Sensors Application in Agriculture

Novel technologies are playing an important role in the development of crop and livestock farming and have the potential to be the key drivers of sustainable intensification of agricultural systems. In particular, new sensors are now available with reduced dimensions, reduced costs, and increased performances, which can be implemented and integrated in production systems, providing more data and eventually an increase in information. It is of great importance to support the digital transformation, precision agriculture, and smart farming, and to eventually allow a revolution in the way food is produced. In order to exploit these results, authoritative studies from the research world are still needed to support the development and implementation of new solutions and best practices. This Special Issue is aimed at bringing together recent developments related to novel sensors and their proved or potential applications in agriculture

Drones: Innovative Technology for Use in Precision Pest Management.

Arthropod pest outbreaks are unpredictable and not uniformly distributed within fields. Early outbreak detection and treatment application are inherent to effective pest management, allowing management decisions to be implemented before pests are well-established and crop losses accrue. Pest monitoring is time-consuming and may be hampered by lack of reliable or cost-effective sampling techniques. Thus, we argue that an important research challenge associated with enhanced sustainability of pest management in modern agriculture is developing and promoting improved crop monitoring procedures. Biotic stress, such as herbivory by arthropod pests, elicits physiological defense responses in plants, leading to changes in leaf reflectance. Advanced imaging technologies can detect such changes, and can, therefore, be used as noninvasive crop monitoring methods. Furthermore, novel methods of treatment precision application are required. Both sensing and actuation technologies can be mounted on equipment moving through fields (e.g., irrigation equipment), on (un)manned driving vehicles, and on small drones. In this review, we focus specifically on use of small unmanned aerial robots, or small drones, in agricultural systems. Acquired and processed canopy reflectance data obtained with sensing drones could potentially be transmitted as a digital map to guide a second type of drone, actuation drones, to deliver solutions to the identified pest hotspots, such as precision releases of natural enemies and/or precision-sprays of pesticides. We emphasize how sustainable pest management in 21st-century agriculture will depend heavily on novel technologies, and how this trend will lead to a growing need for multi-disciplinary research collaborations between agronomists, ecologists, software programmers, and engineers

Development and prospect of unmanned aerial vehicle technologies for agricultural production management

Unmanned aerial vehicles have been developed and applied to support agricultural production management. Compared with piloted aircraft, an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) can focus on small crop fields at lower flight altitudes than regular aircraft to perform site-specific farm management with higher precision. They can also “fill in the gap” in locations where fixed winged or rotary winged aircraft are not readily available. In agriculture, UAVs have primarily been developed and used for remote sensing and application of crop production and protection materials. Application of fertilizers and chemicals is frequently needed at specific times and locations for site-specific management. Routine monitoring of crop plant health is often required at very high resolution for accurate site-specific management as well. This paper presents an overview of research involving the development of UAV technology for agricultural production management. Technologies, systems and methods are examined and studied. The limitations of current UAVs for agricultural production management are discussed, as well as future needs and suggestions for development and application of the UAV technologies in agricultural production management

UAS-based Remote Sensing Techniques for Detecting Evapotranspiration, and the Effects of LEPA/LESA and MESA Sprinkler Configurations for Precision Irrigation Management

