Cultivator Speed and Sweep Spacing Effects on Herbicide Incorporation

Abstract

I N order to improve incorporation of herbicides, the effect of tool speed, sweep spacing, and sweep size on the incorporation of herbicides by a field cultivator was studied. Non-uniform dye placement occurred at narrow sweep spacings and at high tool speeds. Depth of dye placement tended to increase as tool speed increased and decrease as sweep spacing increased. The results indicated that present incorporation procedures can be improved to give more uniform vertical and horizontal herbicide incorporation. Of the variables tested, the most uniform profiles were created by 23 cm sweeps on 15 cm spacings and operated at 6.4 km/h. This is a slower tool speed and narrower sweep spacing than that recommended by previous researchers.