Abstract:
This study was conducted at the experimental farm of the
horticultural department at the Faculty of Agricultural Studies of the
Sudan University of Science and Technology. Four groups of land
preparation implements have been tested through four different
methods. A disc plough followed by a disc harrow (DPDH), a disc
plough followed by a rotary tiller (rotovator) (DPR), a disc plough
followed by a Kammarra (DPK) and a rotovator only ( R) have been
used.
The main purpose of the study was to determine which of the
groups was the most appropriate to be used for seed bed preparation for
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selected fine seeded vegetables. Two crops, Rocket (Eruca vesicaria
sub. Sp. Sativa L.) as a winter crop and Jew’s Mallow (chorchorus
olitorius) as a summer crop, were chosen for the experiment, which
have been tested through two consecutive seasons (2004/05) and
(2005/06).
Randomized Complete Block Design has been used to conduct
the experiment and the generated data was subjected to Statistical
Analysis System.
Effect of different tillage methods upon soil water content and
bulk density have been studied in two different depths. The first depth
was at the surface layer (0 to 5 cm) and the second depth was (5 to 10
cm).Effect of previously mentioned tillage methods upon some plant
parameters, such as the number of plants per hectare, length of plants,
length of roots, number of leaves per plant and average yield in tons per
hectare have been tested too.
Gained average yield of both experimented crops was found to be
higher than average yields mentioned in the reviewed literature. Rocket
average yield was (8.87 t/fed), which is 18.27% higher than the
reviewed average of (7.5 t/fed.) Also the average yield of Jew’s Mallow
was (11.99 t / fed) with 25.5% more than the reviewed average of (9.55
t/fed.).
According to the obtained results it was not clear which of the
tested tillage methods was the most appropriate? As mentioned before
the study showed slight differences in yield and in both plant and
studied soil parameters. Evaluation between the different tillage
methods according to those results was rather difficult, and we were
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.most suitable for land preparation
According to the economical analysis the least land preparation
.cost was 32.32 SDG/hr. when the rotovator only was used
The second lower operational cost was 54.76 SDG /hr and this
.was when the disc plough was followed by the Kammarra
Third lower cost was 62.25 SDG/hr, when the disc plough was
.followed by the rotovator
Highest cost was recorded when the disc plough was followed by
.the disc harrow, which was found to be 63.95 SDG/hr
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