Rotavator Uses in Agriculture, Advantages of Rotavator

Introduction: Hello farmers we are back with a great info of Rotavator uses in agriculture. Rotavator or Rotary Tiller is a tractor drive rotary tillage machine, used to plow the farm by a series of blades that cuts, pulverizes mixes and level the soil. Rotavator is economically and effectively is used tool for replacing the cultivator, disc harrow and leveler. It is a useful Agriculture implement which is used for soil preparation. Rotavator is a powerful piece of gardening machinery, used in gardens, to break up, churn and aerate the soil prior to planting seeds and bulbs. Rotavators uses a set of blades that spin and break through the soil. This improves drainage, levels the area and makes the ground perfect for growing vegetable plants and crops. What are we waiting for? Let’s get into the details of Rotavator uses in agriculture.

A step by step guide to Rotavator uses in Agriculture

Rotavator is a tillage machine designed for preparing land suitable for sowing seeds. It offers a benefit of rapid seedbed preparation and reduced draft compared to conventional tillage. It saved 30 to 35 % of the time and 20 to 25 % in the cost of operation as compared to tillage by the cultivator. It gave a higher quality of work 25 to 30 % than tillage by the cultivator. The Rotavator is the most efficient means of transmitting engine power directly to the soil with no wheel slip and the main reduction in transmission power loss.

The Rotavator will make a perfect seedbed in fewer passes. It is the ideal implement for cash crop farmers who want to bury and incorporate crop residues quickly, between crops. Tillage tools direct energy into the soil to cause some desired effect such as cutting, breaking, inversion, and movement of soil. Soil is transferred from an initial condition to a different condition by this procedure.

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Rotavator uses in Agriculture

Rotavator uses in agriculture are;

• Break up the Soil and Land leveling.
• Preparation of seedbed for sowing.
• Used in primary and secondary tillage.
• Minimize fuel consumption and time duration.
• Soil preparation can be time-consuming and with the right tools and equipment, you can increase the efficiency of your business.
• A Rotavator is a helpful piece of machinery when it comes to soil preparation. This versatile piece of farming equipment is a motorized machine that uses rotating blades to turn the soil. In their essence, Rotavators are earth turning equipment that performs a similar function to tillers. While all Rotavators make a similar function, different models offer different capabilities.

Different parts of Rotavator

Rotavator assembly consists of the following parts;

Independent Top Mast – One end of the shaft will be connected to tractor Power Take-Off (P.T.O.) and another end to Rotavator tractor. Therefore it will be used to transmit power from tractor P.T.O. to input Rotavator shaft.

Single or Multi-Speed Gear Box – A gearbox with bevel gears, main shaft, pinion shaft, heavy-duty roller bearings combine form a unit to decrease standard P.T.O. rpm 540 rpm to 204 rpm. And this helps in throwing the material behind the Rotavator, which facilities in preventing the clogging of Rotavator.

Chain or Gear Cover Part Flange – A chain and gear cover part flange is a supporting element on which chain and gears are safely protected from outside.

Blades – The Rotavator blade is the very important part of a Rotavator and drives the machine in preparing the seedbed and mixing the residual soil. The L shaped will be most common due to L shape is generally superior to others in heavy trash. They are better for killing weeds and the material composition of tine is generally carbon (0.52 %), manganese (0.72 %), and silicon (1.56 %).

Frame and Cover – By adjusting the place of rear cover; the degree of pulverization of soil will be controlled. If the cover will be kept wide open, and the clods are thrown away from the rotor. The closed position of cover facilities the clods to obtain further pulverized by the action of rotating blades and fine tilth will be obtained.

Adjustable depth skids – It is fixed on the adjustable frame to fix up the distance  between soils Vs Blade contact that is depth skid

Offset adjustable frame – The fixed rigid support to side parts mounted on a rotary blade mounted shaft.

Advantages of a Rotavator

The advantages of Rotavator can be given below;

• Rotavator use in Agriculture allows preparing the soil without using large amounts of labor. It is vital to ensure that the soil is properly prepared. By turning the soil the maximum amount of nutrients is offered to the plants. The better the soil structure, the larger the crop yield which effects higher profits.
• Typically, the industrial Rotavator models are self-propelled and they are capable of traveling backward and forwards. The gearbox allows the operator to change the machine speed as the blades continue rotating at the same rate.
• The speed that this piece of equipment is capable of reaching depends on the model that you select to buy. Another advantage of finding a Rotavator for sale is they are easier to operate than other types of machinery which perform a similar function.
• With powerful engines and big blades, agricultural Rotavator tractors are capable of tilling large areas of land in a short time period. Owning a Rotavator makes farming efficient and convenient. Farmers will normally discover that their crops grow better in soil that is prepared by using these pieces of farming equipment.

