Tillage Operation with Hand Tractor: Comparison between Conventional and Direct Human Energy Measurement Methods Ubaidillah Ubaidillah*, R. T. Agustina, A. M. Ahmad
Department of Biosystems Engineering, Universitas Brawijaya
Jalan Veteran, Malang 65145, Indonesia
*Email: ubaidillah88[at]ub.ac.id
Abstract
Measurement of human energy expenditure is essential to optimize agricultural crop production operations and costs. Human energy expenditure measurement helps to identify field operations that can benefit from the use of appropriate mechanization technologies, including soil tillage. Present study measures human energy expenditure of tillage operation with hand tractor for wet rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivation using two commonly used methods, i.e. conventional human energy measurement and direct measurement with POLAR H10 device. The aim of the study was to provide a detailed comparison of the two methods and record the human energy cost as basis data to help optimize tillage operation with hand tractor. The research was conducted in Ramban Kulon Village, Bondowoso, involving two experienced operators who alternately operated a Quick G-1000 hand tractor powered by a 7.5 HP single cylinder Kubota RD85 DI-2S diesel engine. Three types of passive implements, i.e. moldboard plow, rotary harrow, and leveler were used on 13 field plots covering a total area of 1.05 hectares. Results indicated that total human energy expenditure obtained through the conventional method was 3.98% higher (46.76 MJ/ha vs. 44.97 MJ/ha) than the human energy expenditure recorded using the POLAR H10 device. Although there is no standard criterion available to determine which method was the most accurate, the direct measurement method with POLAR H10 device gives an estimate of actual physical human energy expanded in performing tillage operation with taking into account all conditions and provide more information needed that could be optimized in tillage operation.
Keywords: Hand tractor- Heart Rate- Human energy- Rice- Soil tillage
