scholarly journals Agricultural Robotics for Field Operations

Sensors ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (9) ◽  
pp. 2672 ◽  
Author(s):  
Spyros Fountas ◽  
Nikos Mylonas ◽  
Ioannis Malounas ◽  
Efthymios Rodias ◽  
Christoph Hellmann Santos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Crop Production ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Production Cycle ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
Agricultural Robots ◽  
Modern Agriculture ◽  
Sensing Systems ◽  
Crop Field ◽  
Agricultural Robotics ◽  
Product Interaction

Modern agriculture is related to a revolution that occurred in a large group of technologies (e.g., informatics, sensors, navigation) within the last decades. In crop production systems, there are field operations that are quite labour-intensive either due to their complexity or because of the fact that they are connected to sensitive plants/edible product interaction, or because of the repetitiveness they require throughout a crop production cycle. These are the key factors for the development of agricultural robots. In this paper, a systematic review of the literature has been conducted on research and commercial agricultural robotics used in crop field operations. This study underlined that the most explored robotic systems were related to harvesting and weeding, while the less studied were the disease detection and seeding robots. The optimization and further development of agricultural robotics are vital, and should be evolved by producing faster processing algorithms, better communication between the robotic platforms and the implements, and advanced sensing systems.

scholarly journals Encapsulation of Plant Biocontrol Bacteria with Alginate as a Main Polymer Material

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (20) ◽  
pp. 11165
Author(s):  
Roohallah Saberi Riseh ◽  
Yury A. Skorik ◽  
Vijay Kumar Thakur ◽  
Mojde Moradi Pour ◽  
Elahe Tamanadar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Crop Production ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Term Survival ◽  
Modern Agriculture ◽  
Biocontrol Bacteria ◽  
New Formulation ◽  
And Function ◽  
Bacterial Encapsulation

One of the most favored trends in modern agriculture is biological control. However, many reports show that survival of biocontrol bacteria is poor in host plants. Providing biocontrol agents with protection by encapsulation within external coatings has therefore become a popular idea. Various techniques, including extrusion, spray drying, and emulsion, have been introduced for encapsulation of biocontrol bacteria. One commonly used biopolymer for this type of microencapsulation is alginate, a biopolymer extracted from seaweed. Recent progress has resulted in the production of alginate-based microcapsules that meet key bacterial encapsulation requirements, including biocompatibility, biodegradability, and support of long-term survival and function. However, more studies are needed regarding the effect of encapsulation on protective bacteria and their targeted release in organic crop production systems. Most importantly, the efficacy of alginate use for the encapsulation of biocontrol bacteria in pest and disease management requires further verification. Achieving a new formulation based on biodegradable polymers can have significant effects on increasing the quantity and quality of agricultural products.

ABOUT SYNTHESIS OF ROBOTIC AGRICULTURE MOBILE MACHINE

1970 ◽  
pp. 63-68
Author(s):  
А. Yu. Izmaylov ◽  
Ya. Р. Lobachevsky ◽  
V. К. Khoroshenkov ◽  
N. Т. Goncharov ◽  
Е. S. Luzhnova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Production ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Automatic Monitoring ◽  
Production Costs ◽  
Global Perspective ◽  
Production Cycle ◽  
Field Crop ◽  
Agricultural Producers ◽  
Technological Processes ◽  
Crop Field

The issues related to the creation of a robotic agricultural mobile unit for the implementation of basic technological processes in the production of products in the field crop field are considered. Functional schemes of various subsystems necessary for monitoring and managing the power, technological and operational modes of a robotic agricultural unit are proposed. On the basis of the analysis of the task assigned to control processes using microprocessor blocks, algorithms are proposed both for the complex as a whole and for individual mechanisms and machines that make up a mobile power tool equipped with various machines designed to perform a number of technological operations for the production of field crop production . The article also deals with issues related to obtaining and transferring information for agronomical and engineering services and optimizing the use of machinery in the farm and improving the efficiency of the entire production cycle. Global perspective of robotic implementation in agriculture are boiled down to possibility of following objectives: creation of the automatic monitoring and predicting systems, reduction of the agricultural production costs, technological processes qualitative indicators improvement, reducing the environmental stress of agricultural production, improving the competitiveness of medium and small agricultural producers, as well as enhance ecological and technological safety. Scientific researches in robotic field should be supported by the State.

