COMPARATIVE PERFORMANCE OF DIFFERENT ...

Misr.1. Ag. Eng., 12 (4) : 851-865

COMPARA TIVE PERFORMANCE OF DIFFERENT TRACTOR SIZES IN SMALL AREA Elashry,E.R.* and M.A Aboamerau ABSTRAC The perfonnance of different tractor sizes was compared for small plots ranging ITom 0.25 to 10 Feddans of different shapes and of different ratio between length and width fTom the perspective of time consumption and fuel consumption. The results show that the use of 4WD tractors is considered more efficient in small areas than the 2WD in tillage operation. The time and fuel consumed by 4WD tractors were less than the time and fuel consumed by 2WD. The rectangular shape of the small area and 3:] length/width ratio achieve the lowest value oftime and fuel consumption il tillage operation. In order to achieve the economical objective of the mechanization of in small areas, it could be collect the small areas less than 5 Feddans.

INTRODUCTION Field operations can be achieved with various combinationsof machineswhich result in different basic energy requirements.Hence, from the:increasingrange of sizes. types and capacities of tractor implements the farmer needs to select appropriate tractor implement systemsand ope 'ate them in the most energy-efficientmanner. The selection of appropriate size of fann tractor and equipmentis one of the important decision parameters of agriculturalmachinerymanagement. On small fanns generally one tractor is expected to do almost all jobs and there is not much flexibilityin the choice of particularsize of a tractor. Whereas on large fanns, one can select two or more tractors of differenttypes or sizes, withinthe range of minimumpower requirement. to suit various fann operations. However, there are advantages and disadvantages associated with using traCtorsof one size or differentsize. -- . . -..-_.. .-..... The operating time and turning times are affectedby the shape of plot, the length/width ratio and the operating speed. The size of the plot also affectsthe proportion of time spent on setting up. , The size of the tractor must be matched with the amount of work to be done as dictated by timeliness and cost. The size of the tractor directly affects its operating costs.

*Agric. Eng.Dept. FJtculty of Agriculture, Alex. Univ. UAgric. En~. Oe:rt..Eaculty of Agriculture. Menofia Univ.

Misr J. Eng., 12 (4), OC!!.L..:1995

851

Small farm sizes and field tragmentation are the dominatingand prevailingland pattern features in Egyptian agriculture. As shown in Figure (1),95.8% of the land ownershipown less than five feddans, which represents 58 3% of1he land area. The objective of this study is to compare the performance of different tractor sizes in small areas, in view of time and fuel consumption. REVIEW OF LITERATURE Hanna et al. (1979) conducted tests in different fieldconditions with a four-wheel48 kW and two-wheel 13 kW tractor for Egyptian conditionsand concluded that the four-wheeltractor is not suitable for plot sizes less than one Feddan. Lee (1972) suggested that the optimum size of power unit required for a country should be determined by the farming methods and the gross national product of the country. Data on the suitable ratio between plot size and size of tractor and implement are still inadequate. Hence, the present study sought to compare the performance of different tractor sizes.

Kaneda (1969) reported that for farms between 25 to 30 ha the cost of use of a 35 HP tracter was eqt:a!to that of a 1S 117tra~~torFor larger acreage::the cost of use of a 35 lIP tractor declined more rapidlythan the smallerone. It was also found that the use ofa 35 HP tractor gave greater returns than using the power tillers when the operating area was more than 30 ha. Rahmoo et al. (1979) found that the smallestfarm having a tractor was about 40 ha in size and the largest farm was about 400 ha. The tractor were used only for operations such as plowing, harrowing, levelling, transporting and operating threshers. The correlation between size of fanns and cost per hour of tractors was not significant. This was due to the fact that the size of the smallest farm was sufficient for optimum use of 55 HP tractor. Tractor owners realizedthe benefits of increased annualuse and, therefore, smallfarmers used their tractors trequentlyfor hire work. Esmay and Faidley (1972) reported that the tractors were the important power source for small.f.1.rmswithout bullocks. AU th~ tractor users had f:mn sizes of less than 2.acres. It W2S observed that cooperative tractors service had apparentlyfilleda power shortage for the tillage operations. The United States Departmert of Agriculture (1973) concluded IToma studythat large tractors were commonly used on farms which averaged 25 ha. Also, 10 ha appear to be the minimumfarm size on which large tractors are economicallyfeasible. Moses and Frost (1965) concludedtrom a survey oOS8 tractors that the largesttractors were the most expensiveto operate on the basis of cost per hour. They were cheapest to operate, however, trom the stand poind of cost per horsepower, hence it is economicalto use a large tractor where sufficientwork is available.

852 Misr I. Eng., 12 (4), October 1995

I

13 to < 5 Fed.

>5 Fed.

I

(6.9%) ~2%)

I

(19.7%) 11 to e

FORD NASR BELARUS

kUBOTA DEU':rZ

Rec.

t>~ot shape ~ri.. ~rap

12.39 11. 85 9.21 10.39 6.69

13.72 12.70 9.97 10.9. 7.40

12.93 12.20 9.04 10.59 10.42

Table(S) :Effect of tractor type and lenqth/vidth rat10 on the fuel oon8umpt1on 1n 11t/Veddan

Tractor type

Length7wi.dth

FORD NUR BELARUS i:'UBO~A DE~Z

ratio

3:1

2:1

1:1

12.14 11.6'; 8.57

12.78 12.09 9.39 10.52 10.27

14.12 12.99 10.26 11.13 10.59

10.26 9.65

18

---

-

FORD

CIQ 16 'tJ 'tJ cu

NASH

IS is- 14 Z o

BELARUS

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1= Cl..

