RA 00015.pdf - OAR@ICRISAT

Figure 69. Four-wheel semitrailer, using the tropiculteur as the front wheels.
indicates a need for further development and
studies in these areas.
Energy Sources in the SAT
Power or energy is often a major constraint to
agricultural production in the SAT. In some
areas, particularly parts of Africa and northeastern
Brazil, the size of the area cropped each year
is determined by the available human power for
certain critical operations. Mechanical, animal,
and human power are all being used in various
parts of the SAT, usually in various combinations.
It is important that equipment should
be available to properly perform all operations
so that each power source can be utilized to its
fullest potential. In the watershed-based resource
utilization experiments, all operations from land
development through interrow weeding are now
being conducted with animal-drawn machinery;
traditional and improved machines are being
used. The improved machinery is being used for
both the bed and the flat cultivation. Thus it is
possible to compare machinery use in three
farming systems. Human power is used for some
of the intrarow weeding, fertilizer topdressing,
and harvesting. Threshing and supplemental
irrigation are done with mechanical power.
These operations have provided considerable
experience in the use of a variety of implements
and have shown deficiencies, indicating a need
for modifications. Since crops are being grown in
the rainy as well as the postrainy seasons,
timeliness is important to permit crops to be
planted as early as possible in both seasons.
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