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Rotavator benefits over traditional methods of land preparation;

• Soil pulverization is better than traditional implements.
• Suitable for use in dry and wetland cultivation.
• Rotavator is most suitable for the removal of sugarcane stubble, wheat stubble, castor, grass, vegetable, and weeds, etc retains soil moisture and increases soil porosity and aeration which enhances germination and growth of the crop.
• Rotavator can be used for intercultural equipment for horticultural crops and paddling in paddy cultivation.
• Used for loosening and aerating soil up to a depth of 10 to 15 cm.

Choosing the right Rotavator for better uses in agriculture

Rotavators are obtainable in different sizes for different applications. Tillers are smaller models, designed particularly for use in the garden and on small allotments. Larger models, for example, medium-duty cultivator and heavy-duty hydraulic Rotavator, are designed for use on larger plots of land, vegetable patches, and fields. These Rotavators are powerful pieces of professional equipment and they are better equipped for larger jobs.

Cost of Rotavator

Cost of agricultural Rotavator with power 35 to 55 HP is approximately Rs. 1 Lakh/ Unit.

Multi-Speed Tractor Rotavator cost will be approximately Rs. 1.09 Lakh/ – Unit.

Rotavator Blades

Blade configurations – The Rotavator is a tillage tool mainly comprising of L-shape blades mounted on flanges that are fixed to a shaft and it is driven by the tractor power-takeoff (PTO) shaft. During Rotavator tillage operations different factors affect its energy requirements. These factors can contain soil conditions, operational conditions, and Rotavator configuration.

There are mainly two types of blade configurations used in Rotavator. The below-given blade configuration shows a high grade of cultivation;

• Three-blade configuration
• Two blade configuration

Three Blade Configurations: This is the configuration of the standard blade and that has three pairs of blades per flange except for the end flanges which are fitted with one hand only.

Two Blade Configurations: The rotor can be converted into the two-blade configuration. Two blades per flange mainly used in the Rotavator except for the end flanges. In this blade configuration, very little tendency to the rotor to clog in sticky soil conditions. A cloddy finish could be obtained and rotor can be driven at faster rpm.

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Different types of blades

Different types of blades are used for different field conditions;

L-shaped blade – Most common as the shape is superior to others in heavy thrash and they are better to kill weeds and generally cause less soil pulverization. The long shank blade as the name implies and has longer shank than the standard power blade. This allows better clearance between the blade and the rotor. With this, a greater depth of cultivation is obtainable if Rotavator tractor power and conditions are allowed.

C-shapes blade – Penetrating hard ground is easier with this shape of blades. They are more curved than L-shaped blades and recommended for heavy, wet soils because they have fewer tendencies to clog. This blade has efficient self-cleaning action, uses less power and produces a coarser finish than the other blades. Other blades like trash, renovating to fit the special rotors for definite applications.

Long shank blade – They have longer shank than the L-shaped blade and could be used for deeper cultivation.

Speed blade – Particularly suitable for penetrating the hard ground and for mixing heavy thrash. And have fewer tendencies to clog in wet conditions.

Straight knife blade – These simply slice through the soil to aerate and loosen grass, remove soil compaction. The main application is for lawns, parks and golf courses.

Salient features of Rotavator

Seedbed preparation in heavy and black cotton soils is difficult, due to deep cracks in the soil. Clod formation in these kinds of soils experienced with moldboard plow, disc plow, and cultivators. For good seedbed preparation, various operations of conventional implements are required like plowing, harrowing, leveling, etc. In the paddy field, stubbles after combine harvesting make problems in subsequent sowing operation. These problems have been overcome with the introduction of the tractor mounted Rotavator tractor. It cuts the soil, pulverizes it according to seedbed requirement that is coarse or fine. The cutting of soil is done by blades or steel tines. Rotavator tractor consists of a rotor shaft. On the rotor shaft cutting blades (‘L’, ‘J’ or ‘C’ shaped) can be attached. The rotating blade of the Rotavator gives an impact on the soil surface and throw soil upward as of its rotational speed and pulverizes soil by breaking the clods. It requires 35 to 55 HP as per the size of the Rotavator tractor.

