ChileanJAR

The objective of this study was to calculate the efficiency of subsoilers and chisels. Based on fuel specific consumption values obtained from a modal tractor cell and the values of loosened soil area and tillage coefficients reported by Di Prinzio et al. (1996a; 1996b; 1997), we obtained the volume of loosened soil per litre of consumed fuel. A completely ramdomized statistical design with five replications was utilised, and the treatments were: A: Subsoiling. I: Conventional subsoiler (control treatment), II: Winged subsoiler, III: Conventional subsoiler with superficial tillage of rigíd tines, IV: Winged subsoiler with superficial tillage of rigid tines, and V: Winged subsoiler with superficial tillage of flexible tines. B: Tillage. I: Rigid chisel and II: Flexible chisel. The results showed reduced yield values for the conventional subsoiler which were similar to the winged subsoiler with superficial tillage of flexible tines yield values. The superficial tillage achieved with rigid tines added to the conventional subsoiler significantly improved its yield when compared with the reference treatment. The winged subsoiler reached a high yield, which was significantly enhanced with the superficial tillage of rigid tines, representing an increase of 50.6 m³/L. Regarding tillage, the rigid chisel reached yields significantly higher than the flexible chisel, with an increase of 24.4 m³/L.