Evaluation of Zeolite-based Soilless Root Media for Potted Chrysanthemum Production

HortScience ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 465e-465
Author(s):  
Janet L. Carlino ◽  
Kimberly A. Williams ◽  
Earl R. Allen
Keyword(s):  
Crop Production ◽  
Dry Mass ◽  
Nutrient Leaching ◽  
Fresh Mass ◽  
Production Cycle ◽  
Control Medium ◽  
Fertilizer Rate ◽  
Innovative Technologies ◽  
Root Media ◽  
Soluble Fertilizer

Chrysanthemum growth and nutrient leaching of three clinoptilolite-based root media, which were formulated and provided by Boulder Innovative Technologies, Inc. and ZeoponiX, Inc., were compared to the performance of control plants grown in Sunshine Mix #2 (3 peat: 1 perlite, v/v). The control received 210 mg·L–1 N from an 18N–4P–15K soluble fertilizer at each irrigation. The experimental zeolite-based medium NZ, which contained untreated zeolite and received the same soluble fertilizer as the control, leached lower concentrations of NH4-N, K, and PO4-P for most of the production cycle compared to the control. Medium EZ1 was formulated to provide N, P, and K as fertilizer nutrients and produced plants similar to the control based on ratings, height, width, and dry mass, but not fresh mass, at harvest when the fertilizer rate was half of that applied to the control, 105 mg·L–1 N. Medium EZ2, which did not receive P or K from soluble fertilizer, produced plants similar to the control based on rating, height, and dry mass, but not width or fresh mass, with soluble fertilizer input reduced to only N. Tissue N, P, and K concentrations of plants grown in media EZ1 and EZ2 were lower than those of control plants. With further refinements, these zeolite-based products show promise for decreasing nutrient leaching during crop production and allowing for application of lower rates of soluble fertilizers.

Assessment of Irrigation Quality of Disposal Water of Ashuganj-Polash Agro-Irrigation Project, Brahmanbaria Bangladesh

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (04) ◽  
Author(s):  
ABDUR RAZZAK ◽  
PARSA SANJANA ◽  
BELAL HOSSAIN ◽  
DEBJIT ROY ◽  
BIDHAN CHANDRA NATH
Keyword(s):  
Soil Sample ◽  
Water Samples ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Soil Samples ◽  
Chemistry Laboratory ◽  
Total Hardness ◽  
Sodium Absorption ◽  
Irrigation Project ◽  
Crop Field ◽  
Initial Soil

The study was conducted at Ashuganj-Polash agro-irrigation project (APAIP), Brahmanbaria,aim to determine the chemical properties of power plant disposal water and to assess its suitability for irrigation. Initial soil samples (before irrigating crop field) and final soil samples (after crop harvesting) were collected. During irrigation ten water samples (six from crop field and four from irrigation canals) were collected for analysis. All soil samples were analyzed in Humboldt soil testing laboratory and water samples in bio-chemistry laboratory of Bangladesh Agricultural University and compared to FAO irrigation standard. Results show thatthe sodium absorption ratio (SAR) (0.53 to 0.88), residual sodium bi-carbonate (0.8 to 1.3meq L-1), Kelly’s ratio (0.31 to 0.6) and total hardness (85 to 150) found in normal range and largely suitable for irrigation. Soluble sodium percentage values found in satisfactory (20.26 to 41.1) level and magnesium absorption (57.1 to 76.4) found unsuitable for irrigation. Statistically similar value of pH, EC, total nitrogen, organic carbon, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus in initial and final soil sample were observed. But potassium and sulfur value reduced in final soil sample from initial soil. The water samples fall within the permissible limit and found suitable for crop production

scholarly journals Semi-Transparent Organic Photovoltaics Applied as Greenhouse Shade for Spring and Summer Tomato Production in Arid Climate

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1152
Author(s):  
Rebekah Waller ◽  
Murat Kacira ◽  
Esther Magadley ◽  
Meir Teitel ◽  
Ibrahim Yehia
Keyword(s):  
Solar Radiation ◽  
Organic Photovoltaics ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
High Light ◽  
Growth And Yield ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Tomato Crop ◽  
Tomato Production ◽  
Control Section

Recognizing the growing interest in the application of organic photovoltaics (OPVs) with greenhouse crop production systems, in this study we used flexible, roll-to-roll printed, semi-transparent OPV arrays as a roof shade for a greenhouse hydroponic tomato production system during a spring and summer production season in the arid southwestern U.S. The wavelength-selective OPV arrays were installed in a contiguous area on a section of the greenhouse roof, decreasing the transmittance of all solar radiation wavelengths and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) wavelengths (400–700 nm) to the OPV-shaded area by approximately 40% and 37%, respectively. Microclimate conditions and tomato crop growth and yield parameters were measured in both the OPV-shaded (‘OPV’) and non-OPV-shaded (‘Control’) sections of the greenhouse. The OPV shade stabilized the canopy temperature during midday periods with the highest solar radiation intensities, performing the function of a conventional shading method. Although delayed fruit development and ripening in the OPV section resulted in lower total yields compared to the Control section (24.6 kg m−2 and 27.7 kg m−2, respectively), after the fourth (of 10 total) harvests, the average weekly yield, fruit number, and fruit mass were not significantly different between the treatment (OPV-shaded) and control group. Light use efficiency (LUE), defined as the ratio of total fruit yield to accumulated PAR received by the plant canopy, was nearly twice as high as the Control section, with 21.4 g of fruit per mole of PAR for plants in the OPV-covered section compared to 10.1 g in the Control section. Overall, this study demonstrated that the use of semi-transparent OPVs as a seasonal shade element for greenhouse production in a high-light region is feasible. However, a higher transmission of PAR and greater OPV device efficiency and durability could make OPV shades more economically viable, providing a desirable solution for co-located greenhouse crop production and renewable energy generation in hot and high-light intensity regions.

