23 research outputs found

    Farm power availability for sustainable agriculture development in Punjab state of India

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    It has transforming from subsistence farming which was dependent on human and animals, to mechanized farming using inanimate power sources like tractors, diesel engines, electric motors, etc. In Punjab agriculture, the human and animal power has substantially reduced from 7.5 to 0.69 % and 73 to 0.61% respectively due to increase in mechanical power from 17 to 76 % and electrical power from 1.7 to 23.5 from 1960-61 to 2012-13. The intensity of farm power availability has increased from 0.37 to 5.68 kW ha-1 during the same period. Correspondingly there has been increase in the cropping intensity (112 to 196%), production (3.16 to 28.58 mt) and productivity (668 to 3638 kg ha-1) of total food grains

    Scaling Mechanization and Profitability in Maize Cultivation through Innovative Maize Planters along with Agroforestry Approach Sustainable and Climate Smart Approach to Diversify Rice Based Cereal Systems in Various Regions

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    Keeping in view declining water tables in India and across the world, low greenhouse gas (GHG) emission and global warming potential (GWP) for maize as compared to rice a study was done on maize planters along with agro forestry concept. The yield for inclined and vertical plate mechanism ranged between 4.96–7.71 t.ha−1 and 6.75–8.61 t.ha−1, respectively. The increase in maize yield in raised bed planters varied between 0.48–2.57 t.ha−1. The maximum yield was recorded from pneumatic raised bed planter with bed of 150 mm height and 711 mm top width (2 rows on each bed). The saving of irrigation water ranged between 9.68–23.69% for raised bed planting (150–290 mm) as compared to flat planting. The specific energy was found minimum for pneumatic raised bed and flat planter as 7.02 and 7.38 MJ.kg−1. The energy productivity was found maximum for pneumatic raised and flat planter as 0.14 Kg.MJ−1 (cost 12.60perhaand12.60 per ha and 9.33 per ha ) followed by raised bed inclined plate planter as 0.13 Kg.MJ−1 and were found economical as compared with ridger+manual sowing method (cost $77.62 per ha)

    Daksha: On Alert for High Energy Transients

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    We present Daksha, a proposed high energy transients mission for the study of electromagnetic counterparts of gravitational wave sources, and gamma ray bursts. Daksha will comprise of two satellites in low earth equatorial orbits, on opposite sides of earth. Each satellite will carry three types of detectors to cover the entire sky in an energy range from 1 keV to >1 MeV. Any transients detected on-board will be announced publicly within minutes of discovery. All photon data will be downloaded in ground station passes to obtain source positions, spectra, and light curves. In addition, Daksha will address a wide range of science cases including monitoring X-ray pulsars, studies of magnetars, solar flares, searches for fast radio burst counterparts, routine monitoring of bright persistent high energy sources, terrestrial gamma-ray flashes, and probing primordial black hole abundances through lensing. In this paper, we discuss the technical capabilities of Daksha, while the detailed science case is discussed in a separate paper.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figures, 1 table. Additional information about the mission is available at https://www.dakshasat.in

    Science with the Daksha High Energy Transients Mission

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    We present the science case for the proposed Daksha high energy transients mission. Daksha will comprise of two satellites covering the entire sky from 1~keV to >1>1~MeV. The primary objectives of the mission are to discover and characterize electromagnetic counterparts to gravitational wave source; and to study Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs). Daksha is a versatile all-sky monitor that can address a wide variety of science cases. With its broadband spectral response, high sensitivity, and continuous all-sky coverage, it will discover fainter and rarer sources than any other existing or proposed mission. Daksha can make key strides in GRB research with polarization studies, prompt soft spectroscopy, and fine time-resolved spectral studies. Daksha will provide continuous monitoring of X-ray pulsars. It will detect magnetar outbursts and high energy counterparts to Fast Radio Bursts. Using Earth occultation to measure source fluxes, the two satellites together will obtain daily flux measurements of bright hard X-ray sources including active galactic nuclei, X-ray binaries, and slow transients like Novae. Correlation studies between the two satellites can be used to probe primordial black holes through lensing. Daksha will have a set of detectors continuously pointing towards the Sun, providing excellent hard X-ray monitoring data. Closer to home, the high sensitivity and time resolution of Daksha can be leveraged for the characterization of Terrestrial Gamma-ray Flashes.Comment: 19 pages, 7 figures. Submitted to ApJ. More details about the mission at https://www.dakshasat.in

