Predicting tractor fuel consumption during ridging on a sandy loam soil in a humid tropical climate

摘要: A predictive model for the determination of optimum fuel consumption a tractor during ridging operation has been developed. The development involved field experimentations to determine various parameters affecting consumption, like draught, speed, depth cut, soil moisture content, cone index and width cut. investigations were carried out at farm Rivers State Agricultural Development Programme in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. experimental design adopted was Factorial Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). It consisted 9 treatments with three replications. land area 160 m by 32.5 (5200 m2), which sub-divided into blocks plots each, measuring 50 2.5 m, an inter-plot spacing 1 provided different treatment options. determined from actual amount used per unit time. equation then formulated using Buckingham pi theorem. showed that is directly proportional height ridge content; inversely penetration resistance validated graphical comparison root mean square error paired t-Test. results obtained there no significant difference between measured predicted values 95 99% confidence limits; can accurately predict operations disc ridger. Key words: theorem, ridger, model, height, operation, tractor.