MANUFACTURE OF A COMBINATION UNIT APPROPRIATE FOR WATER HARVESTING AND SOIL CONSERVATION UNDER RAINFED AGRICULTURAL CONDITIONS

Morad, M. M.; Ali, M. M. A.; Ali, A. A.; El-Kot, A. S.

doi:10.21608/mjae.2012.102333

MANUFACTURE OF A COMBINATION UNIT APPROPRIATE FOR WATER HARVESTING AND SOIL CONSERVATION UNDER RAINFED AGRICULTURAL CONDITIONS

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Prof. of Agric. Eng., Fac. of Agric., Zagazig Univ., Egypt.

² Assoc. Prof. of Agric. Eng., Fac. of Agric., Zagazig Univ., Egypt.

³ Assoc. Prof. of Soil Conservation, D.R.C Egypt.

10.21608/mjae.2012.102333

Abstract

Experiments were carried out to manufacture and evaluate the performance of a combination unit suitable for water harvesting, planting, and soil conservation under rain fed agricultural conditions. The machine performance was studied as a function of change in machine forward speed and plowing depth. Performance evaluation of the manufactured machine was carried out in terms of bulk density, and infiltration rate as a soil measurements; crop yield as a crop measurements; runoff and water use efficiency as a water measurements; field capacity and efficiency, required power, energy requirements and operational cost as a machine measurements. The experimental results reveal that runoff volume, energy and cost were minimum while crop yield was maximum under the following conditions:
-        The use of the developed unit for effective water harvesting and soil conservation.
-        Machine forward speed of between 3.5 to 4.5 km/h.
-        Plowing depth of between 10 to 15 cm.

Main Subjects

Agricultural Power and Machinery Engineering

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