    Development of an Electronic Actuating Control Mechanism to Operate a Remotely Controlled 2-Wheel Rice Transplanter

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    Mechanical transplanters are adopted to reduce human drudgery in manual transplanting. Different types of manual and self-propelled paddy transplanters are commercially available. The human involvement is higher for operating a 2-wheel paddy transplanter operator has to walk 10-22 km behind the machine in a day in puddled field conditions under high temperature (38-440 C) and humid conditions (70-80% RH) in summer. Besides that, the operator has to walk within the 30 cm row width, which causes chafing between the thighs of an operator. To reduce the physical and physiological workload of an operator, an integrated control lever actuating mechanism with gear motors was developed to operate a 2-wheel paddy transplanter remotely. The inductive proximity sensors (SN04-N distance detector) were used to control the crank rotation position of the gear motors, motor drives (BTS 7960), and microcontroller (STM32F4) was used to connect with the auto-driver kit to control the motor mechanism and sensors. The auto-driver kit consisted of a variety of accessories, a physical programmable circuit board, and software, that runs on a PC, used to write and upload computer code as a simplified version of C++ to the physical board. Although the initial cost of the machine with the developed system has been increased up to 28%, but at the same time the effective field capacity has been increased from 0.158 ± 0.02 ha h-1 to 0.175 ± 0.04, resulting the area covered per day and per year has also increased up to 11%. With the development of remotely controlled system, the labor requirement has been reduced from 20± 1 to 13± 1 man h ha-1, which results reduction up to 40%. Moreover, the human fatigue in terms of physical and physiological work load involved while walking behind the transplanter has been eliminated at much extent. As compared to the existing walk-behind type paddy transplanter, the net profit with the developed system rise up to 18.50 to 26.61 % per year and a boost of  34.10 to 51.63% in benefit-cost ratio. Field evaluation of a developed remote-controlled system for a two-wheel rice transplanter would be viable, reducing fatigue among machine operators/farm workers while increasing work productivity and safety

    Attribute-based Coding of Vegetable Seedling Transplanting Machine

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    Various crop-, human-, and machine-specific features were searched from the literature and expressed in matrix form in the current study, which would be used to develop and refine vegetable transplanters for small and medium farms. The matrix represented the academic work of different researches. Each attribute, and attribute coding/grading were done based on their published values. The coded attributes were added up by publication and category so that the value and publication of each attribute could serve as information-base for design of need-based mechanical vegetable transplanter. Coding was divided into publication-based and category-based categories attributes. A total of 24 literatures with 35 attributes linked to vegetable transplanters were assessed, and a score of 175 was assigned. Type of vegetable, labour requirement, and metering mechanism got maximum grade points of 42, 22, and 84, respectively, under the defined crop, human, and machine-specific features. In modifying existing transplanting machines for better performance or designing new machinery for vegetable transplanting, the attribute coding/grading can be of assistance to the researchers /manufacturers

    Development and Evaluation of a Two-Row Revolving Magazine Type Vegetable Transplanter

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    A 2-row vegetable transplanter with revolving magazine type metering mechanism was developed and field evaluated for Brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) crop. The seedlings of brinjal crop were grown in 98 cell (single cell volume of 22 cm3) plug trays in soil less media. Plant missing varied from 2.22 to 4.44 per cent. Upright plants (plants having 00 to 300 planting angle), depth of planting, plant mortality after 20 days were in the range of 8590 %, 5 to 6 cm and 3.33 to 4 %, respectively. The average field capacity of the machine was 0.122 ha.h-1 for brinjal crop

