What is Tillage?
Tillage can be defined as the process of manipulation of
soil to develop a suitable soil structure to create seedbed or root-bed with controlling
weeds, manage crop residues, minimize soil erosion and also establish specific
upper layer for planting and irrigation etc. Tillage operations to create
seedbed are usually known as primary and secondary. A primary tillage operation
includes some initial significant soil operations that are normally designed to
loosen the soil.
On the other hand, secondary tillage operations are
performed to create refined soil conditions for planting crops. A mouldboard
plough is the most commonly used farm equipment for primary tillage. While a
Rotary tiller or rotavator is popularly used as secondary tillage equipment nowadays as it acquires energy in more than one manner, energy from a rotary
source usually the tractor PTO. More versatility and reduced draft requirements
to obtain the desired outcome in manipulating the soil are the two reasons for
considering such more complex farm equipment.
Rotary Tiller and
Its Uses in Tillage
The minimum tillage system is necessary for reducing the use
of mechanical energy and labour requirement in soil tillage and is also
important to conserve the natural moisture in the soil by minimizing the number of
rounds over the field. The rotary tiller is a perfect tilling machine to be used as
a minimum tillage system. The high quality of pulverization makes rotary
tillers suitable for seedbed preparation.
Rotary tillers are also used for uprooting the organic
matter and mixing it in all over the tilled upper layer of the soil. Rotary
tillers or rotavators are widely used specifically for rice crops in most of
the Asiatic countries. Rice fields in such countries are often ploughed by underwater
rotary tillage. The rotor or rotating blades usually rotates in the same
direction of tractor wheels. Each blade cuts a section of soil as it moves
downward and in the direction of the rear wheels. Mostly rotary tillers make 2
or 3 cuts in the soil per round.
How to choose a
perfect Rotary Tiller for your farm
Before choosing a rotary tiller a farmer should consider the
size of the farm, the strength of the tractor, budget and how often they will need
it. These factors will help a farmer in choosing the right design and
combination of features in a rotavator. If there is only a one time need in a
year to prepare the field, a farmer can also consider to rent a rotary tiller.
This may also provide the time to evaluate either or not they need purchasing
one. For a gardener on a small scale farmer, a small rotary tiller or cultivator
may be more appropriate.
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