Soil tillage and crop sowing in slope fields

Abstract

Soil degradation due to water erosion accompanied by the loss of fertility results in reduced grain crop yields. To prevent water erosion on sloping fields during soil tillage and the sowing of grain crops, the authors offer an appropriate technology and a combined tool. The combine tool implements tillage and strip sowing by forming mini-terraces. Their width is determined by the installation of furrow formers at a distance from each other, which corresponds to the sowing width of six seed rows. Combined coulters sow cereals in two rows on the soil surface, in three rows – to a depth of 6 to 8 cm, in the last row – to a depth of 14 to 15 cm. Furrow shapers form anti-erosion furrows to a depth of 9 cm over the rows with seeds, sown to a depth of 14 to 15 cm and form ridges over the seeds sown on the surface. Ridges and furrows prevent water erosion on the slope crop fields. The ridge former is installed at an angle of 30 to 33° to the travel direction of the machine. The distance between ripper tines of the first and second rows shall be not less than 45 cm, and between cultivator teeth and the ridge former is not less than 90 cm. The proposed technology and the developed combined tool can reduce the direct energy consumption for tillage and the sowing of grain crops by 32%.