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ABSTRACT Operational speed influences the soil preparation quality, the first established according to the working set performance and its traction capacity. The experiment's objective is to determine the influence of working speed on energy and operational performance of an agricultural tractor with Full-Powershift transmission when performing a harrowing operation. We conducted the experiment using lines, in a randomized block design. It had four operational soil preparation speeds, with seven repetitions, totaling 28 experimental units. We measured the following parameters per worked area: slipping, engine rotation, specific and per hour fuel consumption, strength, power, and yield on the drawbar and operating speed. Additionally, we analyzed soil profilometry parameters concerning the mobilized area and working thickness. We also evaluated the variance of the collected data and, when significant, submitted it to a regression test. The data showed that higher operating speeds result in greater operational performance and reduction of the energy demand of the mechanized set under study. In addition, this increase doesn't have a beneficial effect on grid fluctuation, not affecting the quality of soil preparation.

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to determine the effect of the longitudinal distance between a cutting disc and a fertilizer furrow opener on the operational performance of the furrow opener working at different forward speeds during soil mobilization. The soil in the experimental area was classified as Typic Hapludalf with a loam soil texture. The experiment involved 24 treatment combinations in a 2 × 3 × 4 factorial scheme. These combinations were formed by the interaction of the following factors: furrow opening mechanisms, longitudinal distance from the center of the cutting mechanism to center of the furrow opener, and forward speeds. The effects of the tools on the soil mobilization variables were characterized in three phases: analysis of the natural profile and elevation and mobilization of the soil using a microprofilometer. A statistical analysis of variance was performed on the acquired data and the significance of the factors was verified using an F test. The furrow opener factor significantly substantially influenced all variables, whereas the distance significantly modified only the soil swelling and elevated soil area, with a reduction of approximately 30% in this variable when separating the mechanisms by an additional meter. Likewise, for a hoe furrow opener, the speed significantly influenced only the maximum depth of the furrow. Hence, we recommend the installation of fertilizer furrow openers close to the cutting mechanisms to increase the quality of the furrows produced in seeding operations using the direct planting system.

O objetivo foi avaliar o desempenho operacional quanto ao requerimento de tração, consumo energético e eficiência de trabalho de associações entre elementos de corte dos resíduos culturais e de rompedores do solo, em função da velocidade de deslocamento. Este trabalho foi realizado em propriedade agrícola situada no município de Santa Maria (RS), em solo classificado como Argissolo Vermelho e textura francoarenosa. O experimento foi composto por 24 combinações de tratamentos, em um esquema fatorial de 2x3x4. Estes foram obtidos pela interação dos fatores sulcadores (haste e disco), discos de corte (sem disco, liso e ondulado) e velocidades (1,11; 1,67; 2,22 e 2,78 m s-1). Os dados de desempenho do trator foram adquiridos com a utilização de instrumentação eletrônica. As associações entre sulcador e disco apresentaram melhor desempenho nas velocidades de 1,11 e 1,67 m s-1 por exigirem menor força de tração e consumo de combustível. Além disso, o uso de discos permitiu uma redução da ampliação da força de tração quando a velocidade passou de 1,11 para 2,78 m s-1. A haste exigiu maior demanda de tração do que os discos desencontrados, e ambos, ao serem combinados com os discos de corte, tiveram suas demandas aumentadas. Outrossim, a mobilização do solo não foi influenciada pela velocidade.

The present study evaluated the effect of different associations between coulters and fertilizer furrow openers on soil disturbance, furrow depth and width, according to forward speed. The study was conducted on a farm in Santa Maria (Brazil/RS), in soil classified as sandy loam Ultisol. The experiment consisted of 24 combinations of treatments with three replications in a 2×3×4 factorial experiment. The combinations were formed by the interaction of the factors including: two types of furrow openers (hoe and double-disc), three types of coulters (no-coulter, smooth and offset fluted) and four levels of forward speed (1.11, 1.67, 2.22 and 2.78 m/s). Soil elevation and soil disturbance area profiles were obtained with the use of a micro profilometer, and disturbance values were calculated with the aid of computer software program Auto Cad. The disturbance area was not affected by speed; it was greater when using the hoe opener, and in association with the offset fluted coulter. Speed was inversely proportional to the depth of the furrows made by the hoe opener. Furthermore, the hoe caused the greatest furrow width (0.26 m) in comparison with the double-disc (0.24 m). The use of different coulters associated with furrow openers increased this variable (0.23 m for the no-coulter condition, 0.25 m with smooth and 0.26 m with offset fluted). The use of coulters combined with furrow openers reduces soil swelling, in approximately 8% for the smooth and 20% for the offset fluted.