DEVELOPMENT OF A PLASTIC MULCHING MACHINE

Ramadan, Y. Y.; Moustafa, M. M.; Cottb, M.

doi:10.21608/mjae.2014.99688

DEVELOPMENT OF A PLASTIC MULCHING MACHINE

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Researcher in Agric. Eng. Res. Inst., Giza, Egypt.

10.21608/mjae.2014.99688

Abstract

The aim of this study is to develop, construct and evaluate a local plastic-mulching machine ( mulcher ) to prove beneficial for crop growth by modifying soil temperature, reduction in evaporation, weed competition, soil compaction and erosion. The developed mulcher consists of the main chassis of 1.0 x 1.30 m made of steel with three hitch-points. A furrow opener, warped steel tube for warping a plastic sheet, two adjustable wheels and a compressing wheel with manure hopper were mounted and fixed on the main chassis. Forward speed of 2.4 km/h and tilt angle of 450 with wheel adjusting depth of 20 cm showed the optimum results under different treatments which can be summarized in the following points:
1-     Soil covering depth (ridge height, cm) for subsurface mulch was 29 cm.
2-     Tractor wheel slip of 5.1 and 3.2 % for subsurface and surface mulch, respectively.
3-     Fuel consumptions were 5.1 l/h, for subsurface mulch and 4.60 l/h, for the surface mulch under the same conditions.
4-     Covering width for surface mulch was 21 cm for both sides of the plastic sheet.
5-     Uniformity covering efficiency was 98 % for subsurface mulch and 92 % for surface mulch.
6-     Power requirements and energy were 14.11 kW, 24.75 kiwi. h/fed., and 12.73 kiwi. and 21.70 kiwi. h/fed., respectively for subsurface and surface mulching.
7-     Total costs decreased totally by 80.4% when applying the new mulcher.

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