scholarly journals Precision agriculture and geospatial techniques for sustainable disease control

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel P. Roberts ◽  
Nicholas M. Short ◽  
James Sill ◽  
Dilip K. Lakshman ◽  
Xiaojia Hu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Big Data ◽  
Disease Control ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Plant Disease ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Data Driven ◽  
Agricultural Community ◽  
Plant Disease Control ◽  
Crop Germplasm

AbstractThe agricultural community is confronted with dual challenges; increasing production of nutritionally dense food and decreasing the impacts of these crop production systems on the land, water, and climate. Control of plant pathogens will figure prominently in meeting these challenges as plant diseases cause significant yield and economic losses to crops responsible for feeding a large portion of the world population. New approaches and technologies to enhance sustainability of crop production systems and, importantly, plant disease control need to be developed and adopted. By leveraging advanced geoinformatic techniques, advances in computing and sensing infrastructure (e.g., cloud-based, big data-driven applications) will aid in the monitoring and management of pesticides and biologicals, such as cover crops and beneficial microbes, to reduce the impact of plant disease control and cropping systems on the environment. This includes geospatial tools being developed to aid the farmer in managing cropping system and disease management strategies that are more sustainable but increasingly complex. Geoinformatics and cloud-based, big data-driven applications are also being enlisted to speed up crop germplasm improvement; crop germplasm that has enhanced tolerance to pathogens and abiotic stress and is in tune with different cropping systems and environmental conditions is needed. Finally, advanced geoinformatic techniques and advances in computing infrastructure allow a more collaborative framework amongst scientists, policymakers, and the agricultural community to speed the development, transfer, and adoption of these sustainable technologies.

Effects of cereal rye seeding rate on waterhemp (Amaranthus tuberculatus) emergence and soybean growth and yield

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-25
Author(s):  
Mandy Bish ◽  
Brian Dintelmann ◽  
Eric Oseland ◽  
Jacob Vaughn ◽  
Kevin Bradley
Keyword(s):  
Crop Production ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Soil Seed Bank ◽  
Linear Regression Analysis ◽  
Growth And Yield ◽  
Seeding Rate ◽  
Early Season ◽  
Cereal Rye ◽  
Herbicide Resistant ◽  
Growing Seasons

Abstract The evolution of herbicide-resistant weeds has resulted in the necessity to integrate non-chemical control methods with chemicals for effective management in crop production systems. In soybean, control of the pigweed species, particularly herbicide-resistant waterhemp and Palmer amaranth, have become predominant concerns. Cereal rye planted as a winter cover crop can effectively suppress early-season weed emergence in soybean, including waterhemp, when planted at a rate of 123 kg ha−1. The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of different cereal rye seeding rates (0, 34, 56, 79, 110, and 123 kg ha−1) on early-season waterhemp suppression and soybean growth and yield. Soybean was planted into fall-seeded cereal rye, which was terminated within four days of soybean planting. The experiment was conducted over the 2018, 2019, and 2020 growing seasons in Columbia, Missouri. Effects of cereal rye on early-season waterhemp suppression varied by year and were most consistent at 56 kg ha−1 or higher seeding rates. Linear regression analysis of cereal rye biomass, height, or stand at soybean planting showed inverse relationships with waterhemp emergence. No adverse effects to soybean growth or yield were observed at any of the cereal rye seeding rates relative to plots that lacked cereal rye cover. Result differences among the years suggest that the successfulness of cereal rye on suppression of early-season waterhemp emergence is likely influenced by the amount of waterhemp seed present in the soil seed bank.

scholarly journals Concept and Realization of a Novel Test Method Using a Dynamic Test Stand for Detecting Persons by Sensor Systems on Autonomous Agricultural Robotics

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (7) ◽  
pp. 2315
Author(s):  
Christian Meltebrink ◽  
Tom Ströer ◽  
Benjamin Wegmann ◽  
Cornelia Weltzien ◽  
Arno Ruckelshausen
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Dynamic Test ◽  
Test Methods ◽  
Test Stand ◽  
Human Detection ◽  
Test Method ◽  
Sensor Systems ◽  
Functional Safety ◽  
Agricultural Robots ◽  
Agricultural Robotics

