On Farm Evaluation and Demonstration of Sifang Power Tiller for Tillage and Water Lifting in Arsi zone

Abstract

The choice of power units and their machinery match for farming operations is very important and measurement of agricultural machinery performance rate and quality of operation are the basic for farm management. This study were conducted at Digalu-Xijo, Hetosa and Dodota district of Arsi zone to evaluate Sifang power tiller for primary and secondary tillage on clay, loam, sandy loam soil and the water pumping performance at different head. The evaluated parameter was fuel consumption, width of operation, operation time, theoretical field capacity, effective field capacity and field efficiency. The water pumping capacity when centrifugal pump was attached was also determined. The result shows that on primary tillage fuel consumption, width of operation, operation time, theoretical field capacity, effective field capacity and efficiency on clay soil were 22.08 l/ha, 43.4 cm, 25.00 hr/ha, 0.109 ha/hr, 0.04 ha/hr and 36.7%, on loam soil 19.55 l/ha, 44.25 cm, 22.00 hr/ha, 0.106 ha/hr, 0.045 ha/hr and 42.50% and on sandy loam soil 18.75 l/ha, 41 cm, 14.40 hr/ha, 0.103 ha/hr, 0.069 ha/hr and 67%  respectively.  The performance of secondary tillage on clay soil were 16 l/ha, 60 cm, 12.27 hr/ha, 0.15 ha/hr, 0.08 ha/hr and 53%, on loam soil 15 l/ha, 60 cm, 10 hr/ha, 0.15 ha/hr, 0.10 ha/hr and 62.50% and on sandy loam soil 14 l/ha, 60 cm, 9 hr/ha, 0.15 ha/hr, 0.11 ha/hr and 74% respectively.  The average water pumping capacities at maximum, medium and minimum power speed of motor at 2.5-5.5 head were 20.70, 19.53 and 12.88 l/sec respectively. In conclusion, the efficiency of Sifang power tiller on sandy loam soil is good particularly for secondary tillage.

Keywords: - Power tiller, primary and secondary tillage, Performance Evaluation, Field Capacity, Field Efficiency, water pumping and motor speed