Abstract

The Combined Aeration/Fertilization Unit (CAFU) was designed to allow turf aeration and fertilizer application in a single operation; both would be accomplished with this single machine, using solid steel fork tines (1.5 cm diameter) to penetrate the soil to a maximum depth of 12 cm. This method of soil aeration has been successfully tested using solid tines, which increase the soil's physical properties after aeration when compared to pre-aeration conditions; bulk density (1.70 to 1.40 g/cm3), total void ratio (0.559 to 0.893), and total porosity (35.85 to 47.17%) were all improved after aeration. The increase in porosity and decrease in bulk density would help to improve water and air infiltration into the soil, creating more optimal soil conditions in the root zone. The 50% reduction in penetration resistance indicates that soil compaction was relieved through aeration. The CAFU's fertilizer placement accuracy was 85%, and the average radial deviation was only 3 cm. This accuracy is attributed to mechanical synchronization between the aeration drum and the fertilizer gate, which enabled precise placement of fertilizer into the aeration holes. The field capacity of the CAFU is 0.643 feddans/h (2.7 km/h), with a fuel consumption of 5.5 L/h and a specific energy consumption of 23.67 kWh/fed. The CAFU presents a technical approach to integrating both operations to improve soil physical properties and ensure accurate, efficient fertilizer application. The developed CAFU embodies a pragmatic engineering methodology for turfgrass management and establishes a foundation for subsequent assessments in varied field environments.

Keywords

Funding

This research received no external funding.

References

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