Das Konzept des "controlled traffic farming" im ökologischen Gemüseanbau

Problems of machinery induced soil compaction are evident in organic vegetable production, resulting in stunted root growth and reduced yield. Controlled traffic farming (CTF) provides a possibility to restrict soil compaction to wheel tracks and create traffic-free vegetable beds with improved soil structure. A field experiment was established at a commercial organic vegetable farm in Denmark to investigate the effect of CTF on the growth of cabbage (Brassica oleracea), potato (Solanum tuberosum) and beetroot (Beta vulgaris). Random traffic farming (RTF) served as the control. Preliminary results show that root intensity was higher in the CTF treatment compared to the RTF treatment for cabbage at the end of the growing season, indicating a better soil structure in this system. Crop yields were 23 to 70% higher in all three investigated crops in the CTF treatments. These results point towards the potential to increase the use of the CTF system in organic vegetable production

Controlled traffic farming increases root growth, crop and soil nitrogen in vegetable cropping systems

Results from field trials on sandy and sandy loam of controlled traffic farmin

Fjern kvikudløbere og overvej kompostering

This article deals with aspects of destructing Elytrigia repens rhizomes after they have been uprooted and exposed on the soil surface. Removal from the field is the best practical option at present. Mechanical crushing may become possible in a few years time to erase their sprouting ability and with the prospects of reurning nutrients to the soil

Controlled traffic farming increased crop yield, root growth, and nitrogen supply at two organic vegetable farms

Increased farm machinery weight in agricultural production results in soil compaction. Controlled traffic farming (CTF) restricts traffic to permanent lanes, thereby creating traffic free beds for crop production. Field experiments were conducted at two organic vegetable farms in Denmark, on a sandy loam (2013–2016) and on coarse sand (2013–2015) to investigate CTF effects compared with random traffic farming (RTF) on vegetable yield, root growth, and soil mineral nitrogen (N). Root growth was measured using minirhizotrons. White cabbage, potato, and beetroot yield increased by 27%, 70% and 42%, respectively, in CTF compared with RTF in 2015 and winter squash indicated a yield increase of 43% on sandy loam in 2016. White cabbage (2015) and potato, beetroot and winter squash (2016) grew 2–25 times more roots and beetroot grew deeper roots under CTF compared with RTF on sandy loam in 2016. On coarse sandy soil, beetroot root frequency was 1.4 times greater under CTF than under RTF and beetroot roots grew deeper than 1.5 m under both treatments in 2015. Soil mineral N and potential net N mineralization were equal between treatments or higher in CTF by 2–41 kg ha−1 and 11 mg kg−1 35 days−1, respectively, indicating N supply was maintained or increased in this system. Despite the variability in crop and root growth responses to traffic between years and crops, the effects were always equal or positive for CTF following treatment implementation. Therefore, our results encourage the use of CTF for organic vegetable production under temperate conditions

Simulation and control parameter estimation of a permanent magnet tubular linear synchronous motor for tool guidance around crop plants

Accurate, fast and high precision tool guidance is an important capability for certain field operations such as mechanical weed control close to crop plants. This paper presents mathematical modelling and instrumentation suggestions for actuator driven tine control for close to crop mechanical weed control. An electro side shifting actuator for tool attachment was designed in AutoCAD and validated by modelling in MatLab/Simulink. Variations to load force, forward speed, plant spacing and voltage level similar to real conditions were used to verify the modelling of the side shifting system. The simulation verified that the selected permanent magnet tubular linear synchronous motor (PMTLSM) could side shift attached tools without interaction with the desired untreated zone around individual crop plants under field comparable conditions. This paper also presents a direct thrust force control (DTFC) approach for controlling the PMTLSM. The tool guidance design, selected PMTLSM and control strategy showed the potential for further construction into a novel implement for high accurate and fast intra-row mechanical and/or physical weed control

Automated generation of guidance lines for operational field planning

A number of advanced satellite positioning based systems for agricultural machines have been developed and are commercial available for aiding and supporting navigation efforts up to full auto-steering. Furthermore, in terms of the route planning for agricultural field operations, advanced methods based on combinatorial optimisation of fieldwork patterns have recently been introduced. In order to apply and implement these methods in the high-level control system of agricultural machines, an appropriate representation of the field as a geometrical entity made up of discrete geometric primitives, such as points, lines, and polygons is needed. Preferably, such a representation must be generated in real-time providing the input to the whole accuracy range of navigation systems as well as the range of operation types, equipment characteristics, and machinery kinematics. Here, a method for real-time generation of field geometrical representation for operational planning is presented. The representation regards simple or complex fields for both convex and non-convex field boundaries, where generated tracks can be straight or curved. As demonstration cases for the method, 15 different field types were evaluated. According to the experimental results, the computational time of the method was in the range of 0.11e239.73 s for the case of single-block fields and in the range of 2.24e402.59 s for multiple-blocks fields. The tested fields were of different shapes and the area ranged from 0.21 ha to 44.93 ha

Conceptual and user-centric design guidelines for a plant nursing robot

Current service robots have relatively primitive behaviours and limited interaction with the environment. Technological foresights have indicated that the next generation of service robots will demonstrate a high degree of autonomy and reliability, have minimal impact on the environment, and will interact in a flexible way with the user. It is necessary therefore, to determine the functional requirements for a future energy-efficient robotic bioproduction system from the perspective of various stakeholders, together with the development of a high-level framework for designing and prototyping the common functionalities of mobile robots. This study presents technical guidelines for the design of a plant nursing robot. The methodology uses Quality Function Deployment (QFD) functionalities involving the identification of relationships between identified user requirements and the derived design parameters. Extracted important user requirements included: 1) adjustable to row distance and parcel size, 2) profitable, 3) minimize damage to crops, and 4) reliable. Lower ratings were attributed to requirements such as: 1) affection value, prestige, 2) look attractive, 3) out of season operations, and 4) use of renewable energy. Subsequent important derived design parameters included: 1) PreparedForModularTools, 2) ControlableByExternalModules, 3) SemiAutonomous, and 4) Local- and GlobalPositioningSystem. The least important design parameters included: 1) OpenStandardSoftware, 2) Well-builtAppearance, 3) Wheels- With Infinite Steering Rotation, and 4) Internal Safety System. The study demonstrates the feasibility of applying a systematic design technique and procedures for translating the ‘consumer’s voice’ into the design and technical specifications of a robotic tool carrier to be used in bioproduction

Physical destruction of the sprouting ability of Elytrigia repens rhizome buds

Traditional strategies for controlling Elytrigia repens infestations in organic cropping in Scandinavia are based on repeated post-harvest cultivation. However, post-harvest tillage is undesirable due to the need for retaining nutrients in the cropping systems. There is a need to look for solutions where E. repens can be controlled over a short duration to allow replanting of the soil. A Danish project is investigating new technologies that can meet such requirements. One aspect is to look for methods that physically can destruct the sprouting ability of E. repens rhizome buds. We investigated the effect of heating using hot water and mechanical crushing by pressure on the sprouting ability of exposed rhizome buds. The effect of temperatures < 70oC on the sprouting ability was inversely related to exposure time while 70oC or more gave a complete bud kill irrespective of heat duration. A sigmoid function described the relationship between sprouting ability and increasing pressure with a complete bud kill attained at 10 Newton per mm rhizome length. Neither rhizome ecotype or rhizome length influenced the relationship when pressures produced a bud kill of agronomic interest (>70% control). According to energy calculations made, crushing rhizome buds appears far more promising than thermal destruction