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The article describes the analysis of results from field tests on ploughing units based on a modular draft device (MDD). This device is named MDD-100 and consists of an energy module and a technological module. The energy module is a universal tractor with a rated draft resistance of 16 kN. The technological module is an additional axle, equipped with an active wheel drive, a threepoint hitch linkage, and a saddle-type semi-trailer. During the working process, the draft resistance of the energy and the technological modules of the MDD-100 add up. As a result, the draft resistance of the latter may reach 26 kN, and more. This allows the MDD-100 to be classified as a draft device in traction class 3 and be used with agricultural machines with a large working width. The MDD-100 was tested with a five-bottom mounted plough with a working width of 1.75 m and a draft resistance of 24-28 kN. The best option for driving the MDD-100 with a plough was its movement with the right-side wheels in the furrow. The draft resistance of the plough would decrease by 12.0%, if the option of the MDD-100 outside the furrow is used. This ensured a 12.8% reduction in the skidding of the MDD-100 wheels and a 13.1% decrease of fuel consumption for the ploughing unit. Compared to a 4WD tractor, the use of a modular draft device with a 6WD wheel arrangement offered a greater stability of the ploughing depth.

After 20 years of application of different manure types, cropping systems and additional nitrogen (N) levels, their residual fertility effects were compared by measuring the yield of a following unfertilised wheat crop (Experiment 1), which was sown on exactly the same plots of the previous long-term trial. All previously applied factors caused significant differences in wheat yield. Wheat yielded more on plots that had received farmyard manure (FMY) compared to those where semi-liquid manure (SLM) was previously applied. Long-term application of a semi-intensive rotation, with three years of annual double cropping of autumnsown Italian ryegrass and spring-sown silage maize followed by three years of mown lucerne (R6), resulted in higher wheat yield than application of just the annual double cropping of Italian ryegrass and silage maize (R1). Application of further mineral N fertilisation to previous cropping systems caused higher yield of the subsequent wheat crop. The difference in wheat yield between the R6 and R1 systems was greater with SLM (+28%) than FYM application (+11%) resulting in a significant manure × system interaction. A companion experiment (Experiment 2) was carried out to compute the nitrogen agronomic efficiency (NAE) from the yield of wheat plots that were sown after ploughing a nearby 20- year unfertilised grassland and received four levels of mineral N fertilisation. NAE was further used to empirically estimate the productive advantage (PA) conferred by previous manure-systemmineral nitrogen combinations in the long-term trial. PA was measured as equivalent kg of mineral N to be applied to wheat to achieve the yield level recorded after any previous combination. The estimated PA values were much higher when wheat followed FYM compared to SLM application, and when it followed R6 compared to R1 system. The SLM-R1 combination had negative PA values, indicating a productive disadvantage on wheat of this preceding combination. The enhancement of residual soil fertility by long-term application of FYM compared to SLM could be attributed to greater nutrient provision during the years by FYM than by SLM. However, further fertility advantages of FYM are discussed. Despite lower nutrient supply by organic fertilisers in R6 than in R1 system, the former had higher residual fertility. The presence of lucerne in the R6 rotation likely enriched the soil in nitrogen and increased its availability for following cropping. Possible benefits of the legume on the soil suppressiveness might have been a further asset of the R6 system.

The use of agricultural machinery represents the main aspect contributing to the total energy input in the agricultural system. The study evaluated the energy requirements and the work quality of two conventional (threefurrow plough and spading machine) and of four conservation implements (rotary harrow, subsoiler, disk harrow, combined cultivator) for mediumdeep primary tillage in a silty-clay soil, widespread in Central Italy. The tests were carried out with the aim of selecting the most energy-efficient implement. Working speed, force of traction, fuel consumption and energy demands were measured, using a 205 kW instrumented tractor. Cloddiness and roughness of the tilled soil, biomass coverage index and burying degree were evaluated. The conservation tillage implements gave the best results in fuel consumption and energy requirements respect to the conventional implements, with energy savings up to 86% in the case of disk harrow. The rotary harrow showed intermediate values and the best soil refinement. Among the conservation implements, the disk harrow showed the best performance on biomass coverage index (43.8%), while the combined cultivator showed the highest value of biomass burying (87.8%) and the best performance on fuel consumption per hour (25.8 kg h–1).

The introduction of rubber tracks on tractors has allowed more engine power per unit weight than with steel-tracked tractors, together with a reduction in soil compaction and higher on-road speeds. Recently, triangular rubber tracks able to be adapted on conventional wheeled tractors have been introduced. In this context, the goal of the paper is to evaluate the performance of a tractor with four triangular rubber tracks with respect to those of a wheeled tractor; the comparative tests consist of ploughing under on low trafficable and workable soil. The results obtained have shown a higher tractive efficiency, lower soil compaction and up to 20% lower specific fuel consumption for the fully tracked tractor. These results are in accordance with previous tests conducted with the triangular rubber tracks on highly trafficable soil, although in the present case, the dynamic traction ratio is markedly lower due to the low trafficable soil. The use of triangular rubber tracks is therefore justified on low trafficable soils and more in general on different soil conditions, since the soil is less compacted by such traction device.

