Timeliness Cost of Planting Field Operations at Badala Farm in Bauchi State Nigeria

Abstract

Position and time data were recorded during corn planting in Badala Farm Bauchi State Nigeria for 140 ha. Corn was planted from mid-June to mid-July, 2009 into the ploughed and harrowed crop’s field. A questionnaire was used together with field experiment to evaluate timeliness cost. Vagaries of weather, optimum soil conditions, available field workdays, optimal level of machinery capacity were the significant explainers of yield variability. Maize yield was low 1.11ton/ha. Estimated number of work field days suitable for planting was 21 days. Operating speed was 2.2 Km/h. Field efficiency was 80 percent and the effective implement width as 6.4m.

Keywords: Timeliness Cost, Planting, Harvesting, Machinery Capacity and Crop Yield