Operational Analyses and Model Comparison of Machinery Systems for Reduced Tillage

Simulations showed that in the case of reduced tillage the energy input was reduced by 18-53% compared with conventional soil tillage, depending on the methods and techniques used. Direct drilling reduced the energy input by 75-83% and labour demand and CO2 emissions would be reduced by approximately the same percentage. Based on model comparisons, reduced tillage with no ploughing as part of the crop establishment and plant care caused 25-41% reductions in the cost per hectare compared with traditional methods. These cost reductions required full capacity utilisation, as lesser utilisation would increase unit costs.