KUBOTA

~ Z o

DEUTl

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LIJ

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6 o

1

~e('):~ect

2

3

4 5 € 7 PLOP AREA (Feddan)

6

9

10

ot the tractor type &Dd plot are. OD the 111.1COD81IIIpUOD.

Misr 1. Eng., 12 (4), October 1995

4WD tractors the fuel consumption was less than for 2WD except the FORD tractor which proved that using it at any plot lead to increase the fuel consumption.

The data presented in Figure(7) showed the effect of plot area and shape on the required fuel consumption in litlFeddan. The fuel consumption decreased as increasingthe plot area for any plot shape used. The lowest value offuel consumptionwas obtained at area more than 5 Feddans for the three plot shapes used. The results indicated that there is not great differencein fuel consumption between triangular and trapezoidal plot. The rectangular plot achievedthe lowest fuel consumption for every plot area used. For any plot shape, the results showed a significant difference for the plot areas used. Because of the fuel consumption for any agricultureoperation economically affect upon the variablecosts so the results recommendedto use the mechanization of tillage operation in smallarea more than 5 feddans.As mentionedbefore the rectangular small areas could be more efficient in minimizing the fuel consumption required for the agriculture operations. The effect of the interaction of plot area and length/widthratio on the fuel consumption was presented in Figure(8). At any length/widthratio the fuel consumption decreased as increasing the plot area. At any plot area used the fuel consumption decreased as increasingthe length/width ratio. So fot niihiuu:zingthe required fiJd consump,iun,he results recommendedthe greatest bvth of plot area and length/widlh ratio. The variable costs for any agriculture operation depends essentially upon the value of fuel consumption. For small areas, for minimizingthe required variable costs for any agriculture operation, collecting these small areas will be economically effective for the agriculturalmechanization.The results showed that the difference between two values of fuel consumption statistically significant. As for the length/width ratio, used in this experiment, the effect of its values on filelconsumptionappear clearly. Increasing the length/width ratio lead to loweringthe time waste in turning. This time could finalydecrease the total value of the required fuel consumption. CONCLUSION and RECOMMENDA nON The results obtained by comparing the performance factors showed that: I-In small areas, for tillage operation. the use of 4WD tractors will decrease the time and fuel

consumed in comparing with 2WD.tractors.

.

.

2-The rectangular shape of the small area is considered more efficientin minimizingthe time consumption and the fuel required for tillageoperation. 3-For any plot length/width ratio ranging from 1:1 to 3:1, DEUTZ tractor achievedthe lowest value of time consumption. 4-Incre:!sing plot area ITom .25 to 10 Feddans lead to decrease the fuel consumption in litlFeddan. 4WD tractors consumed the lowest value of fuel required for the tillage operation.

862

Misr 1. Eng., 12 (4), October 1995'

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4'5 6 7 _ PlOT AREA (Feddanl

9

10

F1qur~(7):~ff.ct of the plot shape and plot are. on the

~u.l consumD~1oD._ 14

-3:1

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6

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PLOT AREA (Feddan) hpre

Cl):Sffeet of the 18Dqth/w.1dthraUoand OD the hel COD8UIIIpUOD.

Misr J. Eng., 12 (4), October 1995

plot ar.a

,r

5-Length/width ratio. played a main role in decreasing the required amount of fuel, increasingthe ' length/widthratio decrease the fuelconsumption in litlFeddan. 6-ln order to achieve the economicalobjective of mechanizingthe agriculturaloperations in the small areas, the' results recommendedto gather all the smallarea less than 5 Feddans and make a lare area.

REFERENCES Abdel- Mageed, RN. 1994. A field comparison on the performance of a two and four wheel drive tractor in chisel plowing.Miser 1. of Agric. Eng. 11(3):636-654. Chanceller, W. 1. 1968. Selecting optimum-sized tractor for developmental agricultural mechanization.Trans. of ASAE.II(4):508-514. Chanceller.W. 1. 1969. Selectingthe optimum-sizedtractor. Trans. of ASAE. 12(4):214-414,418. 1984. Tractor performancein two and four wheel drive. Trans. of ASAE. 27(1):95-98. Esmay, M.L. and L W. Faidley 1972.Agricultural mechanization and labor utilization in Asia. A.\fA 1. 3(2):15-22. Hanna, G.B.. Maksoud, S.E.A. and Wahals,MKA. 1979. Effect of field size on machin~fi~ld efficiencyand ploughingcosts. AMA 1. 10(4):42-46. Kaneda L.K. 1969. Economic implication of the green revolution and the strategy of agricultural developmentin West Pakistan. The Pakistan Development Review, 9(2): 111143. Lee, C.C. 1972.The merry tiller as a practical farm machine for Korea. AMA 1. 3(3):47. Manuelpillai.G. P. 1974. Mechanizationof rice cultivationin Serilanka. AMA 1. 5(1): 29- 34. Rahmoo. SA. H.D. Henderson, and G E. Thierstein 1979. Costs of owning and operating tractors in Tharparkar district of Sand, Pakistan. AMA. 1. 10(4):27-30. Shaikh. G.S., 1.K. Sial, and M. Afzar. 1979. Comparative performance of two-wheel and fourwheel tractors. AMA 1., 10(2):55-58.

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