 cm, the quality of crumbling was satisfactory, the density of the cultivation layer was 1.10 g/cm3 , which meets the agrotechnical requirements for the maturation of potatoes. Weed plants are pruned completely. The height of the ridges was 1.54–1.62 cm. In heavy soils, the combines began to work easier, the heap became clean from clods and damage to tubers was reduced. When combineharvesting potatoes, their productivity in the prepared area by rotatilling increased by almost 25 %. The amount of soil impurities in the hopper decreases by 35–40 %.