EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF HARROW WITH SPRING TEETH FOR CULTIVATION OF SUGAR BEETS.

In accordance with contemporary technologies, the fight against contamination of sugar beet crops by multiple applications of herbicides, which are environmentally hazardous, is carried out. In the biological cultivation of beets, the use of chemical preparations is not allowed. The purpose of this study was experimental determination of a possibility for efficient thinning sugar beet plantations with the help of a new spring-toothed harrow, which has mechanical selectivity with respect to the shoots of weeds. The revealed agrotechnical differences between the shoots of the sugar beet and the common weeds made it possible to substantiate the design peculiarities of the new harrow with spring teeth. The new harrow with the chain-spring operating tools in an optimal operating mode in the range of the soil moisture (W = 14-20 %) ensures destruction of the weed shoots - from 60 to 75.1 % with a removal of the sugar beet shoots from 3 to 5 % (mostly poorly developed or diseased plants). The conducted field tests of the harrow with the chain-spring teeth showed its efficiency and advantages over the other existing harrow designs in the care for sugar beet plantations without application of herbicides. The research results of a harrow with chain-type working tools showed that, in contrast to the existing serial specimens, it removes up to 5 times less sugar beet shoots, and destroys by 11-15 % more weeds. This harrow can find application on the fields for ecologically clean management of soil cultivation on the farms and other private households. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]