This was a study of various methods for site-specific irrigation management. The effects of low elevation spray/precision application system (LESA/LEPA) and mid-elevation spray application (MESA) on spearmint and peppermint oil yield, crop lodging, and evapotranspiration (ET) suppression were studied. The results showed that a LESA/LEPA system could reduce water use by at least 15% without reducing oil concentration and mint oil yield. MESA caused the significantly higher amount of lodging in spearmint. The entropy value, or texture feature, is a viable method for estimating lodging using low-altitude RGB imagery. The total reduction in ET due to the microclimate modifications from wind drift and evaporation losses was small (0.5% of the total applied water) compared to the 15-20% differences in irrigation application efficiency between MESA and LESA. The second part of this thesis focused on improving ET estimation of the unmanned aerial system (UAS)-based METRIC energy balance model. The UAS-METRIC model is adapted from the Landsat METRIC model, which auto-selects two extreme temperatures, a hot pixel (dry, bare soil) and a cold pixel (fully irrigated and fully transpiring crop) for the internal calibration of the model. The results of this study showed that with UAS imagery, auto-selection of hot and cold pixels could result in poor internal calibration due to the limited scale of the imagery. Therefore, temperatures of several reference surfaces were compared with temperatures of dry, bare agricultural soil and fully irrigated grass to find the best correlated artificial hot and cold reference surfaces for the UAS data acquisition. A green sponge floating in the water and a terra cotta saucer plate full of water were the selected artificial cold reference surfaces. These were between 1.9–8.3 °C warmer than the non-stressed spearmint canopy. A dry mulch and dry terra cotta saucer plate were selected as the artificial hot pixel references. Application of dry red mulch/wet sponge and dry/wet saucer plate as artificial hot and cold reference surfaces for internal calibration of the UAS-METRIC model results in overestimating ET compared to using fully irrigated spearmint crop and dry red mulch as the cold and hot pixels respectively

Optimizing Mist-Based Ablution: A Comprehensive Study of Water Distribution and Conservation Using Watercolour Visualization and Thermal Imaging Techniques

Conducting ablution constitutes a prerequisite for Muslims prior to engaging in prayer. This ritualistic practice involves the cleansing and wiping of specific body parts, including the hands, face, arms up to the elbows, head, and feet. Ensuring comprehensive water coverage of the aforementioned areas is a crucial criterion during ablution. However, excessive water consumption often occurs when Muslims perform ablution to achieve full coverage. Consequently, a more ecologically sustainable approach to ablution is necessary to minimize water wastage. A proposed water mist spray device aims to optimize water usage while adhering to the Islamic jurisprudence requirements of complete water coverage on ablution parts. To assess water coverage using the mist spray, an evenness distribution profile is employed through atomized mist colorization on paper and thermal imaging of ablution parts. An appropriate spray nozzle is chosen based on an analysis of spray distribution and coverage patterns on the target surface, utilizing image processing techniques. The proposed methodology involves mixing water with red watercolour and manually pumping it through the selected nozzle using an off-the-shelf water sprayer, thereby atomizing the coloured water to stain white paper. Subsequently, the paper is converted into a digital image and analysed using ImageJ software to determine the mist spray coverage percentage, spatial spread at various distances, and the extraction of stain and droplet sizes. This technique is applied to different types and sizes of spray nozzles to identify the most suitable nozzle for the prototype. The findings demonstrate that nozzles with smaller exit holes and higher water pressure yield more extensive spray coverage on the target surface. Upon selecting the appropriate nozzle, a Portable Ablution Mist Spray Device prototype is employed to evaluate water coverage for the ablution body parts. Thermal images of the ablution parts are captured before and after the ritual, with the temperature differences being analysed. The thermal images reveal a comprehensive and uniform spray distribution on the ablution body parts, accompanied by a temperature difference ranging from 0.9°C to 3.8°C among various participants

Optimizing Mist-Based Ablution: A Comprehensive Study of Water Distribution and Conservation Using Watercolour Visualization and Thermal Imaging Techniques

