Differences Between Plough and Harrow

Plough and Harrow both are the farming implements used in land preparation. The following section will discuss their types, components, benefits, and popular models. People always have a question about why we should use a harrow when we are using a plough for land preparation. But they don’t know that both of the implements have different uses. For example, the plough is a primary tilling implement, whereas the harrow is used for secondary tilling.

Table of Contents

We will let you know the difference between harrow and plough to understand the difference between harrowing and ploughing. So let’s know the differences.

Information Regarding Plough and Harrow

Let’s know about both of the implements to get our minds clear from the questions regarding Plough & Harrow.

Plough

Plough has been a vital agricultural tool since the beginning of farming. This farming implement is suitable for turning and breaking up the soil to bury crop residues and control weeds. Or in other words, a plough is a primary tillage tool for opening and loosening the soil. In the beginning the, wooden ploughs were in use. But the plough began to be made of iron with the revolution of technology.

The ploughing operations are done for removing crop residues of the last harvested crop and weeds. And it is the primary operation to cultivate any crop in the field. Moreover, plough agricultural implements till the land to more depth than harrows. And due to this, they leave some soil clods after the operation.

Types of Plough

Plough has several types, which have been in use till now. So, let’s know the types of plough.

Soil Turning Plough
Mouldboard Plough
Disc Plough
Reversible Plough
Subsoil Plough
Chisel Plough, etc.

Components of Plough

The components must be good quality for a farming tool or machine as components lead to performance. Poor quality of parts can minimise the performance of the device or can damage it. Let’s see the components of the plough.

1. Share Point

Share Point penetrates the soil and is a forward point of cutting edge.

2. Wing of Share

The cutting edge of the share’s outer end is the Wing Of Share. The component supports the bottom of the plough.

3. Cutting Edge

The front edge of the share to make a horizontal cut into the soil is the Cutting Edge.

4. Gunnel

The vertical face of share is Gunnel. It slides along the furrow wall and takes the side thrust of the soil. Also, it supports the plough against the furrow wall.

5. Wing Bearing

The wing of the share’s level portion is Wing Bearing.

6. Cleavage Edge

The edge of the share is the Cleavage Edge, forming joints between the share and mouldboard on the frog.

Benefits of Plough

Plough is a primary farming tool to provide farmers with many benefits, including

Breaking large clods of soil,
Tilling deeper,
Tilling without putting extra weight,
Enhancing the drainage property,
Preventing the frequent growth of weeds,
Making the field pest free,
Turning the crop residues into decomposed manure, etc.

Popular Plough in India

Many brands manufacture ploughs according to the needs of the farmers. Following are some popular ploughs.

After knowing plough, now the turn is to know about harrow. So, let’s start knowing.

Harrow

Harrow is a powerful tractor-mounted implement for breaking up & smoothing out the soil. In this way, the effects of the harrow are distinct from the plough, which disturbs the soil deeply. Also, harrows are used to smooth the surface of the ground and break up the lumps left after ploughing. That’s why it comes under the secondary tilling implements category. Thus, when a farmer needs a delicate soil structure for a particular crop, he can use a harrow for it.

Apart from this, the harrow works for removing weeds and covering the sown seeds with soil. And that is the difference between harrow and cultivator. Also, the work of weed control makes harrow and cultivator similar in a concise manner.

Types of Harrow

We can see the different types of harrow around the world, but some of them are in regular practice. So, let’s see the kinds of harrow which are in practice.

Disc harrow
Guntaka
Spring tooth harrow
Spike tooth harrow
Triangular harrow
Bindha
Blade harrow (Bakhar)
Zig-Zag harrow
Bodela

Components of Harrow

The harrow consists of many components to work efficiently. Following are the components of the harrow tool.

1. Disc

Discs are the revolving steel plates of circular and concave design used to cut the soil. The discs are manufactured with high-quality steel. And they have a size from 35 to 70 cm, which varies from model to model.

2. Gang Angle

The angle between axes of the gang is known as the gang angle.

3. Gang

The gang is the assembly of concave discs.

4. Gang Control Lever

A gang control lever is a leveller for operating the angling mechanism.

5. Gang Axle or Arbor Axle

Gang Axle is the component of a harrow on which the set of discs is mounted.

6. Spool or Spacer

The spool or spacer or a flanged tube is fitted on the gang axle.

7. Transport Wheel

The wheels provide a reach to the road for this machine.

8. Bearing

Bearings are vital for counteracting the end thrust.

9. Weight Box

A weight box is mandatory for putting extra weight on the machine.

10. Scraper

For protecting the machine from clogging, a scraper is used.

Benefits of Harrow

Harrow has distinct advantages for preparing the land, including

Breakups the soil clods and surface crust,
Cultivating the ground with great precision,
Raising the aeration and surface uniformity,
Eliminating the emerged weeds,
Working in any type of soil,
pulverising the soil, etc.

Popular Harrows in India

In India, many farm machinery manufacturers provide harrow tools. Among all, we are here with 5 popular models.

Harrow vs Plough

The difference between a plough and a harrow is that the harrow is a farming implement with a heavy framework, including many teeth and discs in a row. And it is dragged by the tractor in the ploughed land to break soil clods, remove weeds, smooth up the ground and cover seeds. In contrast, a plough is a primary tilling tool, which is pulled through the land by a tractor to open the soil for plantation.

In the following table, the differences between Harrow & Plough are written. Check the table to learn about plough and harrow. In this way, you can identify which tool you should use, plough or harrow.

Difference Between Plough and Harrow

Aspects	Harrow	Plough
Types	Disc harrow, Guntaka, Triangular harrow, Spring tooth harrow, Spike tooth harrow, Bindha, Blade harrow (Bakhar), Bodela and Zig-Zag harrow	Soil Turning Ploughs, Mouldboard Plough, Disc Plough, Reversible Plough, Subsoil Plough, Chisel Plough, etc.
Components	Disc, Gang Axle or Arbor Axle, Gang, Gang Control Lever, Gang Angle, Spool or Spacer, Transport Wheel, Bearing, Scraper and Weight Box	Share Point, Wing of Share, Cutting Edge, Gunnel, Wing Bearing, Cleavage Edge
Places	Works in plain fields	Works in hilly areas
Working	Breaks up the soil clods	Open and loose the soil
Models	Mahindra Disc Harrow, Trailed Offset Disc Harrow and Farmking Heavy Duty	Lemken OPAL 080 E 2MB, Captain Reversible and Solis RMB Plough

For more information on Harrow or Plough, visit Tractor Junction. Here you will get different types of farming implements. Also, get subsidies and loan schemes on farming implements at our website.

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