Effect of Forward Speed and Single-Type Conveyer Inclination on Potato Crop Digging Index

Abstract

The experiments were carried at Almrkhyat Agricultural Scheme in Karrary locality Omdurman city, Khartoum State in a sandy clay soil, and for a potato crop planted during winter season 2017. The potato cultivar was Zasira. The study aimed to investigate the effect of tractor different forward speeds (3.1, 3. 7 and 4.09 km/hr) and the conveyer inclination (18° and 24°) of Potato Digger with Single type Chain Conveyors on some of potato crop index such as lifting and total damage percentage and machine performance in sandy clay soil. The results showed that, there was a highly significant influences of forward speeds and conveyer inclination on tubers lifting, Effective field capacity and fuel consumption, while there was no significant impact on total damage and wheel slippage (P<0.05). The study found that the maximum tubers lifting of 98.63% at Sp1 with conveyer inclination, while the lowest value of lifting percentage of 89% when use the Sp3 and conveyer inclination 2, more while, the lowest percentage of 0.03% was at Sp1 with each conveyer inclination. According to the results of this study, it’s recommended that, the proper condition to operate the potato digger to obtained best value for potato lifting percentage (98.63%), total damage percentage (0.03%), fuel consumption (8.83lit/fed) and wheel slippage (7.67%) is the combination of Sp1(3.1Km/hr) and conveyer inclination 1(18°).