System Approach to Machinery Selection (Saudi Agriculture Case) PDF

Keywords

Saudi Arabia, agriculture, tractors

Abstract

In Saudi Arabian agriculture the selection and determination of the optimum size, power and quantity of machinery do not obey established rules and principles. This study aims at setting a scientific basis for selecting the proper size of the tractor which suits the local agricultural characteristics and the related resources of production. Experimental work included testing the performance of a 30 kW tractor during the execution of three typical agricultural operations namely the primary tillage, the secondary tillage and planting. The obtained data were used to select the appropriate tractor for an objective function which was the overall rate of energy conversion. The analysis of the experimental and mathematically obtained data revealed that the 50 kW tractor was the optimum tractor for the conditions of Saudi agriculture. The decrease in the degree of mechanization of Saudi agriculture was found to be 0.393 kW/ha. The required number of the recommended power level tractors to achieve full mechanization was determined to be 3870 tractors.