Investigation of the Effect of Optimizing Ratooning Operation at Different Speeds on Soil Physical Properties of Sugarcane Fields

Sugarcane is widely cultivated in Khuzestan province. After each harvest, a ratooning operation is performed to remove the impact of compaction due to traffic on the harvesting machines and recelennce furrow. This experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of machine type and forward speed on the quality of sugarcane ratooning operations.

Research treatments included conventional ratooning device (4-shanks subsoil + reshaper) and combined ratooning device (4-shanks subsoil + reshape disk and 10-shanks subsoil) and three- rates speeds (5, 6 and 7 km / h). The experimental design was a split plot design based on randomized complete block design with three replications in the cultivation industry of Amir Kabir farm ALC 408 with clay loam texture, 15% moisture, crop variety 1069-69CP and first year ratoon. The physical properties of interest in this study were Mean Weight Diameter (MWD) of clods, bulk density, soil surface uniformity, and water infiltration in soil. ANOVA and Duncan tests were used to compare the treatments.

There was a significant difference between the two types of ratooning machine and the three forward speeds in the mean weight diameter of clods, bulk density, surface uniformity and soil water infiltration. Comparison of means showed that the ratooning treatment with the combined machine at the speed of 7 km / h had the smallest mean weight diameter of clods. The use of an integrated device also significantly reduced the bulk density of the soil. The mean soil bulk density in the ratooning operation was reduced to 1.33 g / cm3. The lowest coefficient of variation of surface uniformity in ratoon treatment with combined machine at 7 km / hwas obtained equal to 16%. Also, the water infiltration rate in soil was significantly different between the conventional and combined ratooning machine treatments. Soil water infiltration rate was 1.6 and 2.3 cm / h, respectively, after the ratooning operation with a conventional ratooning machine and combined ratooning machine treatments. The effect of forwarding speed on soil water infiltration rate also showed that the highest water infiltration rate occurred at 5 km / h, equal to 1/2 cm per hour.

Finally, due to the significant difference between conventional and combined ratooning treatments, sugarcane ratooning combined machine had the greatest impact on soil physical parameters. This is due to the movement of the 10-shanks subsoil during the ratooning operation and the greater turbulence of the soil.