As an essential part for the development of autonomous agricultural robotics, the functional safety of autonomous agricultural machines is largely based on the functionality and robustness of non-contact sensor systems for human protection. This article presents a new step in the development of autonomous agricultural machine with a concept and the realization of a novel test method using a dynamic test stand on an agricultural farm in outdoor areas. With this test method, commercially available sensor systems are tested in a long-term test around the clock for 365 days a year and 24 h a day on a dynamic test stand in continuous outdoor use. A test over a longer period of time is needed to test as much as possible all occurring environmental conditions. This test is determined by the naturally occurring environmental conditions. This fact corresponds to the reality of unpredictable/determinable environmental conditions in the field and makes the test method and test stand so unique. The focus of the developed test methods is on creating own real environment detection areas (REDAs) for each sensor system, which can be used to compare and evaluate the autonomous human detection of the sensor systems for the functional safety of autonomous agricultural robots with a humanoid test target. Sensor manufacturers from industry and the automotive sector provide their sensor systems to have their sensors tested in cooperation with the TÜV.

scholarly journals Revisiting Sulphur—The Once Neglected Nutrient: It’s Roles in Plant Growth, Metabolism, Stress Tolerance and Crop Production

Agriculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 626
Author(s):  
Tinashe Zenda ◽  
Songtao Liu ◽  
Anyi Dong ◽  
Huijun Duan
Keyword(s):  
Plant Growth ◽  
Abiotic Stresses ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Crop Productivity ◽  
Plant Phenotyping ◽  
Special Importance ◽  
Nutrient Deficiencies ◽  
Sulphur Nutrition ◽  
Physiological Processes

Sulphur plays crucial roles in plant growth and development, with its functions ranging from being a structural constituent of macro-biomolecules to modulating several physiological processes and tolerance to abiotic stresses. In spite of these numerous sulphur roles being well acknowledged, agriculture has paid scant regard for sulphur nutrition, until only recently. Serious problems related to soil sulphur deficiencies have emerged and the intensification of food, fiber, and animal production is escalating to feed the ever-increasing human population. In the wake of huge demand for high quality cereal and vegetable diets, sulphur can play a key role in augmenting the production, productivity, and quality of crops. Additionally, in light of the emerging problems of soil fertility exhaustion and climate change-exacerbated environmental stresses, sulphur assumes special importance in crop production, particularly under intensively cropped areas. Here, citing several relevant examples, we highlight, in addition to its plant biological and metabolism functions, how sulphur can significantly enhance crop productivity and quality, as well as acclimation to abiotic stresses. By this appraisal, we also aim to stimulate readers interests in crop sulphur research by providing priorities for future pursuance, including bettering our understanding of the molecular processes and dynamics of sulphur availability and utilization in plants, dissecting the role of soil rhizospherical microbes in plant sulphur transformations, enhancing plant phenotyping and diagnosis for nutrient deficiencies, and matching site-specific crop sulphur demands with fertilizer amendments in order to reduce nutrient use inefficiencies in both crop and livestock production systems. This will facilitate the proper utilization of sulphur in crop production and eventually enhance sustainable and environmentally friend food production.

scholarly journals Kinetics of slow release of nitrogen fertiliser from multi-layered nanofibrous structures

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Leila Javazmi ◽  
Anthony Young ◽  
Gavin J. Ash ◽  
Tobias Low
Keyword(s):  
Crop Production ◽  
Slow Release ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Single Layer ◽  
Middle Layer ◽  
Modern Agriculture ◽  
Triple Layer ◽  
Urea Release ◽  
Electrospun Nanofibres ◽  
Kinetics Of

AbstractFertilisers are essential in modern agriculture to enhance plant growth, crop production and product quality. Recent research has focused on the development of delivery systems designed to prolong fertiliser release. This study introduces a new technology to encapsulate and release molecules of fertilisers by using multi-layered electrospun nanofibre as a carrier. Single-layer poly L-lactic acid (PLLA) nanofibres loaded with urea were fabricated using electrospinning. Triple-layer nanofibrous structures were produced by electrospinning polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) nanofibres as external layers with PLLA nanofibres impregnated with urea fertiliser as the middle layer. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometry (FTIR) were employed to characterize the morphology of electrospun nanofibres. Urea release dynamic was analysed using a total nitrogen instrument (TNM-1). The results indicated that triple-layered urea-impregnated nanofibrous structures led to lower initial rate of nitrogen release and slower release rate of cumulative nitrogen which extended for more than three months. It is concluded that triple-layer nanofibrous structures have the potential for slow release delivery of fertilisers.

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