    Komparativno ispitivanje tehnologije prskanja u pojasu pamuka u Pendžabu (Indija)

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    With advancement of spray technology and sprayers used on farmer’s field will vary significantly from each sprayer in terms of droplet size which ultimately determines its efficacy. Therefore, it is required to standardize and validate the efficient spray technology for enhancing the effectiveness of pesticides in cotton. For tractor operated gun sprayer, the field capacity was found higher due to its large coverage area around covering six to seven rows during one pass on one side i.e. 5.4 to 6.3 m. The operator speed was found to be around 1-1.6 km•h-1 and VMD, NMD and UC were found to be 125.71 μm, 33.91 μm, 3.73 respectively. Lesser droplets reach the lower side of the upper leaves where usually the white flies reside. The cost•h-1 for electrostatic sprayer may be high but the deposition efficiency and also the spatial distribution of deposited droplets throughout the plant canopy, particularly under plant leaves application where pests usually hide and reside was found maximum. Thus results in better bio-efficacy. The droplet sizes i.e. VMD, NMD and UC were found to be 52.66 μm, 21.79 μm and 2.54 respectively. Tractor mounted boom sprayer is a recommended technology and showed best results in terms of uniformity, droplet sizes, bio efficacy and high field capacity having VMD, NMD and UC of 124.12, 43.94 and 2.75 respectively. Battery operated knapsack sprayer have VMD, NMD and UC of 137.80μm, 37.01μm and 3.58 respectively but its field capacity was found to be least.Sa unapređenjem tehnologije prskanja i prskalica koje farmeri koriste na terenu, veličina kapljice, koja odlučujuće određuje efikasnost rada mašine, značajno se razlikuje kod svake prskalice. Zato je potrebno da se standardizuju i procene efikasne tehnologije prskanja za unapređenje efikasnosti primena pesticida u pamuku. Kod traktorskog rasprskivača utvrđen je viši poljski kapacitet zbog velike oblasti pokrivanja od šest do sedam redova u jednom prohodu na jednoj strani, odnosno 5.4 do 6.3 m. Radna brzina je iznosila 1-1.6 km•h-1, a VMD, NMD i UC su iznosili 125.71 μm, 33.91 μm i 3.73, redom. Manje kapljice stigle su do naličja gornjih listova gde obično žive bele muve. Troškovi na čas rada elektrostatičke prskalice mogu biti visoki, ali efikasnost taloženja i prostorna distribucija deponovanih kapljica po celoh biljci, posebno ispod lišća gde se štetočine obično kriju, bili su maksimalni. Ovo dovodi i do bolje bio-efikasnosti. Veličine kapljica, odnosno VMD, NMD i UC iznosili su 52.66 μm, 21.79 μm i 2.54, redom. Nošena traktorska prskalica se preporučuje jer je pokazala najbolje rezultate u smislu ujednačenosti, veličina kapljica, bio-efikasnosti i visokog poljskog kapaciteta, a VMD, NMD i UC su iznosili 124.12, 43.94 i 2.75, redom. Leđna prskalica sa baterijskim napajanjem je imala VMD, NMD i UC od 137.80 μm, 37.01 μm i 3.58, redom, ali je njen poljski kapacitet bio najmanji

