Project funded
by theEU–DGEnvironment
L
and
surfacerelevant
forapplication
Artificial surface
Agriculture land
Forest and semi-natural areas
Wetlands
F
inancialcosts
(C
apital
,
operation
&
maintenance
)
The cost of changing to CTF based on a 3m track gauge for all equipment is
about €22.8/ha but CTF leads to
machinery cost savings
of about €213.6/ha.
The overall reduction cost reaches €51.60/ha. A 6m tractor-based non plough CTF
system is less profitable than conventional plough based practice on medium soil
(21.6€/ha) but more profitable on heavy soil (30€/ha).
D
esign
Traffic lanes
should correspond to 15% of the field. Bare tramlines’ width varies
from one missing 18cm row to two missing 30cm rows; fuzzy tramline can be
used when weed competition is a concern and sown tramlines when soil throw
is needed for herbicide incorporation. Design should consider the most efficient
direction for the in-paddock operation and water movement, the most convenient
access for loading and unloading and take care with areas prone to being wet.
S
cale
CTF system is applicable at field and
farm scale
Controlled traffic farming (CTF) is a system which
confines all machinery loads
to the least possible area of permanent traffic lanes. CTF system can reduce
tracking to 15% instead of 75% of the area, always in the same place. The permanent traffic lanes may be cropped or non-cropped depending on a wide range
of variables and local constraints. It can be used in both arable and pasture systems. CTF enables slowing of runoff on fields and prevents soil deterioration.
AGRICULTURE
©
S
R
U
C
