effect of cultivator/ridger type on the physical properties of ridge, power requirement and potato yield

In 2002, 2003 and 2004, field trials were carried out in Slovenia in the form of random blocks with five replications. Three potato cultivators/ridgers were used on medium textured soil. The aim was to establish which potato cultivator/ridger was the most suitable for inter-row space cultivation, ri...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inIrish journal of agricultural and food research Vol. 47; no. 1; pp. 53 - 67
Main Authors Bernik, R, Vucajnk, F
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Teagasc 2008
Subjects
Agricultural soils
Agrology
Crop science
crop yield
cultivators
Earthing up
energy use and consumption
field experimentation
Interrow cultivation
Potatoes
profitability
resistance to penetration
ridging
Soil aggregates
Soil treatment
Solanum tuberosum
Tillage
Tubers
Slovenia
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Summary:In 2002, 2003 and 2004, field trials were carried out in Slovenia in the form of random blocks with five replications. Three potato cultivators/ridgers were used on medium textured soil. The aim was to establish which potato cultivator/ridger was the most suitable for inter-row space cultivation, ridge shaping and achievement of the highest possible potato yield, work-rate and productivity. A drawn cultivator/ridger with spring tines on a parallelogram framework and wing ridge heads attached (STC), was compared with a drawn cultivator/ridger with rigid tines on a parallelogram framework and cogwheel ridge discs attached (RTC) and with a rotary, PTO-driven cultivator/ridger (RC). The latter created the largest cross-sectional area of the ridge and proved to be the most efficient at crushing soil aggregates in the inter-row space and at ridge shaping. It also allowed the lowest cone resistance at the ridge centre and in the central part of the ridge side. A higher number of tubers per plant resulted from ridges made by the PTO-driven cultivator/ridger giving a higher total yield of tubers than with the other two cultivators/ridgers. In comparison with the drawn cultivators/ridgers, the PTO-driven cultivator/ridger shaped ridges with better physical properties on medium textured soil; however both drawn cultivators/ridgers had greater work-rates, and also needed less energy to cultivate a unit of area.
ISSN:0791-6833
2009-9029