    Odgovor kukuruza (Zea Mays l) na različite sejalice

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    Maize (Zea mays L) is one of the most versatile emerging crops having wider adaptability under varied agro-climatic conditions. Tillage and crop establishment is the key for achieving the optimum plant stand and the method of planting and machinery plays a vital role for better establishment of crop under a set of growing situation. Therefore, three planters namely tractor operated raised bed planter, inclined plate planter and manually operated multicrop planter were evaluated in field for sowing of maize. The mean quality of feed index was maximum for raised bed planter as 82.04% and for inclined plate planter and manually operated multicrop planter was 80.83% and 76.67% respectively. The mean multiple index for raised bed, inclined plate and manually operated multicrop planter was 9.26%, 6.39% and 10.75% respectively. The mean miss index for raised bed planter, inclined plate planter and manually operated multicrop planter were 8.70%, 12.78% and 12.58% respectively. The mean grain yield per ha was found maximum for raised bed maize planter as 7.017 t.ha-1 and for inclined plate planter and manually operated planter it was 5.778 t•ha-1 and 6.097 t•ha-1 respectively. The number of cobs per ha were also maximum for raised bed maize planter as 66,431 and for inclined and manually operated planter number of cobs per ha were 61,945 and 62,992 respectively. The per cent saving in labor cost and time in maize sown with raised bed planter was 89.90% and 91.80% as compared to maize sown with traditional manual method and was highest amongst three planters. There was saving of 10-15% water in maize sown with raised bed planter as compared to maize sown on flat with other planters.Kukuruz (Zea mays L) je jedan od najrasprostranjenijih useva koji se lako prilagođava različitim agro-klimatskim uslovima. Obrada i setva su ključni za postizanje optimalnog stanja useva. Zato su ovde ispitivane dve traktorske i jedna ručna sejalica. Indeks srednjeg kvaliteta bio je najveći kod setve u leje (82.04%), kod sejalice sa nagnutom pločom i ručne sejalice iznosio je 80.83% i 76.67%, redom. Srednji višestruki indeks za sve sejalice, istim redom, iznosio je 9.26%, 6.39% i 10.75%. Srednji indeks gubitaka bio je 8.70%, 12.78% i 12.58%, redom. Srednji prinos zrna bio je 7.017 t.ha-1, 5.778 t•ha-1 i 6.097 t•ha-1, redom. Broj klipova/ha iznosio je 66.4, 61.95 i 62.99, redom. Smanjenje troškova i vremena rada iznosilo je 89.9% i 91.8% u poređenju sa tradicionalnom ručnom setvom. Ušteda vode od 10-15% je ostvarena kod kukuruza sejanog sejalicom za leje u poređenju sa setvom na ravnu podlogu sa druge dve sejalice

    Development and Evaluation of Direct Paddy Seeder in Puddled Field

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    Manual transplanting, a pre-dominant practice in almost all the paddy growing areas in India, is laborious, burdensome, and has many expenses on raising, settling, and transplanting nursery. The transplanting process’s limitations motivated the replacement of conventional paddy transplanting methods. The study was divided into two phases. The first phase included laboratory testing of three levels of metering mechanisms, namely cell type (M1) with 10 cells grooved around a circular plate having a 13 cm diameter, inclined plate (M2) containing 24 U shaped cells provided on an 18 cm diameter plate, and fluted roller (M3) with 10 flutes on a 5 cm diameter shaft. The testing matrix included a missing index, multiple index, and seed damage with forward speeds (2.5, 3.0, and 3.5 km/h), and pre-germination levels of 24 h soaked (P1), 24 h pre-germinated (P2), and 36 h pre-germinated paddy seeds (P3)). The second phase included selecting the best combination obtained from the laboratory study and developing a new efficient planter for the puddled field. The inclined plate metering mechanism operating at 2.5 km/h for 24 h pre-germinated seeds was reported most efficient from the first phase. Therefore, a self-propelled 8-row planter equipped with an inclined plate metering mechanism having a row-to-row spacing of 22.5 cm was developed, fabricated, and evaluated in the puddled field. The designed planter was assessed on two different soils: sandy loom (ST1) and clay loom (ST2) and at two different hopper fill levels as ½ filled hopper (F1) and ¾ filled hopper (F2). The number of plants per square meter and hill-to-hill spacing was measured. The on-field evaluation revealed that the number of plants per square meter was non-significantly affected by the type of soil but was significantly affected by hopper fill
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