Comparison between the performance of a Movable boards Ditch opener and the conventional ditch opener in cultivated and uncultivated soils

Abstract

The performance of the movable boards ditch opener (MB) and the conventional ditch opener (CD) was compared using the disturbed area as a comparison parameter to determine the best among the two implements. The experimental factors were three operating depths (30, 40 and 50cm) for MB in the cultivated and uncultivated soils, while for CD in the cultivated soil only, because it could not penetrate the uncultivated soil more than (25cm),  three angles between the boards of MB (45, 60 and 75⁰) and one angle between the boards of CD (65⁰) (the angle between the boards of CD was constant because its boards were welded together), three wings widths of the foot of MB (25, 35 and 45cm) whereas, one share width (35cm) for CD (for MB the wings can be changed by another wings of wider width whereas for CD it was provided with share permanently fixed at the lower end of the boards) and two soil conditions (cultivated and uncultivated soils).

 The results showed that DA (the disturbed area, the cross-section area of the soil manipulated by the implements) for CD and MB increased with operating depth and it was higher in the cultivated soil compared with that in the uncultivated soil for MB only. DA increased with increasing  the angle between the boards of MB whereas, for CD the angle was constant so that DA was constant. DA also increased with wings width of the foot of MB while, for CD the width was constant also, so that the DA was constant.

The operating depth increased DA more than the angle between the boards, the width of the wings of the foot and the soil conditions. Whereas the angle between the boards surpassed the width of the foot and soil conditions in giving higher DA. However, the width of the wings surpassed the soil conditions in giving higher DA. This means MB gave higher performance than CD in both soil conditions. It also penetrated the uncultivated soil down to 50cm despite of its great resistance whereas, CD could not penetrate this soil type more than 25cm. Thus the field performance of MB was better than CD. In additional to that, it gave wider cross-section width ditches and deeper ditch in both soil conditions compared with CD.

Abbreviation: MB=Movable boards ditch opener; CD= Conventional ditch opener; DA= Cross-section area