Conducting ablution constitutes a prerequisite for Muslims prior to engaging in prayer. This ritualistic practice involves the cleansing and wiping of specific body parts, including the hands, face, arms up to the elbows, head, and feet. Ensuring comprehensive water coverage of the aforementioned areas is a crucial criterion during ablution. However, excessive water consumption often occurs when Muslims perform ablution to achieve full coverage. Consequently, a more ecologically sustainable approach to ablution is necessary to minimize water wastage. A proposed water mist spray device aims to optimize water usage while adhering to the Islamic jurisprudence requirements of complete water coverage on ablution parts. To assess water coverage using the mist spray, an evenness distribution profile is employed through atomized mist colorization on paper and thermal imaging of ablution parts. An appropriate spray nozzle is chosen based on an analysis of spray distribution and coverage patterns on the target surface, utilizing image processing techniques. The proposed methodology involves mixing water with red watercolour and manually pumping it through the selected nozzle using an off-the-shelf water sprayer, thereby atomizing the coloured water to stain white paper. Subsequently, the paper is converted into a digital image and analysed using ImageJ software to determine the mist spray coverage percentage, spatial spread at various distances, and the extraction of stain and droplet sizes. This technique is applied to different types and sizes of spray nozzles to identify the most suitable nozzle for the prototype. The findings demonstrate that nozzles with smaller exit holes and higher water pressure yield more extensive spray coverage on the target surface. Upon selecting the appropriate nozzle, a Portable Ablution Mist Spray Device prototype is employed to evaluate water coverage for the ablution body parts. Thermal images of the ablution parts are captured before and after the ritual, with the temperature differences being analysed. The thermal images reveal a comprehensive and uniform spray distribution on the ablution body parts, accompanied by a temperature difference ranging from 0.9°C to 3.8°C among various participants

Advancements of Spraying Technology in Agriculture

Plant protection activities are most important practices during crop production. Application of maximum pesticide products with the sprayer. The application of fungicides, herbicides, and insecticides is one of the most recurrent and significant tasks in agriculture. Conventional agricultural spraying techniques have made the inconsistency between economic growth and environmental protection in agricultural production. Spraying techniques continuously developed in recent decades. For pesticide application, it is not the only sprayer that is essential, but all the parameters like the type and area of the plant canopy, area of a plant leaf, height of the crop, and volume of plants related to plant protection product applications are very important for obtaining better results. From this point of view, the advancement in agriculture sprayer has been started in last few decades. Robotics and automatic spraying technologies like variable rate sprayers, UAV sprayers, and electrostatic sprayers are growing to Increase the utilization rate of pesticides, reduce pesticide residues, real-time, cost-saving, high compatibility of plant protection products application. These technologies are under the “umbrella” of precision agriculture. The mechanized spraying system, usually implemented by highly precise equipment or mobile robots, which, makes possible the selective targeting of pesticide application on desire time and place. These advanced spraying technologies not only reduces the labour cost but also effective in environmental protection. Researchers are conducting experimental studies on the design, development and testing of precision spraying technologies for crops and orchards

MarSpray LiDAR (MSL) for the comprehensive measurement of Sea Spray for Improving the Prediction of Marine Icing in Cold Conditions

Marine icing is a very complicated phenomenon, and its prediction, evaluation, and estimation involve many uncertainties. Commonly, the most severe ice accretion is caused by sea spray. A substantial amount of study is present on sea spray ice accretion about modelling and numerical simulations with certain assumptions and not based on comprehensive real-time data. The past techniques used to measure sea spray couldn’t provide information such as its complete droplets distribution, velocity, and concentration. The high temporal and spatial resolution measurement ability of the LiDAR technique has proven to be useful for studying pesticide spray drift in the agricultural domain. Due to its similar properties to sea spray, we proposed to use this remote measurement technique well-established in other disciplines in a new field: the study of sea spray icing. To recognize this potential, a novel LiDAR prototype named MarSpray LiDAR (MSL) is designed, built, and tested. MSL is a mono-static multi-axial LiDAR equipment specifically designed for short-range spray analysis and measurement. With certain future modifications, this equipment can be made suitable for shipborne use to retrieve marine spray properties that the past studies failed. These measurements can be applied for developing a more precise model for improving marine icing prediction in cold conditions

