Performance Evaluation of Power Tiller in Bauchi State Nigeria

Abstract

The research work involves performance evaluation of Power Tiller in the Savanna agro-ecological zone of Nigeria. Bauchi State Agricultural Development Programme’s farm was used as the study area having satisfied the condition for a small scale farm in a developing economy. The Power Tiller speeds was measured using stopwatch and a measuring tape, width of cut of the machine was measured using measuring tape, soil moisture content was obtained using a laboratory oven drier and the depth of cultivation and fuel consumption was measured using a graduated dip stick. The results obtained were from the following field parameters: effective field capacity, field efficiency, fuel consumption, speeds of operation, depth and width of cut. These parameters were determined from field work and laboratory experiment and the basic operations considered during the field operations were ploughing and rototilling. The field efficiency obtained was 47 and 48 percent for ploughing and rotovating with effective field capacity of 0.04ha/hr. and 0.06ha/hr. respectively. The fuel consumption was 1.3L/hr. and 1.6L/hr. for ploughing and rotovating at a depth of 9cm and 5.5cm when the soil moisture contents were 6.3 and 8 percent respectively. The result shows that the machine is suitable for small scale farmers in Savanna Agro-ecological zone.

Keywords: Power Tiller, Performance Evaluation, Effective Field Capacity, Field Efficiency