Within the MO.NA.CO. Project the environmental effectiveness of GAEC cross-compliance Standard 3.1 Ploughing in good soil moisture conditions was evaluated, as well as the economic evaluation of the competitiveness gap for farmers which conform or do not conform to cross-compliance. The monitoring has been carried out at nine experimental farms with different pedoclimatic characteristics, where some indicators of soil structure degradation have been evaluated, such as bulk density, packing density and surface roughness of the seedbed, and the crop productive and qualitative parameters. In each monitoring farm two experimental plots have been set up: factual with soil tillage at proper water content (tilth), counterfactual with soil tillage at inadequate water content (no tilth). The monitoring did not exhibit univocal results for the different parameters, thus the effectiveness of the Standard 3.1 is contrasting (class of merit B), and there was an evident practical problem to till the soil at optimum water content, even in controlled experimental condition. Bulk density was significantly lower in the factual treatment although in soils with very different textures (sandy-loam and clayey). Packing density (PD) showed a high susceptibility to compaction in soils with low PD and medium texture. The tortuosity index, indicating the roughness of the seedbed, was lower and generally significantly different in the factual treatment. Results showed that the ploughing done in excessive soil moisture conditions is more expensive due to the increased force of traction of the tractor, which causes an increase in slip of the tractor wheels, with a speed reduction and increase in the working times and fuel consumption. Moreover, the crop yield is also reduced considerably according to the cultivated species.

Compared to traditional plowing and minimum tillage, the sod seeding technique has been tested in order to evaluate the differences in energy consumption, labor and machinery requirement and CO2 emission reduction. The experiments were conducted on winter cereal seeding in a Po valley farm in October 2011. The tests were carried out as follows: wheat variety seeding, over corn and alfalfa crops, in large plots with three repetitions for each thesis. They included: sod seeding anticipated by round up weeding in the case of the plots over alfalfa; traditional plowing at 35 cm followed by rotary tillage and combined seeding (seeder plus rotary tiller); minimum tillage based on ripping at the same depth (35 cm) and combined seeder ( seeder plus rotary tiller). The following farm operations - fertilizer, and other agrochemical distributionshave been the same in all the considered theses. The results, statistically significant (P

In environments characterized by steep slopes or arranged in terraces, among the shallow tillage systems, rototilling is extensively used. However, the effect of the repeated use of rototilling has a considerable influence on soil characteristics; it appears finely powdered, soft and without structure. In order to limit these inconveniences, an innovative self-propelled machine equipped with working tools as a spade, to be used in steep slopes or arranged in terraces areas, was designed by the Mechanics Section of the SAF (Scienze Agrarie e Forestali) Department of the University of Palermo in cooperation with Agrotec company, Padua, Italy. The aim of this study is to compare the effects of three machines for shallow tillage: a chisel plough (CP), a rototilling (RT) and a spading machine (SM) on penetration resistance in semi-arid environments of the Mediterranean basin. No tillage was also included. Penetration resistance (PR) was surveyed for all the treatments to a depth of 300 mm with an electronic dynamometer. The treatments consisted in the execution of a shallow tillage to a depth of 150 mm. SP treatment allowed us to obtain PR lower values throughout the tillage profile than RT, CP and NT. It follows that the type of machine used influences soil PR, and then the soil water storage capacity, key factor for the agricultural productions in semi-arid environments as in Sicily.

Noise in agriculture is one of the risk factors to be taken into account in the assessment of the health and safety of workers; in particular, it is known that the tractor is a source of high noise. The Italian Low Decree 81/2008 defined the requirements for assessing and managing noise risk identifying a number of procedures to be adopted at different noise levels to limit workers exposure. This paper concerns the analysis of the noise risk arising from the use of a tracklaying tractor during field operations carried out in the vineyard. The objective of this study was to evaluate the noise level that comes close to the ear of the operator driving the tractor measuring the values of equivalent sound level (Leq(A)) and peak sound pressure (LCpk). We considered four options related to the same tractor coupled with the following tools to perform some farming operations: rototilling, chisel plough, flail mowers and vibro farmer. We considered three test conditions: T1 in flat (slope 0%), T2 uphill and T3 downhill (both 30% slope). The instrument used for the measurements is a precision integrating portable sound level meter, class 1, model HD2110L by Delta OHM, Italy. Each survey lasted 2 minutes, with an interval of measurement equal to 0.5 s. The tests were performed in compliance with the standards ISO 9612 and ISO 9432. The results show that the measured sound levels exceed the limits allowed by the regulations in almost all the test conditions; values exceeding the threshold limit of 80 dB(A) were recorded coming up to a maximum value of 92.8 dB(A) for flail mowers in test T1. When limits imposed by the regulations are exceeded, the operator is obliged to wear the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment.

