Development of a ride-on floating tiller for "laboy" soils

There are rice fields in Aurora and other provinces in the Philippines where soft, deep mud, peat-like soil called "laboy" is prepared by manually turning over the weeds and clods. In Aurora, there are over 1000 hectares of "laboy fields" that can be made more productive with suitable tillage equipment. These fields are very difficult to prepare using the conventional two-wheel hand tractor or even by the old reliable water buffalo. A commercially available soil puddling equipment called "turtle/hydro tiller" can be used. However, since it is a pedestrian machine, its operation in "laboy" soil is very strenous. To eliminate the drudgery of manual preparation of "laboy" fields, solve the limited operability of the hand tractor and hydrotiller, and mitigate the stressful operating conditions, a ride-on floating tiller was conceptualized. The design features an operator seat on the bouyant machine body, a pair of front-mounted open, V-toothed cage wheels and a pair of rotating paddles, which provide forward push and steering functions. Field demonstrations were conducted to solicit feedback from prospective farmer-users. Moreover, field trials and adaptation tests in "laboy" fields were carried out. In plots with tall weeds, first-pass rotavation could be done faster if the operator walks behind the tiller. Mean field capacity for the first pass was 1 ha/day and field efficiency, 87%. After the first pass, a second pass, ride-on operation could be continuously done if the mud depth is at least 50 cm and there is adequate pond water. For second-pass operation, field capacity was 1.4 ha/day and efficiency, 90%. Based on feedback and test results, an improved, lighter model would have higher chances of successful commercialization. The commercial model should also be made more versatile by equipping it with pneumatic tires so that road travel would be an added feature.