The Driving and Inhibiting Factors of Mechanized Tobacco Production in Iran Using the Delphi Technique

I ncreased cost of tobacco cultivation is a major concern for its sustainable production in Iran. Therefore, the development of tobacco mechanized cultivation is a necessity. Given this, the driving and inhibiting factors of the development of mechanized tobacco cultivation were investigated by the Delphi technique in three rounds in Guilan Province, Iran. Nineteen experts from the Jahad Agriculture Organization of Guilan Province and the Agriculture Management Services in Rasht County and Western Guilan were selected as the research panel as recommended by the academic professors of the Guilan Province. The results were analyzed by SPSS21. In the last round, 10 superior driving and inhibiting factors were ranked based on the final experts’ consistency as the final decision. The results revealed that identification of pioneer farmers and their encouragement to mechanized tobacco cultivation and the import of the latest technologies of tobacco cultivation and their modification in accordance with regional conditions were the most important driving factors as 97.37 and 94.74% of panel experts agreed, respectively. In addition, 98.68% of experts rated insufficient research on tobacco cultivation mechanization and 96.05% of experts rated the small size of tobacco farms as the most important inhibiting factors. Accordingly, the development of supportive policies to support pioneer tobacco growers in mechanized cultivation of this industrial crop, the technical assessment for modern tobacco cultivation machinery, the reduction of imported tobacco machinery prices, and the support of research on mechanization of tobacco cultivation are some important strategies that should be considered by those involved in tobacco production in Guilan Province, Iran

A Survey on the Current Status of Mechanization of Paddy Cultivation in Iran: Case of Guilan Province

This study investigated the status of mechanized power and self-propelled rice cultivation machinery in Guilan Province in northern Iran. The raw data was obtained from 2013 statistics of the Agricultural Jihad Organization of Guilan province. Power per unit of area, mechanization level, area per unit of self-propelled machinery, and mechanization requirement were calculated for eastern, western and central Guilan. The mean power per unit of area for eastern, western and central Guilan was 2.22, 2.07, and 3.09 hpha-1 , respectively. The total mechanization requirements were determined to be 0%, 73.39%, 99.28%, and 52.47% for land preparation, transplanting, weeding, and harvesting operations, respectively. The area per self-propelled rice machinery was 111.38, 3777.97, and 358.99 ha for rice transplanter, weeder, and combine harvester, respectively. This indicates that there is insufficient mechanization for rice weeding and that there is an urgent need to increase the machinery available for this agronomic operation in the paddy fields of Guilan Province

Measuring circularity in food supply chain using life cycle assessment : refining oil from olive kernel

Valorization of food waste is a potential strategy toward a circular food supply chain. In this regard, measuring the circularity of food waste valorization systems is highly important to better understand multiple environmental impacts. Therefore, this study investigated the circularity of a food waste valorization system (refining oil from olive kernel) using a life cycle assessment methodology. An inventory of an industrial-based olive kernel oil production system is also provided in this study. The system boundary was the cradle to the factory gate of the production system. The results indicated that natural gas consumption was the highest contributor to most of the investigated impact categories. The global warming potential of one kg of oil produced from olive kernel was calculated to be 1.37 kg CO(2)eq. Moreover, the calculated damages of 1 kg oil production from olive kernel to human health, ecosystem quality, and resource depletion were 5.29 x 10(-7) DALY, 0.12 PDF center dot m(2)center dot yr., and 24.40 MJ, respectively

Hysteresis Nonlinearity Identification Using New Preisach Model-Based Artificial Neural Network Approach

Preisach model is a well-known hysteresis identification method in which the hysteresis is modeled by linear combination of hysteresis operators. Although Preisach model describes the main features of system with hysteresis behavior, due to its rigorous numerical nature, it is not convenient to use in real-time control applications. Here a novel neural network approach based on the Preisach model is addressed, provides accurate hysteresis nonlinearity modeling in comparison with the classical Preisach model and can be used for many applications such as hysteresis nonlinearity control and identification in SMA and Piezo actuators and performance evaluation in some physical systems such as magnetic materials. To evaluate the proposed approach, an experimental apparatus consisting one-dimensional flexible aluminum beam actuated with an SMA wire is used. It is shown that the proposed ANN-based Preisach model can identify hysteresis nonlinearity more accurately than the classical one. It also has powerful ability to precisely predict the higher-order hysteresis minor loops behavior even though only the first-order reversal data are in use. It is also shown that to get the same precise results in the classical Preisach model, many more data should be used, and this directly increases the experimental cost

Measuring circularity in food supply chain using life cycle assessment : refining oil from olive kernel

