Abstract
High-yielding agriculture leads to plenty of residues left in the field after harvest, which not only makes seeding operations difficult, but also decreases residue decomposition rate. Thus, it is necessary to incorporate some residue into the soil by tillage operations. Providing the relation between tillage operations and residue incorporation, and establishing a mathematical model plays an important role in residue management and the design of tillage machinery. In order to obtain detailed data on the interaction between crop residue and tillage operations, an electric and multi-functional field testing bench with precise parameter control was developed to perform residue incorporation characteristics of rotary tillage, and investigated straw length, rotary speed and stubble height effect on the dispersion and burying of residue. Three experimental factors affecting residue incorporation performance were studied, i.e. six lengths of straw (30-150 mm), four heights of stubble (50-200 mm), and three rotary speeds (240-320 rpm). Chopped straw and stubble with certain sizes were prepared for the test, and measure the dispersion uniformity and burying rate of residue after rotary tillage. The results indicated that straw length, stubble height, and rotary speed all impact residue incorporation quality. The dispersion uniformity and burying rate of residue decreased with the increase of straw length and stubble height; Lower rotary speed parameter buried lesser residue and dispersed worse uniformity than higher one; It is suggested that farmers determine the straw length and stubble height at the stage of harvest according to the burying rate and dispersion uniformity of residue.
Field Investigation of Straw Length, Stubble Height and Rotary Speed Effect on the Dispersion and Burying of Residue
