Multi crop high efficiency seed drill with solar hybrid seed metering: A step toward precision and sustainability

High crop production with limited energy resources is always the priority area of developing countries. Conventional agricultural experimenting and crop production methods are time-consuming, challenging, laborious, and energy intensive. Various developments and experimental studies have been carried out for advancement in agriculture technologies. This study is mainly focused on the design and development of a unique high-efficiency seed drill machine to increase the energy efficiency of agricultural experiments, and crop production and conserve the tillage, seed, fertilizer, and power requirement. This machine has a special seed dividing head and seed distributor triggered with a mechanical timer. The mechanical timer is responsible to deliver seed to the seed distributor as per fixed plotting intervals. The seed distribution unit distributes the seeds uniformly in all furrows as per the pre-decided seed rate aided with a centrifugal glider aided with a DC motor powered by a 30 W solar PV plate and backup battery. Moreover, the machine has 9 × 9 s-type spring tines for seed and fertilizer, which are mainly designed for better soil pulverization and aeration with significant in-field resource conservation as per conventional alternatives. The effective width is seven feet and adjustable rows with versatile seed rate options. Overall, the results from different field tests verified the uniform seed dispersal with improved germination rate. The analysis of power requirements compared to conventional machines results in the 40% less power requirement. Overall, the machine has customized unique features for experiments and energy-efficient precision agriculture to conserve input resources

Development of a Double-Shoot System on a Disc Drill

This research project developed a double-shoot apparatus to distribute seeds and fertilizer at an optimal agronomically and widely accepted placement. The research developed different concepts based on the study of the dynamics of the seeding implement affected by the addition of the double-shoot capability to the system. The capabilities were characterized with several field tests to evaluate their performances on different essential aspects of a disc drill. The selected concepts from the field results were validated using Discrete Element Method (DEM) simulations, specially developed and validated with data obtained from the project. The field tests included the measurements of: seed-to-fertilizer vertical/horizontal separation, 3-D forces, and trials with crop residues. The field tests differed in the number of apparatuses tested, the number of locations used and the period of the year in which they were performed. The validations were based on DEM simulations, which were developed in parallel to an analytical soil mechanics model. The analytical model determined the draft forces on an analytical knife, which was also used into DEM simulations with first-generation soil bins. The drafts measured in first-generation soil bins were compared to the values predicted by the analytical model in order to determine the desired soil properties. The virtual disc drill was used to determine the seed-to-fertilizer reference values for the experiments, to predict the wear pattern of steel ground-engaging tools, and to predict the compressive forces, which were used to predict the wear rate of the knife. The analytical disc drill simulations were performed at two ground speeds prior to wheat sowing. The analyses that were made on the field results, have demonstrated that the Concept No. 2, and 3 (from a list of 7 concepts) had significant better product placements than the openers used as benchmark single-shoot and double-shoot. Also, these field results highlighted the fact that the Concepts No. 2, and No. 3 had a slightly better placement than the opener used as benchmark double-shoot from CNH Industrial Ltd. The 3-D force measurement experiments revealed significant difference between the openers depending on the direction (vertical load, side load, draft) of force tested. The forces could be statically different, but not in any major ways, except for the Concept No. 2 side load, which was constantly lower than any other side load forces. The field trials with crop residues revealed that the implements using the Concept No. 2, and 3 had superior performance to manage residues. The implements equipped with these two concepts were the only ones to pass through the varieties of residue and extreme conditions without plugging. The seed-to-fertilizer values extracted from the simulations were similar to the values from field experiments. Simulations confirmed the positions of high resistance sections (carbides) on the soil/residue scraper and predicted high wear locations on the knife. The simulated wear patterns on the scraper and on the knife were visually confirmed and validated throughout field tests. Furthermore, the knife wear rate prediction was determined using the Archard equation with the simulated compressive forces that requires protection for durability requirements

Erosion Control in Ohio Farming

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Agricultural Structures and Mechanization

In our globalized world, the need to produce quality and safe food has increased exponentially in recent decades to meet the growing demands of the world population. This expectation is being met by acting at multiple levels, but mainly through the introduction of new technologies in the agricultural and agri-food sectors. In this context, agricultural, livestock, agro-industrial buildings, and agrarian infrastructure are being built on the basis of a sophisticated design that integrates environmental, landscape, and occupational safety, new construction materials, new facilities, and mechanization with state-of-the-art automatic systems, using calculation models and computer programs. It is necessary to promote research and dissemination of results in the field of mechanization and agricultural structures, specifically with regard to farm building and rural landscape, land and water use and environment, power and machinery, information systems and precision farming, processing and post-harvest technology and logistics, energy and non-food production technology, systems engineering and management, and fruit and vegetable cultivation systems. This Special Issue focuses on the role that mechanization and agricultural structures play in the production of high-quality food and continuously over time. For this reason, it publishes highly interdisciplinary quality studies from disparate research fields including agriculture, engineering design, calculation and modeling, landscaping, environmentalism, and even ergonomics and occupational risk prevention

Effect of a Localized Velocity Increase on Overall Power Consumption and Flow Characteristics in Pneumatic Conveying Systems

