A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Engineering, School of Environment, Resources and Development

Thesis (M.Eng.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 1985

Field performance of two-wheel tractor tillage implements: moldboard plow, double- disc plow, spiral plow, and comb harrow; and the floating power tiller ("Turtle" power tiller) from the Philippines were compared under three depths of soft mud (normal, intermediate, and deep) and in fields heavily infested with weeds. Performance of a Philippine made two-wheel tractor rota vator and an imported four-wheel tractor rotavator were also compared on dry field conditions. Performance data and current costs of equipment, labor and fuel in the Philippines were used to determine the economics of these alternative land preparation equipment including buffalo implements. In all wetland tillage tests, the floating power tiller gave the best performance having the highest capacity (.241 ha/hr) and least fuel requirement (13 li/ha). Among the two - wheel tractor implements the comb harrow used with cage wheels performed best (.148 ha/hr capacity, 14.93 li/ha fuel consumption). Under dry field conditions, the two-wheel tractor rotavator proved workable with a capacity and fuel consumption performance comparable with the two - wheel tractor implements in wetland conditions (.181 ha/hr capacity, 17.68 li/ha fuel consumption . Results of economic comparison showed buffalo implements to be the least cost alternative for farms within 3.6 hectares. Among the machines, floating tiller and 2- wheel tractor with cage wheels and harrow are more economically viable and adapted for farms of at least 8 hectares .