Determining the influence of structural and technological parameters of strip tillage on sunflower vegetation

The object of this study is the process of strip tillage, its effect on soil moisture in the strip, and subsequent vegetation of sunflower plants. At the same time, the task to increase the efficiency of strip tillage was solved. It has been established that the rational values of the structural and technological parameters of the strip tillage section in terms of fuel consumption depend on the speed of movement of the unit, the depth and width of the tilled strip of soil. One section of the unit was used for the research. The studies were conducted using the Box-Benkin three-factor experiment design. It was established that the rational values of the structural and technological parameters of strip tillage in terms of fuel consumption have the following values: the depth of strip tillage h=20‒25 cm, the width of strip tillage b=20‒25 cm, the speed of the unit from 7.5 to 11 km/hours. In this case, the actual fuel consumption ranged from 4.2 to 6.3 l/ha. It was also established that an increase in the width and depth of the strip cultivation leads to an increase in moisture loss in it. The highest value of soil moisture occurs at the minimum values of the depth and width of the strip cultivation, and the lowest at their maximum values. The influence of the width of the cultivated strip on the height of sunflower plants is more significant than the influence of the depth of tillage. This applies both to the range of changes in the height of sunflower plants (12.4‒13.6 cm compared to 12.5‒13.1 cm) and the intensity of the impact. The greatest influence on the height of sunflower plants is exerted by the magnitude of the transverse displacement of the axis of the row of plants. The intensity of this influence is approximately the same as the depth of tillage, and the range of changes in the height of sunflower plants is 11.7‒14 cm. Research results could be used in the design of units for strip tillage and sowing units.