Bharat Industries

A mould‑board plough is a traditional agricultural implement designed for primary tillage. Its primary functions are to cut, lift, invert, and pulverize the soil—preparing it for sowing, incorporating residues, and enhancing soil structure.

Key Components & Their Roles

1. Share:

   • The cutting edge that penetrates horizontally under the soil surface to slice the soil—often shaped as a pointed tip for efficient penetration.

   • Variants include slip share, slip-nose share, shin share, bar share, and bar-point share. The bar-point share is particularly useful since it’s adjustable and replaceable.

2. Mould‑Board:

   • The curved component receiving the soil slice from the share. It lifts, turns, and usually pulverizes the soil depending on its curvature.

   • Versions include general-purpose, stubble, sod-breaker, slat, and high-speed types, each designed for different soil textures and conditions.

3. Landside:

   • A flat plate that presses against the furrow wall to keep the plough stable and aligned. The rear edge, called the "heel," slides along the furrow base.

4. Frog:

   • The central casting or welding hub to which the share, mould-board, and landside are attached—acting as the core foundation.

5. Tail Piece (sometimes):

   • An adjustable extension mounted behind the mould-board to aid in turning the soil slice more completely.

6. Accessories (optional but valuable):

   • Coulter: Cuts vertically ahead of the share to produce clean furrow walls—can be rolling (disc-like) or sliding (knife-like).

   • Jointer: A small, mini-plough that cuts a narrow strip off the furrow slice and throws it into the furrow to minimize side soil loss.

   • Gauge Wheel: Adjusts and maintains consistent ploughing depth across varying conditions.

How It Works: Four Core Functions

A mould-board plough executes four actions in a single pass:

• Cuts the soil using the share.

• Lifts the soil with the mould-board.

• Inverts the slice, burying residues and weeds.

• Pulverizes, depending on the board’s curvature and design.

Benefits of Using a Mould‑Board Plough

• Weed and residue burial: Inverts organic matter, enhancing decomposition and reducing weed regrowth.

• Improved soil structure: Enhances aeration, drainage, and root penetration.

• Smoothing and leveling: Produces a uniform surface ideal for sowing.

• Pest management: Burying crop residues disrupts pest habitats.

• Efficient seedbed preparation: Faster than manual labour and highly effective.

Important Considerations & Challenges

• Risk of hardpan formation: Repeated ploughing at the same depth may compact deeper layers—may require subsoiling to break up.

• Erosion potential: Improper use on slopes can lead to runoff unless mitigated with contour ploughing.

• Adaptation to soil types: Variants like stubble or sod plough boards are needed for heavy residue or grassland soils.