Agricultural Implements - Types, Advantages, Overview

In India the agriculture implements that farmers use are antiquated and rudimentary. The soil is ploughed and tilled using bullock carts and they use smaller tools based on their financial situation. Mainly they use tractors and sprinklers for the agriculture purposes.

After industrialization the use of agriculture implements increased to a larger rate. And with the advancements in technology humans are interested in building new and large machines which reduces the need of labours and make the process simple. Nowadays working in the fields is not a big task due to these implements and tools.

The modern agricultural implements are:

• Combined harvester

• Rotary tiller

• Leveller

• Water bowser

• Power harrow

• Tractor trailer

• Disc harrow

There are four different types of cultivators. They are:

• Spring Tyne Cultivator

• Rigid Tyne Cultivator

• Shovel type Cultivator

• Bar Point Cultivator

A subsoiler is used to break up compacted soil layers below the normal tillage depth. This deep tillage implement improves soil drainage, increases water infiltration, and allows for better root penetration. By addressing soil compaction, subsoilers can lead to improved crop growth and yields.

A seed drill improves sowing by placing seeds at a consistent depth and spacing in the soil. This ensures better seed-to-soil contact, improves germination rates, and reduces seed waste. It also allows for more precise control over planting density, which can lead to improved crop yields.

Crop residue managers, often attached to planters, clear away crop residues from the planting row. This ensures better seed-to-soil contact, promotes more uniform germination, and can lead to improved early crop growth. They are particularly useful in conservation tillage systems where crop residues are left on the field.

Combine harvesters offer several advantages: they perform multiple tasks (cutting, threshing, and cleaning) in one pass, significantly reducing harvest time and labor. They also minimize crop losses, improve efficiency, and allow for harvesting larger areas quickly, which is especially beneficial during short harvest windows.

A cultivator is used for secondary tillage to prepare soil for planting and to control weeds between crop rows. It breaks up the soil surface, improves soil aeration, and can incorporate fertilizers. Cultivators help maintain soil structure and promote better root development in crops.

Pesticide sprayers allow for the efficient and uniform application of crop protection products like insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides. They help control pests, diseases, and weeds that could otherwise damage crops. Modern sprayers often feature precision technology to minimize chemical use and environmental impact.

Greenhouses create a controlled environment for plant growth, protecting crops from adverse weather conditions. By regulating temperature, humidity, and light, they allow for year-round cultivation of certain crops. This extends the growing season, increases crop yields, and enables the production of crops outside their natural climate zones.

Modern agricultural implements are typically more advanced, using technology like GPS and automation. They are often larger, more efficient, and can cover more area in less time compared to traditional implements. However, they may require more specialized knowledge to operate and maintain.

Irrigation systems contribute to crop production by providing a controlled water supply to crops, especially in areas with unreliable rainfall. This ensures consistent moisture levels, promotes better plant growth, extends growing seasons, and allows for cultivation in otherwise arid regions, ultimately increasing crop yields and food security.

Ridge till planters are designed to plant crops on raised soil ridges. This system can improve soil warming and drainage in the planting zone, reduce erosion, and allow for better nutrient placement. Ridge tillage can be particularly beneficial in areas with heavy soils or cool, wet conditions.

A stone picker removes rocks and stones from fields, which can damage other implements and interfere with planting and harvesting. By clearing fields of stones, farmers can protect their equipment, improve soil quality for planting, and enhance overall field productivity.

Vertical tillage tools work the soil vertically rather than horizontally. They are designed to size crop residue and lightly till the soil without inverting it. This approach helps maintain soil structure, improves water infiltration, and can be less disruptive to soil biology compared to conventional tillage methods.

No-till planters are designed to plant seeds directly into undisturbed soil and crop residues. Unlike conventional planters, they don't require prior tillage. This helps preserve soil structure, reduce erosion, conserve moisture, and minimize soil disturbance, contributing to more sustainable farming practices.

