Modifying a John Deere 9410 Combine for Plot Harvest

The following is a report on modifying a John Deere 9410 combine for plot harvest by adding a HarvestMaster Model 800. The modification was done at the Iowa State University Ag Engineering/Agronomy Farm in the Ag Engineering shop. The decision to modify this combine was to replace a John Deere 4420 combine that had previously served as the plot harvest combine. Parts were becoming hard to find for the JD 4420, and the research farm currently owned a JD 9410. Parts should be available for several more years

Farm and Weather Summary, Ag Engineering Farm

Includes: Farm Comments Crop Season Comments Weather Comment

Farm and Weather Summary, Ag Engineering and Agronomy Farm

Includes: Farm Comments Crop Season Comments Weather Comment

Ag Engineering and Agronomy Farm and Central Iowa Research Farms Summary

Includes Ag Engineering and Agronomy Farm Farm and Weather Summary, Central Iowa Farms Farm and Weather Summary and Project List

Ag Engineering/Agronomy Farm and Central Iowa Farms Summary

Contains: Ag Engineering and Agronomy Farm Farm and Weather Summary Central Iowa Farms Farm and Weather Summary Project Lis

Pilot-Scale Denitrification Bioreactors for Replicated Field Research

Carbon-based denitrification bioreactors are designed to intercept tile drainage and are a promising technology for reducing NO3- export to surface water. While these systems have been tested extensively in the laboratory, the ability to study in-field bioreactors under controlled conditions with statistical replicates has been limited. Nine pilot-scale bioreactors (5.79 x 1.05 x 1.07 m) were designed and installed for systematic field testing, allowing for variation in retention time, fill material, and influent water quality parameters. Each bioreactor is constructed from a concrete trench in-line with influent flow control, dosing port, flow diffusion, and effluent water level control. Sampling ports are installed at two points in each bioreactor for access to water samples or fill materials. A potassium bromide (KBr) tracer study was conducted and Morrill Dispersion Index (MDI) values averaged 2.8 ± 0.3, indicating plug flow characteristics. The average tracer residence time () was 2.3 ± 0.3 h, in close agreement with the estimated hydraulic retention time (HRT) value of 2.1 ± 0.3 h, which was calculated using a porosity value of 0.70. Hydraulic efficiency was good (λ = 0.78 ± 0.03) and there was no evidence of short circuiting (S = 0.73 ± 0.03). This system is expected to provide useful insight regarding design for improved field performance of denitrification bioreactors