A small agricultural tractor equipped with a disc harrow is a common and practical combination for farmland clearing and weeding. It is widely used in small - scale plots, greenhouses, and orchard operations due to its flexibility, high efficiency, and low energy consumption.
The following is a detailed introduction from core configurations, working principles, advantages, and representative parameter details:
Core Configuration
Matching Tractor: Small - horsepower tractors are the core power source, usually with 12 - 60 horsepower. These tractors are compact in size, have good maneuverability, and can flexibly move in narrow farmlands or greenhouses. They are also easy to connect with disc harrows through a three - point suspension device, which is convenient for quick assembly and disassembly.
Disc Harrow: Lightweight suspended disc harrows are mostly used as supporting implements.
Their (disc blades) are generally made of 65 manganese steel, which is wear - resistant and has high toughness to cope with different soil textures.
There are two common types of disc blades: full - edge blades, which are easy to grind and suitable for general weeding and soil crushing; and notched blades, which have strong soil penetration ability and are more effective in cutting tough weeds and crop residues.
In addition, the harrow is equipped with a sealed bearing seat for easy lubrication and maintenance, reducing failure during operation.
Working Principle
When the small tractor moves forward, it transmits traction to the disc harrow through the three - point suspension device. The disc harrow's blades are installed at a certain deflection angle (usually 10° - 25°).
Under the combined action of the harrow's own weight and soil reaction force, the blades cut into the surface soil. As the tractor advances, the rotating blades cut and shear the soil surface.
This action can cut off the roots of weeds and crop residues. Meanwhile, the concave surface of the blades can flip the surface soil, burying the cut weeds and residues into the soil.
This not only achieves the purpose of clearing and weeding but also mixes the organic matter of the residues with the soil to improve soil fertility.
Outstanding Advantages in Farmland Clearing and Weeding
Efficient Operation: It is far more efficient than manual weeding. For example, the 1BQX - 1.3 model disc harrow has a working width of 1300mm and matches 15 - 18 horsepower tractors. It can complete the weeding and soil preparation work of a large area in a short time, which is dozens of times more efficient than manual weeding.
Some high - speed models can work at 12 - 15 km/h, further improving the operation efficiency of large - area small plots.
Good Weeding Effect: The staggered arrangement of the disc groups of the disc harrow ensures that there are no missed weeding areas. The blades can cut weeds and their roots in the 10 - 14cm deep soil layer, preventing weeds from regrowing. Moreover, the flipped soil can bury the weeds, blocking their photosynthesis and achieving a thorough weeding effect.
Dual - purpose Function and Cost Saving: While removing weeds, this combination can also crush the soil, level the ground, and mix fertilizers. It can complete multiple operations such as weeding, soil preparation, and fertilizer mixing in one pass, avoiding the trouble of using multiple machines separately.
In terms of cost, the fuel consumption of small tractors is only 3 - 8 liters per hour.
Compared with the high cost of manual weeding, it can save a lot of labor and operation costs for farmers.
Strong Adaptability: It can adapt to various small - scale planting scenarios, such as vegetable plots, strawberry greenhouses, and small orchard interrows. It can also operate normally on clay, loam, and other soil types.
Farmers can adjust the depth of the disc harrow according to the growth depth of weeds and soil conditions to ensure the weeding effect without damaging the soil structure.