The GAEC standard Management of set aside is applied to arable lands subjected to set aside and kept non-cultivated throughout the year. The standard is also applied to other set aside areas eligible for direct payments. For the implementation of this Standard, the farmer must assure the presence of natural or artificial green cover on the surface throughout the year and adopt consistent agronomic practices as mowing, or other equivalent, in order to maintain the normal state of soil fertility, protect wildlife, prevent the formation of a potential inoculum of fires, especially during drought and prevent the spread of weeds. Up to the CAP Health Check the legislation on the set aside required the farmer to plough the soil by mid-May. Therefore, the natural vegetation cover could neither establish nor express its value against erosion throughout the year. Since mid 2004, cross compliance has banned ploughing of set aside surfaces. This novelty is very important in relation to the effectiveness of the standard in erosion control. In Italy there are only few studies carried out in the field that have measured the effect of set aside on soil erosion. The few existing experiments regarded the effect of set aside managed in accordance with the CAP dictates prior to the CAP Health Check. The results of case studies show very contrasting results regarding soil erosion on set aside plots managed through the annual ploughing in the period in which this rule remained in force. This finding can be explained by considering that most of soil erosion in the Mediterranean environment is determined by extreme events; so, set aside resulted ineffective in protecting the soil, when very erosive events occurred on bare soil (soil in seed bed condition after ploughing and harrowing) or when the plant cover of soil was still scarce. In these conditions soil erosion rate resulted similar to that observed in the intensive cropping systems. On the contrary, for events occurred when the natural vegetation was sufficiently developed, the beneficial effect of set aside in limiting erosion was similar to that exerted by total grass cover. In general, it can be argued that on plough set aside, an average period of 2 months is needed for the establishment of natural cover sufficient enough to ensure a significant protection of soil from erosion. The results show that in Italy set aside before the CAP Health Check might have determined a decrease of soil erosion by 50% (on average). Since 2005, set aside under cross compliance regime appears to have had a greater beneficial effect than before in reducing erosion, as total grass cover was able to decrease soil loss by 98% compared to intensive farming systems.

Silybum marianum Gaertner is spreading in many crops of Southern Italy, particularly in durum wheat, sugar beet and some vegetable crops. Information about its biology are useful to set up effective control strategies. Four experiments were carried out at the Crop Science Department of the University of Bari (Southern Italy). Two trials were conducted in Petri dishes and evaluated the effects of different light, temperature and osmotic stress conditions on the seed germination. Another trial evaluated the ability of seedlings to emerge from different depths. The effects of eight different sowing periods on the plant growth were assessed in the fourth experiment. The highest germination rate was found with constant temperatures of 25 °C or 30 °C and with alternating temperatures of 25- 15 °C for 8 and 16 hours respectively. Germination was affected by the light and was significantly decreased at 0.2 Mpa and completely inhibited at -0.8 Mpa. Plant emergence was strongly reduced from a depth of more than 3 cm. The plant size at the first bloom was reduced by postponing the sowing period from October to February. The same decreasing trend was observed in the number of flower heads and in the number of days required for the first bloom. Results can suggest some important strategies to manage this species. False sowing, followed by irrigation, can be recommended in summer, in order to obtain the highest seed germination. Since the emergence of this plant is very scarce from a depth of more than 3 cm, ploughing can be effective to bury seeds in case of strong disseminations in order to reduce the infestation in the following crop.

For the purpose to provide a contribution about ploughing subject three ways were compared in a quadriennal rotation from Experimental Industrial Crops Institute in Osimo. During the years 1986-1999, in a factorial experiment with 4 replications, traditional (50 cm), shallow ploughing (25 cm) and chiseling (50 cm) plus reduced ploughing (25 cm) were compared with two crop rotations (sugar beet- wheat; shelling peas-wheat) and three nitrogen levels (0, 92, 184 kg ha-1) in a split block experiment. The conventional and chiseling plus reduced ploughing did not influenced sugar-beet or peas yield or qualitative and quantitative crop traits; like it was emphasized in the previous seven years. Wheat seed yield was positively influenced by reduced ploughing done to the previous crop but not by rotation. Straw yield was higher after sugar beet than after peas. Nitrogen fertilisation allowed the best technical yield of wheat at the intermediate level of 90 kg ha-1, whereas more nitrogen (180 kg ha-1) improved only the biomass and heads per squared meter at harvesting, lowering the test weight of wheat. In conclusion we could affirm that, in this experience, the best ploughing for sugar-beet and shelling peas is at 25 cm. Moreover it was not possible to reduce fertilisation of wheat following shelling peas (leguminous crop).