Summary
The global objective of this project was to develop a computer model to determine least cost machinery systems for the wheat producers located in the Andes Pre-Cordillera area to the province of Ñuble, in Chile. The model was designed for use as an educational tool for the students of the Agricultural Ingineering Department of the University of Concepción and to assist farmers in the machinery purchase and management decisions. The specific objectives of the project were: 1. To use climatological records to estimate the expected number of days suitable for fieldwork in the eastern part of the province of Ñuble, at selected probability levels. 2. To develop a computer model to aid the selection of field machinery systems for the wheat producers in this region. 3. To compare production systems differing in tillage intensity level and crop rotations including wheat, oats, lentils, and subterranean clover, with respect to machinery requirements and total cost including machinery, labor, timeliness, and fuel costs