Land preparation is the initial and most important stage in successful farming since it forms basis of healthy growth of crops. Farmers in India have assorted diversified farm tools and equipment such as the traditional hand tools to modern mechanized machines to make the soil prepared, enhance the fertility, and guarantee improved yields. Knowing the tools that are required when handling such tasks as ploughing, leveling, harrowing and sowing, saves the farmers time and improve productivity.
This article discusses the main types of farm tools and equipment that are applicable in India to result in proper land preparation and their significance in present-day agriculture.
Why Land Preparation Matters
Before sowing, the goal is to create a fine, firm, and level seedbed while managing residues. Good preparation:
- Improves seed-to-soil contact and uniform germination.
- Enhances water infiltration reduces erosion.
- Cuts weed pressure and pest carry-over.
- Protects soil life and structure.
- Saves diesel, passes, and labor when the right tractor implements are used.
Core Field Operations
Think of land preparation as a sequence:
- Residue and stubble management.
- Primary tillage to open the soil.
- Secondary tillage to break clods.
- Levelling to ensure even moisture.
- Bed or ridge making, if the crop requires it.
Each step can be done with manual tools, animal power, or with a tractor and suitable tractor implements, depending on scale and budget.
Hand Tools for Small Farm Holders
For half-acre or kitchen plots, hand tools still shine:
- Khurpi and spade: Precise digging, spot weeding, and pit preparation.
- Pickaxe and crowbar: Opening hard patches or removing stones.
- Hand hoe and rake: Breaking clods, pulling weeds, and smoothing topsoil.
- Wheelbarrow or garden cart: Moving FYM, compost, and seed bags.
Animal-drawn Options
In rainfed belts and hilly pockets, bullock-drawn implements remain relevant:
- Country plough: Shallow opening of soils and furrow creation.
- Harrows: Breaking clods and mixing residues.
- Ridger: Shaping beds for potatoes, cotton, or vegetables.
Animal-drawn sets are affordable, need fodder instead of diesel, and suit small, fragmented holdings, but they are slower than mechanized options.
Power Choices
Power Tiller (8–14 hp)
Nimble in narrow terraces and wetland puddling for paddy. It handles rotavation, small trailers, and light ridging.
Tractor (20–55 hp for Most Indian Farms)
Versatile for primary and secondary tillage, transport, and PTO-driven tasks. With the right tractor implements, a single pass can significantly reduce costs and complete the job before the monsoon breaks.
Essential Tractor Implements for Land Preparation
- Mouldboard plough: Inversion tillage to bury weeds and residues. Best after harvest or before the first rain.
- Disc plough: Slices through hard soils and fields with roots or stones.
- Chisel/subsoiler: Breaks hardpan at 30–45 cm without turning the topsoil, improving drainage and rooting.
- Cultivator (tyne): Fast primary or secondary tillage; adjustable tynes let you vary depth.
- Disc harrow: Levels and pulverises after ploughing; ideal for mixing FYM or crop residues.
- Rotavator/rotary tiller: Finishes a fine seedbed in one pass; save it for moist soils to avoid dust and power loss.
- Laser land leveller: Uses sensors to achieve near-perfect grade, saving irrigation water and boosting uniformity.
- Puddler (for paddy): Churns soil and water to reduce percolation, enabling transplanting.
- Ridger and bed maker: Shapes beds and furrows for drainage-sensitive crops.
- Stubble shredder/mulcher: Chops residue to speed decomposition and prevent burning.
Picking the Right Horsepower and Match
Under-sizing wastes time; over-sizing burns diesel. As broad guidance:
- 20-30 hp suits small holdings, orchard lanes, and light cultivators or a 5-6 ft rotavator.
- 35-45 hp handles most tyne cultivators, 6-7 ft rotavators, and disc harrows in medium soils.
- 50+ hp runs heavy disc harrows, subsoilers, and laser levelers comfortably.
Soil-wise Suggestions for India
- Alluvial (Indo-Gangetic plains): Use a disc harrow followed by a rotavator; finish with laser levelling for wheat–paddy rotations.
- Black cotton (Vertisols): Avoid deep rotavation when overly wet; prefer chisel ploughing post-monsoon to crack the hardpan.
- Red and lateritic soils: Cultivator plus light rotavation works; add FYM and incorporate with a harrow.
- Sandy soils (arid west): Minimal tillage; use a shallow cultivator and a bed maker to reduce blowing sand.
- Hilly/terraced areas: Compact power tillers, narrow rotavators, and ridgers maintain terrace stability.
Quick Comparison Table
| Operation | Manual/Animal Tool | Power Option with tractor implements |
|---|---|---|
| Primary tillage | Country plough, pickaxe | Power unit + mouldboard or disc plough |
| Clod breaking | Rake, harrow | Power unit + disc harrow or cultivator |
| Fine seedbed | Hand hoe | Power unit + rotavator |
| Levelling | Wooden plank | Power unit + laser leveller |
| Bed making | Hand ridger | Power unit + ridger/bed maker |
Smart Sequencing to Cut Passes
An efficient sequence for many dryland fields:
- Residue shredding.
- One primary tillage pass (disc plough on heavy soil).
- Disc harrow once or twice, depending on clods.
- Rotavator once for tilth.
- Laser levelling.
Safety, Maintenance, and Uptime
- Train operators hitching, PTO guards, and safe turning radius.
- Grease bearings on tractor implements as per schedule; worn blades and tynes raise fuel use.
- Keep tyre pressure right; underinflation wastes power.
- Match ballast and gear selection so the tractor works within the green band rpm.
- After dusty work, clean radiators, and air filters to avoid overheating.
Cost Saving Ideas
- Custom hiring centers let you rent tractor and high-value tractor implements like laser levelers or subsoilers only when needed.
- Plan operations around soil moisture: moist soils lower draft and diesel.
- Combine tasks: Rotavating plus seed-cum-fertilizer drill after pre-emergent herbicide application saves trips.
- Prevent residue burning; shredders plus incorporation return nutrients and improve tilth.
Choosing Farm Size and Crop Plan
- Below 2 acres: Prioritize a power tiller, compact rotavator, and local hiring of a tractor for annual deep tillage.
- 2-5 acres: A 30-40 hp tractor with cultivator, disc harrow, and a 6 ft rotavator covers most needs; hire laser levelling once every two seasons.
- Above 5 acres: A 45-55 hp tractor with subsoiler, heavier disc harrow, ridger/bed maker, and access to a laser leveler gives flexibility for multiple crops.
Final Word
Land preparation is essential in ensuring that they produce more crops and to ensure the soil remains healthy. The appropriate balance of traditional tools and new machinery assists the farmers to save time, lessen the number of hands, and maximize agricultural output.
In India where the agricultural environment differs in different states, the choice of the appropriate farm tools in form of ploughs, harrows, rotavators, and tractors can result in a great variation in crop performance.
Indian farmers can become more efficient, have better soil management, and develop the agricultural industry by implementing modern technologies and environmentally friendly farming.
