Energy Consumption and Energy Efficiency of Different Tillage Systems in the Semi-Arid Region of Austria

Abstract

Tillage in conventional cropping systems requires a high amount of direct energy in form of fuel and influences the energy efficiency of the production system. The fuel consumption was measured in three conventional tillage systems (plough, heavy cultivator and sub-soiler, integrated system) and two conservation tillage systems (mulch seeding, no-tillage) with a high-performance flow-meter, which was integrated in a four wheel driven tractor (92 kW). The tillage trials were carried out on a Chernozem soil with silty loam in the semiarid region of Austria (mean temperature: 9.8°C; mean rainfall: 546 mm). Moreover the total energy efficiency was calculated from the energy input (direct: fuel; indirect: seeds, fertilizer, pesticides and machines) and energy output (heat value) of winter wheat. The highest fuel consumption in the soil tillage was measured in the conventional tillage with plough (39.9 l•ha-1), where 18.8 l•ha-1 results from the plough. The lowest fuel consumption was in the no-tillage system, where 5.9 l•ha-1 fuel for seeding was required. The total fuel consumption can be reduced between 33% and 50% with conservation tillage in comparison to conventional tillage with plough. The best energetic parameters (energy and fuel intensity, net energy and energy efficiency) were realised in the conservation tillage systems.

Obrada zemljišta u konvencionalnim sistemima ratarenja zahteva veliku količinu direktne energije iz goriva i utiče na energetsku efikasnost proizvodnog sistema. Potrošnja goriva je merena u tri konvencionalna sistema obrade (plug, teški kultivator i podrivač, integrisani sistem) i dva konzervacijska sistema obrade (malč setva, bez obrade) sa meračem protoka visokih performansi, koji je bio integrisan u traktor sa pogonom na sva četiri točka (92 kW). Probe obrade su izvedene na černozemu sa ilovastim sedimentom polu-aridnom regionu Austrije (srednja temperatura 9.8°C; srednji nivo padavina 546 mm). Ukupna energetska efikasnost je izračunata iz energetskih unosa (direktni: gorivo, indirektni: seme, đubrivo, pesticidi i mašine) i energetskih izlaza (toplotna vrednost) ozime pšenice. Najveća potrošnja goriva u obradi zemljišta je izmerena u konvencionalnoj obradi plugom (39,9 l•ha-1), gde je 18.8 l•ha-1 rezultat pluga. Najniži potrošnja goriva je u sistemu bez obrade, gde je bilo potrebno 5,9 l•ha-1 goriva za setvu. Ukupna potrošnja goriva može da se smanji između 33% i 50% sa konzervacijskom obradom u odnosu na konvencionalnu obradu plugom. Najbolji energetski parametri (energetski intenzitet i gorivo, neto energija i energetska efikasnost) realizovani su u konzervacijskim sistemima obrade zemljišta.