Chisel plows perform primary tillage without inverting the soil like a moldboard plow. They break up compacted soil layers, improve water infiltration, and incorporate some crop residues while leaving more on the surface. This can help reduce erosion, conserve soil moisture, and maintain soil organic matter.

Strip-till implements create narrow tilled strips for planting while leaving the area between rows undisturbed. This combines some benefits of no-till (such as erosion control and moisture conservation) with the advantages of conventional tillage (like faster soil warming). It can lead to improved seed placement and early crop growth.

Mulch layers apply a protective cover over soil, which helps retain moisture, suppress weed growth, and regulate soil temperature. They can also add organic matter to the soil as they decompose. By improving soil conditions, mulch layers promote healthier plant growth and can increase crop yields.

Potato harvesters dig up potato plants, separate the tubers from soil and plant material, and collect the potatoes for further processing or storage. They significantly reduce the labor required for potato harvesting, increase efficiency, and can help minimize damage to the crop during the harvesting process.

Manure spreaders distribute animal waste evenly across fields, recycling nutrients back into the soil. This organic fertilization method improves soil structure, increases organic matter content, and enhances soil microbial activity. Proper manure application can reduce the need for synthetic fertilizers and improve overall soil health.

Post-hole diggers automate the process of creating holes for fence posts, vineyard trellises, or other farm structures. They increase efficiency, reduce labor, and ensure consistent hole depth and diameter. This implement is crucial for quickly establishing or maintaining farm infrastructure.

Mechanical weeders control weeds without the use of herbicides, making them valuable in organic farming. They work by uprooting or burying weeds between crop rows. This reduces competition for nutrients and water, promoting better crop growth while maintaining soil health and avoiding chemical residues.

Grain dryers reduce the moisture content of harvested grains to safe storage levels. This prevents mold growth, insect infestation, and grain spoilage during storage. By allowing farmers to harvest crops at higher moisture contents, grain dryers can extend the harvest window and potentially increase yields.

Root crop harvesters are specialized implements designed to dig up and collect root vegetables like carrots, onions, or beets. They separate the crop from the soil, minimizing damage and reducing the need for manual labor. This increases harvesting efficiency and can improve the quality of harvested produce.

Rotary hoes are used for shallow cultivation and weed control in row crops. They can break up soil crusts, improving water infiltration and soil aeration. Rotary hoes are particularly useful for weed control in young crops, as they can work close to the crop row without causing significant damage to the crop plants.

Land levelers are used to create a flat, even surface across a field. This improves irrigation efficiency, reduces water logging in low spots, and ensures more uniform crop growth. Level fields also facilitate easier operation of other farm implements and can contribute to better overall farm productivity.

Subsoil drip irrigation systems deliver water directly to plant roots, reducing water loss through evaporation. They allow for precise control of water application, can improve nutrient uptake efficiency, and reduce weed growth by keeping the soil surface dry. These systems can lead to significant water savings and yield improvements, especially in water-scarce regions.

Stone crushers are used to break down large rocks in fields, making the land suitable for cultivation. They can convert rocky areas into productive farmland, improve soil quality by incorporating crushed stone, and reduce equipment damage caused by large rocks. This implement is particularly valuable in areas with naturally rocky soils.

Yield monitors, often integrated into harvesting equipment, measure and map crop yields as the crop is harvested. This data helps farmers identify variations in productivity across their fields, informing decisions about soil management, input application, and crop rotation. Yield data is a crucial component of precision agriculture practices.

Robotic weeders use advanced sensors and precision tools to identify and remove weeds without harming crops. They can reduce or eliminate the need for herbicides, lower labor costs, and allow for more frequent weeding. This technology is particularly valuable in organic farming systems and for crops where hand-weeding is traditionally required.

A windrow merger combines multiple windrows of cut hay into a single, larger windrow. This increases the efficiency of subsequent baling or chopping operations by reducing the number of passes required across the field. It can also help in managing hay moisture content by exposing more of the crop to air for drying.