Main components of Rotavator

The main components of Rotavator are;

• Cardan shaft
• Rotor shaft
• Trailing board
• Gearbox
• Side transmission unit – Depth control skid
• Blades

Rotavator is obtainable in different sizes of 80 to 180 cm width. Different types of blade are used on the Rotavator tractor. One right and one left-hand blade are fixed so that the total width of soil is cut. The hub carrying blades are thus arranged to give a spiral effect or uniform cutting load on the shaft. The gap between rotating blades and trailing board is adaptable, which controls the degree of pulverization. Lowering this gap increases pulverization and the trailing board also helps to level the land equally. The field capacity of Rotavator is about 0.38 ha/hour. Fuel consumption is 9 liter/ha. The cost of tillage is about Rs.800/ha. About 38.2 % time and 12.8 % cost per hectare can be saved as compared to Rotavator tractor-mounted blade harrow.

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Application of Rotavator

Chopping and mixing – Rotavator with its chopping and mixing ability is ideal for crops such as maize, sorghum, tobacco, sugarcane, cotton, and rice, etc. The thrash mixed uniformly throughout the soil adds valuable humus to the land.

Tilling and Planting – To reduce further operations, many Rotavators can be equipped with a toolbar mounted planter or a hitch for towing a planter for tillage and planting operations. By rearranging blades on the rotor shaft, the Rotavator tractor may be used for strip tillage in the seedbed.

Fertilizer and chemicals – May be incorporated by spreading in bands or broadcast from tanks or hopper on the Rotavator by broadcasting ahead of the implement. The stirring, mixing action of the Rotavator tractor provides excellent incorporation of pre-emergent chemicals.

Cultivating – By rearranging the blade flanges on the rotor shaft, most tillers can be used for row crop cultivation. Rotor diameter and operating depth are limiting factors in the size of plants that could safely be cultivated in this manner.

Orchard Tilling – Rotavators are used in vineyards, citrus groves, and orchards because it is simple to control the operating depth to prevent damage to trees or vine roots. They give sufficient mulch to conserve moisture. Rotavator models are built for offset operations.

Rice field – Rotavators are adapted to work in wet rice fields and the rotating blades help push the tractor forward and reduce wheel slippage, where it would be difficult to gain traction for plow and disc operations. Heavy rice straw can be chopped and mixed with the soil to improve fertility and soil structure.

Weed control – As many as 3-5 passes at 2-3 weeks interval can be required to completely eradicate annual and. perennial weeds. Operate the Rotavator tractor with fast rotor speed and the shield raised so that the roots are thrown on the surface to die.

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How to use a Rotavator

Check Soil Moisture

Before deciding when to use a Rotavator, it is very important to take the moisture in the soil into consideration, especially if the soil is compacted, or if it has never been tilled before. While a Rotavator can be used on sandy soil at any time, soils high in clay behave differently when they are wet to when they are dry. When clay soil becomes dry it gets hard. If the clay soil in garden or allotment is too hard, using a tiller or Rotavator to cultivate the land can be difficult and the tiller or Rotavator may not be able to do more than scrape away at the first couple of inches of soil.

Remove Weeds

Before rotavating new ground, you must remove any weeds a few days in advance. If you rotavate through weeds, they can get caught in the Rotavator tractor tines and spread around the plot of land.

Operate the tiller safely

Ground tillers and Rotavators can be dangerous if they are not used correctly and if the correct safety precautions are not taken. It is necessary that you keep your feet and hands away from the tines, and you should stay in control of the machine at all times. The safe operation having the correct Rotavator for the job and not moving along too quickly with the Rotavator. It is advisable to use ear defenders and padded gloves, especially if you’re using a heavy-duty Rotavator over a large area.

Rotavate the land in strips

You should rotavate the land in strips, slightly overlapping with the previous strip as move on to the next strip. Make two or three passes over each strip, and repeat the procedure at right angles to the original rotavated strips. Don’t dig much deeper than 2 or 3 inches deep on the first pass. You can then set the Rotavator tractor to dig deeper on each pass after that.

Best Rotavator tractors

When you are into commercial agriculture, you must be aware of beat Rotavator tractors along with Rotavator uses in agriculture

Best Rotavator for clay soil – Paneltech Mini Portable Rotavator.

Best electric Rotavator for an allotment – Garden Gear Electric Lawn Rotavator.

Best petrol tiller – Mantis 7263-12-14 Stroke Classic Petrol Tiller.

Best budget cordless Rotavator – eSkde Cordless Garden Cultivator Rotavator.

That’s all folks about Rotavator Uses in Agriculture and other information of Rotavator. You may be interested in Modern Farm Equipement in Agriculture.