3.2.2. Trash gaiter
The fitting of diagonally cut polythene tubing (Pig’s
Tail; Fig. 1) to both ‘edge-on’ and ‘C’-shaped coil tines
only improved the flow of stubble through machinery
after the straw had been mulched (Table 5). The
intensive mulch operation (Ss and Tp) improved residue
flow the most. Residue would occasionally drag on tine
shanks but would quickly release (average score of 22)
ARTICLE IN PRESS
Table 3
Scoring system for stubble flow through tillage and sowing implements
Category Description Score
Very good stubble handling Virtually no build up and a continuous flow of stubble around the tine 1
Good stubble handling Small build up of stubble on the tine but still a good flow around tine 2
Moderate stubble handling Stubble builds up on the tine then falls off in large clumps 3
Moderately poor stubble handling Stubble rapidly builds up on the tine and blocks completely within 40m
from travel commencement
4
Poor stubble handling Large stubble build up on tine within 25m from travel commencement 5
Very poor stubble handling Stubble very quickly builds up on the tine and blocks completely within
10m from travel commencement
6
No stubble handling Stubble instantly builds up on the tine and blocks completely within 25m
from travel commencement
7
Table 4
Straw length distribution of wheat stubble following different mulching implements
Implement Mulch intensity and
treatment code
Work rate, ha h1 Straw category, %
0–200mm 200–400mm 400–600mm
Amarillo
TM * Fast speed (Fs) 14 379 417 203
Amarillo
TM
Slow speed(Ss) 07 558 319 123
Coolamon1y One pass(Op) 46 406 357 237
Coolamon1 Two passes(Tp) 23 645 332 23
Nilz Control(C) 49 151 801
l.s.d. (P5005) 56 88 60
l.s.d., least-significant difference at probability P of 005. * Amarillo
TM
flail mulcher.
yCoolamon1 stubble mulch harrow.
z Nil-Standing stubble not mulched.
Table 5
The improvement in the performance of implements to handle stubble following different mulching treatments on a scale from 1
(very good) to 7(unacceptable)
Mulch practice Stubble flow score
Stubble density Pig TailTM Mean
Implement Intensity High Low With Without
Amarillo
TM * Fast speed(Fs) 55 53 50 58 54
Coolamon1y One pass(Op) 55 45 46 53 50
Amarillo
TM
Slow speed(Ss) 36 30 25 40 33
Coolamon1 Two passes(Tp) 34 28 20 43 31
Nilz Control(C) 69 68 70 67 69
Mean 50 45 42 52 47
l.s.d. (P5005) Mulch practice 04 05 04
Stubble density 05
Pig’s Tail 05
l.s.d., least-significant difference at probability P of 005. * Amarillo
TM
flail mulcher.
yCoolamon1 stubble mulch harrow.
z Nil-Standing stubble not mulched.
302 J.A. MEAD; R. QAISRANI
in the mulch treatments with the shortest straw length.
In contrast, residue would collect and create a blockage
within a 40 mdist ance on tines that were not fitted with
Pig’s Tail under the same residue condition (average
score of 42). Mulch treatments that gave 550% of
stubble (Fs and Op) in the 5200mm straw category
caused excessive blockages of straw at both high and
low stubble densities (Table 5). Wrapping tine shanks in
Pig’s Tail had negligible improvement on stubble flow
under these conditions.