Valorization of food waste is a potential strategy toward a circular food supply chain. In this regard, measuring the circularity of food waste valorization systems is highly important to better understand multiple environmental impacts. Therefore, this study investigated the circularity of a food waste valorization system (refining oil from olive kernel) using a life cycle assessment methodology. An inventory of an industrial-based olive kernel oil production system is also provided in this study. The system boundary was the cradle to the factory gate of the production system. The results indicated that natural gas consumption was the highest contributor to most of the investigated impact categories. The global warming potential of one kg of oil produced from olive kernel was calculated to be 1.37 kg CO(2)eq. Moreover, the calculated damages of 1 kg oil production from olive kernel to human health, ecosystem quality, and resource depletion were 5.29 x 10(-7) DALY, 0.12 PDF center dot m(2)center dot yr., and 24.40 MJ, respectively

Promoters and Deterrents of Developing Mechanization of Peanut Cultivation in North of Iran

The increasing cost of peanut production is a major concern in Iran. Therefore, developing the mechanization of peanut production is a necessity. In this regard, a three-phase Delphi study was conducted to identify the promoting and deterring factors affecting peanut cultivation mechanization in Guilan Province, the main peanut-producing region in Iran. After preliminary studies, 26 experts were selected as respondents for the study. Based on the final results, ‘allocating provincial and national funds to develop mechanization’ (with the agreement of 98.07% of respondents), ‘Organizing training programs to increase farmers’ technical knowledge’ (97.12%), and ‘conducting the pilot and model projects’(95.19%) were found to be the most important promoting factors in developing peanut cultivation mechanization in north of Iran. Moreover, ‘the small size and fragmentation of peanut farms’ (with 96.15% of respondents agreeing), ‘problems with the national and provincial programs of peanut mechanization’ (95.19%), and ‘low technical knowledge of farmers and craftsmen about peanut farming mechanization’ (94.23%) were identified as the most important deterring factors in developing peanut cultivation mechanization in north of Iran. Given the small area dedicated to peanut cultivation and the low income levels of peanut farmers in north of Iran, it seems that provincial and national funding allocation and peer-planned programming to import appropriate farm machinery are the most urgent plans to improve the status of mechanization of peanut cultivation in north of Iran

Grain, milling, and head rice yields as affected by nitrogen rate and bio-fertilizer application

To evaluate the effects of nitrogen rate and bio-fertilizer application on grain, milling, and head rice yields, a field experiment was conducted at Rice Research Station of Tonekabon, Iran, in 2013. The experimental design was a factorial treatment arrangement in a randomized complete block with three replicates. Factors were three N rates (0, 75, and 150 kg ha-1) and two bio-fertilizer applications (inoculation and uninoculation with Nitroxin, a liquid bio-fertilizer containing Azospirillum spp. and Azotobacter spp. bacteria). Analysis of variance showed that rice grain yield, panicle number per m2, grain number per panicle, flag leaves area, biological yield, grains N concentration and uptake, grain protein concentration, and head rice yield were significantly affected by N rate, while bio-fertilizer application had significant effect on rice grain yield, grain number per panicle, flag leaves area, biological yield, harvest index, grains N concentration and uptake, and grain protein concentration. Results showed that regardless of bio-fertilizer application, rice grain and biological yields were significantly increased as N application rate increased from 0 to 75 kg ha-1, but did not significantly increase at the higher N rate (150 kg ha-1). Grain yield was significantly increased following bio-fertilizer application when averaged across N rates. Grains N concentration and uptake were significantly increased as N rate increased up to 75 kg ha-1, but further increases in N rate had no significant effect on these traits. Bio-fertilizer application increased significantly grains N concentration and uptake, when averaged across N rates. Regardless of bio-fertilizer application, head rice yield was significantly increased from 56 % to 60 % when N rate increased from 0 to 150 kg ha-1. Therefore, this experiment illustrated that rice grain and head yields increased with increasing N rate, while bio-fertilizer application increased only rice grain yield.</p

A Survey on the Current Status of Mechanization of Paddy Cultivation in Iran: Case of Guilan Province

This study investigated the status of mechanized power and self-propelled rice cultivation machinery in Guilan Province in northern Iran. The raw data was obtained from 2013 statistics of the Agricultural Jihad Organization of Guilan province. Power per unit of area, mechanization level, area per unit of self-propelled machinery, and mechanization requirement were calculated for eastern, western and central Guilan. The mean power per unit of area for eastern, western and central Guilan was 2.22, 2.07, and 3.09 hpha -1 , respectively. The total mechanization requirements were determined to be 0%, 73.39%, 99.28%, and 52.47% for land preparation, transplanting, weeding, and harvesting operations, respectively. The area per self-propelled rice machinery was 111.38, 3777.97, and 358.99 ha for rice transplanter, weeder, and combine harvester, respectively. This indicates that there is insufficient mechanization for rice weeding and that there is an urgent need to increase the machinery available for this agronomic operation in the paddy fields of Guilan Province