Study on Soil Preparation During Plantation of Multiple Cropping

Abstract

In order to study how the farmers do soil preparation for plantation for multiple croppings, a survey was conducted in the Northern and the Central plains of Thailand. The main crops grown were found to be rice and glutinous rice. The multiple cropping is popular for soybean, ground nut, maize, onion and garlic. The soil preparation for plantation of these crops during multiple cropping is done with custom hired tractors. However, farmers used their own walking tractors or small 4 wheels tractors with implements to pulverize the soil after heavy ploughing or harrowing by rented tractors. The farmers also prepared the soil for seedbed with their own machines. The performance test of a power tiller with rotavator and the Japanese single bottom plow was conducted in different field conditions in clay soil. A suitable method was selected to do soil preparation for plantation in the ploughed field. Soil preparation for plantation was found to be convenient to farmers with the use of power tiller and a furrower.