ANALYZING SPRAY COVERAGE AND DEPOSITION USING SPRAYING DRONES IN VINEYARDS

openIn modern agriculture, the precise and efficient application of agrochemicals is vital for crop protection and productivity while minimizing environmental impact. Traditional spraying methods have long been the bedrock, but the introduction of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), or drones, has revolutionized crop protection, offering new opportunities to improve farming practices. Agricultural drones are gaining popularity due to their precision, efficiency, and safety in chemical applications. Their use is expected to continue growing as they find more applications in precision agriculture. Hence, this thesis conducts a comprehensive investigation into spray coverage and deposition in vineyards using UAV spraying technology.In modern agriculture, the precise and efficient application of agrochemicals is vital for crop protection and productivity while minimizing environmental impact. Traditional spraying methods have long been the bedrock, but the introduction of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), or drones, has revolutionized crop protection, offering new opportunities to improve farming practices. Agricultural drones are gaining popularity due to their precision, efficiency, and safety in chemical applications. Their use is expected to continue growing as they find more applications in precision agriculture. Hence, this thesis conducts a comprehensive investigation into spray coverage and deposition in vineyards using UAV spraying technology

UAS Application in Agriculture: A Review of Technologies Possible to Apply in Portugal

The world population has been significantly growing over the last years. Consequently, also the needs and search of raw materials and goods has been increasing. In this context, the production, in a sustainable way and in the needed quantities, of food is a source of concern and study. At the same time a big evolution in the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) has been verified, both in terms at the level of the equipment, and the operational scenarios where they have been used. Portugal presents itself as a country where the agriculture and livestock activities have a very big predominance in the use of the available soil and the economy. However, the lack of studies and implementation of new technologies keeps on being a limiting factor to the increase of productivity, sustainable use of the available resources and of the value that agriculture adds to the national trade balance. The main objective of this dissertation was to show that it is possible to apply several new methods and techniques, more specifically UAVs, to the Portuguese agricultural scenario. For this extensive research was carried out and a set of studies with the potential to be adapted and implement in Portugal were selected, encompassing different cultures and activities associated with them. After the chosen studies had been exposed and carefully analysed it was possible to perceive that the application of UAS’ in Portuguese agriculture would be a great added value insofar as it could lead to savings of several million euros both in increasing productivity, as well as in reducing costs with chemicals and field tests that are becoming obsolete. The saving of limited natural resources, namely water is also a very important factor.A população mundial tem vindo a crescer de forma muito significativa ao longo dos últimos anos. Consequentemente, também as necessidades e a procura de matérias-primas e bens têm aumentado. Neste contexto, a produção, de forma sustentável e nas quantidades necessárias, de bens alimentares é fonte de preocupação e estudo. Paralelamente tem-se verificado uma evolução bastante grande nos Veículos Aéreos Não Tripulados (UAV), quer ao nível do equipamento em si, quer ao dos cenários operacionais nos quais têm vindo a ser empregues. Portugal apresenta-se como um país em que as atividades agropecuárias têm uma predominância muito grande no uso do solo disponível e na economia. No entanto, a falta de estudos e da implementação de novas tecnologias continuam a ser fatores limitativo ao aumento de produtividade, do aproveitamento sustentável dos recursos disponíveis e do valor que a agricultura agrega à balança comercial nacional. O objetivo principal desta dissertação foi mostrar que é possível aplicar diversos novos métodos e técnicas, e mais especificamente UAV, ao cenário agrícola português. Para tal foi efetuada uma extensa pesquisa e selecionado um conjunto de estudos considerados relevantes e com potencial de serem adaptados e implementados em Portugal, englobando diversas culturas e atividades a elas associadas. Com este propósito e depois de os estudos escolhidos terem sido expostos e cuidadosamente analisados foi possível perceber que a aplicação de UAS na agricultura portuguesa seria uma grande mais-valia na medida em que poderia conduzir à poupança de diversos milhões de euros tanto no aumento de produtividade, assim como na redução dos custos em químicos e testes de campo que se estão a tornar obsoletos. Poderá também contribuir para a poupança de recursos naturais, nomeadamente de água