ASABE Technical Library - Abstract

Abstract. Controlled traffic farming (CTF) systems have been installed and investigated on selected fields of three arable farms in Bavaria. All farm equipment used for the investigations meet German traffic regulations. Therefore it is not able to match track widths of tractors, harvesting machines and implements. Hence the portion of non-trafficked land is limited to 60-70%. RTK DGPS based automatic steering systems where used for all field work. The aim of the investigations was the technical and organisational realisation of CTF on farms under German resp. Bavarian conditions and the determination and analyses of effects on soil physical properties, soil water balance and yield. The modified CTF systems could be technically and organizationally realized. Challenges were matching the working width of different equipment, supplying RTK guidance systems to all equipment, transfer of track positions between different guidance systems and integration of contractor work. Soil structure improved with lower bulk density and higher air capacity in the un-wheeled areas compared to the wheeled areas. Soil water balance and plant available soil water does not differ between un-wheeled and wheeled areas. Winter wheat yields did not react on the differences in soil structure between un-wheeled and wheeled areas. Corn yields significantly reacted on the differences between un-wheeled and wheeled areas.