Indonesia is a country crossed by the equator, so this country has a very productive land. It is not surprising that agriculture is the main source of economy for most people there. The agricultural sector is related to rice fields and plantations.
To help farmers process yield from rice fields and plantations, agricultural tools are needed, one of them is a disc harrow. A disc harrow is a modern agricultural tools that looks like a disc plow, but some have flat and wavy edges. For its size, the disc harrow is smaller than the plow.
Disc harrow consist of frame, bearing, bumper, ballast box, dirt cleaner and disc. The size of the disc is between 45 to 60 cm. Discs are installed at a distance of 15 to 22 cm.
The following are the functions of the disc harrow in agriculture, such as:
1. Cleaning the Grass on the Ground
The first function of the disc harrow is to clear the grass on the ground before planting. Where generally before starting to plant crops, the land has been planted with grass. Then a disc harrow is needed to clean the grass.
2. Improving Soil Grain Structure
The soil structure that is good for agriculture is loose and crumbly, because loose soil conditions can make plants thrive and give the best yield. So the function of this disc harrow is to change the soil structure from hard to loose.
3. Enlarge Water Supply
The third function of the disc harrow is to increase the water supply, in addition to improving water infiltration and air conditioning from the soil.
4. Reducing Soil Evaporation
The fourth function of the disc harrow is to reduce soil evaporation. Soil evaporation is the evaporation of water from the soil surface which can cause soil moisture to decrease.
5. Accelerate the Weathering Process of Plant Residual Roots
Next, the function of the disc harrow is to accelerate the weathering of the residual roots of the plant and facilitate the development of the roots.
6. Covering the Soil After the Seeds are Planted
Another function of the disc harrow is to cover the soil after the seeds are planted. So once the grass is pruned, the soil is loosened. After that, the seeds are spread and covered with a disc harrow.
How to Use a Disc Harrow
So, those are some explanations about the function of the disc harrow. Here are the instruction use of disc harrow:
- Install several discs to be assembled using one axis.
- Attach the bumper to the frame from the disc harrow.
- Then start the engine and run according to the direction you want.
The disc harrow is almost as useful an agricultural tool as a plow. The way it works is the same as the plow. So if you can use a plow, then it must be easier to operate the disc harrow.