A Review of Research Progress on Soil Organic Cover Machinery in China

Soil organic cover technology is an effective way to solve agricultural productivity and agro-environmental issues. However, some factors limit the widespread adoption of its application, including unclear soil organic cover effects and the lack of high-performance soil organic cover machinery. Aiming to solve the existing problems, improve soil organic cover quality, and reduce energy consumption, this article reviewed the common and commercial machines by reviewing the existing literature and company products. The current problems and technical difficulties of the machines were expounded. Simultaneously, the method of design and optimization of the device (chopper, spreader, rotary tiller, and plow) and its key parts (blades, discs, and plows) were reviewed. Furthermore, the features and differences of the devices and their key parts were compared, and their advantages and disadvantages were analyzed. In conclusion, the future directions for soil organic cover technology and machinery development were suggested, including clarifying the soil organic cover effect, selecting the suitable soil organic cover patterns, and developing soil organic cover machinery.