Field evaluation of power tiller rotavator with seating attachment

Abstract

A 7.S kW rotary-type power tiller fitted with seating attachment was field evaluated for rotapuddling and rotatilling operations under soil conditions of Bhopal region and its performance was compared with that of power tiller without seating attachment. For rotapuddling operation, effective field capacity and fuel consumption of power tiller with seating attachment were 0.098 ha/hr and 1.350 litres/hr respectively compared with the respective values tor power
tiIler without seating attachment 0.099 ha/hr and 1.300 litres/hr. For dry rotatilling the etTective field capacities of
power tiller with and without seating attachment were 0.097 and 0.099 ha/hr. when operated in the plots of more than
0.3 ha size. However, on per-day basis the toal area covered by power tiller with seating attachment was more, because
the operator required less frequent rests of shorter duration (2 rest periods aggregating to 0.78 hr in a working day of
6.65 hr) compared with that without seating attachment (4 rest periods aggregating to 1.95 hr in a working day of 7.33
hr). Depth of operation was more uniform when power tiller was fitted with seating attachment, as the rotavator was
restrained from coming out from the soil even at hard soil spots. Fuel consumption of power tiller with seating attachment during dry rotatilling was slightly more (1.280 litres/hr) than that of power tiller without seating attachment   (1.200 litres/hr).