INTRODUCTION TO FARM POWER
Tillage: It is a mechanical manipulation of soil to provide favorable condition for crop production.
Soil tillage consists of breaking the compact surface of earth to a certain depth and to loosen the
soil mass
Purpose of tillage: So as to enable the roots of the crops to penetrate and spread into the soil.
Tillage may be called the practice of modifying the state of soil to provide favorable conditions
for plant growth. Tillage operation is most labour consuming and difficult operation, compared to
all subsequent operation in the field.
Objective of tillage
1. To obtain deep seed bed, suitable for different type of crops.
2. To add more humus and fertility to soil by covering the vegetation.
3. To destroy and prevent weeds.
4. To aerate the soil for proper growth of crops.
5. To increase water absorbing capacity of the soil.
6. To destroy the insects, pests and their breeding places and
7. To reduce the soil erosion.
Classification and types of tillage
Tillage is divided into two classes: 1. Primary tillage, 2. Secondary tillage
1. Primary tillage: It constitutes the initial major soil working operation. It is normally
designed to reduce soil strength, cover plant materials, and rearrange aggregates. The operations
performed to open up any cultivable land with a view to prepare a seed bed for growing crops in
known as Primary tillage. Implements may be tractor drawn or animal drawn implements. Animal
drawn implements mostly include indigenous plough and mould-board plough. Tractor drawn
implements include mould-board plough, disc plough, subsoil plough, chisel plough and other
similar implements.
2. Secondary tillage: Tillage operations following primary tillage which are performed to
increase proper soil tilth for seeding and planting are Secondary tillage. These are lighter and finer
operations, performed on the soil after primary tillage operations. Secondary tillage consists of
conditioning the soil to meet the different tillage objectives of the farm. The implements used for
1
, INTRODUCTION TO FARM POWER
secondary tillage operations are called Secondary tillage implements. They include different types
of harrow, cultivators, levelers, crushers etc. These operations are generally done on the surface
soil of the farm. Secondary tillage operations do not cause much soil inversion and shifting of soil
from one place to other. These operations consume less power per unit area compared to primary
tillage operations. Secondary tillage implements may be tractor drawn or bullock drawn
implements. Bullock drawn implements include harrows, cultivators, hoes etc.
MOULD BOARD PLOUGH
Mould board plough (MB): A mouldboard plough is very common implement used for primary
tillage operations. This plough performs several functions at a time such as (1) Cutting the
furrow slice (2) Lifting the furrow slice (3) turning the furrow slice (4) Pulverizing the soil.
Components of M.B. Plough consists of (a) Share, (b) Mould Board, (c) Landside and (d) Frog
( see Figure below).
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, INTRODUCTION TO FARM POWER
Land side Landside is the part of the plough bottom, which slides along the furrow wall, providing
stability against tilting sideways, due to soil pressure acting on the mould board. The width of the
landside of animal drawn plough varies between 5 and 10 cm. It also helps in stabilizing the plough
while in operation. Landside fastened to the frog with the help of plough bolts. The rear bottom of
the landside is known as heal which rubs against the furrow sole. Frog:
3
Tillage: It is a mechanical manipulation of soil to provide favorable condition for crop production.
Soil tillage consists of breaking the compact surface of earth to a certain depth and to loosen the
soil mass
Purpose of tillage: So as to enable the roots of the crops to penetrate and spread into the soil.
Tillage may be called the practice of modifying the state of soil to provide favorable conditions
for plant growth. Tillage operation is most labour consuming and difficult operation, compared to
all subsequent operation in the field.
Objective of tillage
1. To obtain deep seed bed, suitable for different type of crops.
2. To add more humus and fertility to soil by covering the vegetation.
3. To destroy and prevent weeds.
4. To aerate the soil for proper growth of crops.
5. To increase water absorbing capacity of the soil.
6. To destroy the insects, pests and their breeding places and
7. To reduce the soil erosion.
Classification and types of tillage
Tillage is divided into two classes: 1. Primary tillage, 2. Secondary tillage
1. Primary tillage: It constitutes the initial major soil working operation. It is normally
designed to reduce soil strength, cover plant materials, and rearrange aggregates. The operations
performed to open up any cultivable land with a view to prepare a seed bed for growing crops in
known as Primary tillage. Implements may be tractor drawn or animal drawn implements. Animal
drawn implements mostly include indigenous plough and mould-board plough. Tractor drawn
implements include mould-board plough, disc plough, subsoil plough, chisel plough and other
similar implements.
2. Secondary tillage: Tillage operations following primary tillage which are performed to
increase proper soil tilth for seeding and planting are Secondary tillage. These are lighter and finer
operations, performed on the soil after primary tillage operations. Secondary tillage consists of
conditioning the soil to meet the different tillage objectives of the farm. The implements used for
1
, INTRODUCTION TO FARM POWER
secondary tillage operations are called Secondary tillage implements. They include different types
of harrow, cultivators, levelers, crushers etc. These operations are generally done on the surface
soil of the farm. Secondary tillage operations do not cause much soil inversion and shifting of soil
from one place to other. These operations consume less power per unit area compared to primary
tillage operations. Secondary tillage implements may be tractor drawn or bullock drawn
implements. Bullock drawn implements include harrows, cultivators, hoes etc.
MOULD BOARD PLOUGH
Mould board plough (MB): A mouldboard plough is very common implement used for primary
tillage operations. This plough performs several functions at a time such as (1) Cutting the
furrow slice (2) Lifting the furrow slice (3) turning the furrow slice (4) Pulverizing the soil.
Components of M.B. Plough consists of (a) Share, (b) Mould Board, (c) Landside and (d) Frog
( see Figure below).
2
, INTRODUCTION TO FARM POWER
Land side Landside is the part of the plough bottom, which slides along the furrow wall, providing
stability against tilting sideways, due to soil pressure acting on the mould board. The width of the
landside of animal drawn plough varies between 5 and 10 cm. It also helps in stabilizing the plough
while in operation. Landside fastened to the frog with the help of plough bolts. The rear bottom of
the landside is known as heal which rubs against the furrow sole. Frog:
3