Pneumatic conveying is widely used in the agricultural industry for seed and fertilizer conveying during seeding operations. Dilute phase conveying is used as it inherently has a disperse particle flow that is leveraged to promote uniform division of the flow. Due to the higher power required per unit mass for dilute phase conveying, research was undertaken to better understand the role of entrainment and conveying velocity on the particles’ behavior, entrainment level, and the power required to convey them. The two hypotheses that guided this thesis were that an increased velocity in the entrainment zone, relative to the downstream conveying zone would (1) increase the entrainment level of the product and (2) decrease overall power required for conveying. To test these hypotheses, the following were completed: • A non-invasive method to quantify the entrainment level of the particles was developed; • A lab-scale pneumatic conveying system was designed and built that allowed for testing the effect of independently varying the entrainment and conveying velocities; • These systems were used to explore product entrainment levels in the form of a probability distribution map of the products location in the conveying pipe; and • The relationship of entrainment velocity and conveying velocity on the pressure drop and energy required to convey was explored. An optical flow profiling imaging apparatus was designed and built that allowed for non-invasive imaging of the product flow behavior. A laser was used to illuminate a cross-section of the conveying line. Successive images of this illuminated section were acquired and then processed to give a probability distribution map of the particles’ location within the pipe. The centroid of this distribution was used as a proxy for the entrainment level of the product within the pipeline. To enable conveying at two different velocities in a single system, a gas extraction system was designed and constructed. This system allowed for a higher velocity during product entrainment and after a certain distance downstream air volume is bled off which in turn lowers the conveying velocity. This system was used in conjunction with the flow profiler to give a quantitative measure of the effect of gas extraction on the entrainment level of the product as defined by the centroid of the probability distribution map. The profiles taken indicated that the entrainment velocity had a significant effect on the entrainment level of the product in the downstream section. In addition to the entrainment level of the product, velocity and pressure data were acquired to explore the energy needed to convey varying mass flow rates. Specific pressure drop (ratio of air and product pressure drop to the air only pressure drop) was plotted against the mass loading ratio (ratio of the mass flow rate of the solid to the mass flow rate of the fluid) and grouped by the velocity ratio (conveying velocity over the entrainment velocity). When the velocity ratio was one the slope was positive with an intercept of approximately one. The data agreed with previously published results. As the velocity ratio was lowered the slope was reduced as well. At velocity ratios of 0.6-0.7 the slope of the relationship was approximately zero. This indicated that entraining at the higher velocity and then conveying at a lower velocity at this ratio required no additional pressure drop for conveying compared to the air only pressure drop. In addition, the specific energy required to convey the product was calculated. At the aforementioned velocity ratios there was an 8-16% energy savings compared to conveying at the same entrainment and downstream velocity. There will be an efficiency cost to accelerating the product in the entrainment zone, however if a system could be designed such that the efficiency gains of low-speed conveying are greater than the extra energy required in the entrainment region, a net energy savings can resul

Arkansas Rice Research Studies 1993

The research reports in this publication represent one year of results; therefore, these results should not be used as a basis for longterm recommendations. Several research reports in this publication dealing with soU fertility also appear in Arkansas Soil Fertility Studies 1993, Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series 436. This duplication is the result of the overlap in research coverage between the two series and our effort to inform Arkansas rice producers of all the research being conducted with funds from the rice check-off

Phosphorus Use and Management Based On Fertilizer Placement, Rate of Application, and Soil Biota in No-Till Situations

Phosphorus (P) pollution has become a concern among multiple scientific organizations as it leads to eutrophication, an algal bloom that depletes lacustrine and marine ecosystems of native species. Multiple strategies can be implemented to reduce phosphorus loss from agriculture fields, which is often implicated as a cause of eutrophication. Soil phosphorus chemistry results in phosphate fertilizers absorbing to clay minerals over time. Soil phosphorus is lost from agricultural fields primarily through wind and water erosion. No-till practices prevent soil erosion, which reduces the phosphorus from loading into waterways. Fertilizer placement affects phosphorus loss. Surface application of phosphorus fertilizers increases the risk of loss as rainfall can dissolve the fertilizer and move it into waterways. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are soil microorganisms that infect plant roots and form a symbiotic relationship. AMF exchange water and plant nutrients, like phosphorus, with the plant for carbon. Field management practices that support the existence of healthy AMF populations in an agriculture field may allow for a reduction of phosphorus fertilizers. In turn, reduced phosphorus fertilizer rates may result in healthier stream, river, and lake ecosystems. Three different studies took place at Dakota Lakes Research Farm; (1) a phosphorus (P) fertilizer rate study; (2) phosphorus soil placement study; and (3) an AMF soil population study based on fertilizer rate. There were no significant differences between the P-rate treatments [0 lbs MAP (Check), 100 lbs MAP, and 200 lbs MAP, extra fertilizer applied in 2014, 2017, and 2019] and the impact on corn and soybean yield. The P-rate treatments did significantly change the phosphorus soil test levels within the field, with the 200 lbs of MAP having higher soil test levels than the 100 lbs of MAP, and both having higher soil test levels than the Check. Results from the placement study suggest that surface or band applied P did not impact plant tissue concentration, yield, and soil test phosphorus. The arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi populations were affected by the different phosphorus fertilizer rate treatments. The check treatment had significantly more fungi present than the treatments where extra fertilizer was added