Comparison of cleaning performance for row cleaners on a strip-tillage implement

Strip-tillage implements remove the residue from previous crops and form a seedbed ready for planting. An experiment was conducted to evaluate 5 row-cleaning devices. The proportion of residue removed by the implement was used as the performance indicator. Each of the 5 devices was evaluated at 2 speeds and orientations on the implement. The devices were tested in two blocks (fields) of corn residue (one high residue and one medium residue), and one field of wheat residue. An analysis was conducted, using a mixed-effects model, to compare the performance of the cleaners operating in the different conditions. All cleaners performed well, with no statistical difference in mean performance. All row cleaners performed more consistently in wheat residue, compared with performance in corn residue. Numerically, the consistency of the different cleaners was different, with one configuration performing less consistently than the other four. Edge-effects of the outside row unit of the implement had, in most cases, an insignificant effect on the row unit's cleaning performance