Research of Green Vegetable Cultivation Technology Under Photoculture Conditions in Irradiation Chamber

The object of the research in the chapter is green vegetable crops grown in a manmade environment. The purpose of the presented research is to study the process of growing plants in a man-made environment, the main influencing factor of which is the man-made sources (LEDs) emission, as well as to design and construct the installation (irradiation chamber) for implementation of the studied technology. The chapter presents the results of experiments conducted by a team of researchers, which allowed to determine the technological process indicators of growing green vegetable crops in a man-made environment, and also to develop designs for small-sized irradiation chambers with automatic control, both for laboratory research and for small business and private use. Studies were conducted in different regions of the country and combined the efforts of several scientific groups of researchers. The chapter presents the results of researching these areas conducted by the authors, which are completely original.

Monitoring the Condition of Mineral Nutrition of Crops Using UAV for Rational Use of Fertilizers

The reviewed problem deals with the metrological support of sensory equipment using cameras with standard and infrared lenses. The elaborated method to use UAVs for remote shooting of agricultural crops and obtaining images is to be used to determine the level of nitrogen provision for grain crops has been developed. For radiofrequency correction of lighting changes while mineral nutrition state monitoring, it is recommended to use a method with the application of official data to be calculated on the basis of camera's regular camera exposure meter measurements. It is advisable to use an infrared lens for monitoring the state of individual crops using digital non-specialized cameras instead of optical one. Exampling GoPro Hero 4 digital camera, it has been found that there are three channels to use IR lens which have the characteristics of fixing radiation either in the infrared range or in the red area of the optical range.

The Magnetic Treatment of Water Solutions and Seeds of Agricultural Crops

The reclamation of new areas and distant lands with limited energy and material resources demands using resource- and energy-saving technologies. One of such technologies can be magnetic treatment of irrigating water and artificial manure solutions, and presowing treatment of seeds of agricultural crops in magnetic field. The authors found that magnetic field accelerates the velocity of chemical reactions, enhances salts and fertilizers solvability, and increases oxygen concentration in a solution. Magnetic field improves membrane cells permeability which accelerates molecules and ions diffusion through it. This process improves the ability of a seed to absorb water and increases the concentration of oxygen in a cell. Presowing treatment of seeds increases their ability of germination by 26–50%, sprouting by 20–30%. The best regime of water solutions and seeds of agricultural crops treatment in magnetic field is when magnetic induction is 0.065 Tl and the velocity of a solution is 0.4 m/s.

Electro-Impulse Irreversible Plant Tissue Damage as Highly Efficient Agricultural Technology

The object of research in the chapter is the plant tissue of weeds, fruits, vegetables, melons, etc. The purpose of the presented research is to study the process of electro-impulsive irreversible damage of plant tissue as the basis for energy saving, efficient electro-technologies with minimal negative effects of chemical components on the environment and food products. The chapter presents the results of experiments carried out by the team of researchers that allowed it to determine the technological indices of the irreversible electro-impulse damage of plant tissue (weeds, fruits, vegetables, melons, etc.), which is the basis for developing the technology of electro-impulse destruction of weeds, electro-impulse plasmolysis of fruits and melons cultures. This research was conducted in the southern region of the country and combined the efforts of several scientific groups of researchers.

Application of Solutions of the Electrochemical Processed Mineral “Bishofit” in Plant Production

Hexaqua magnesium chlorine, bishofite, almost never occurred in the fossil salt deposits until recently, while industry has used artificially produced magnesium chloride. The discovery of bishofite deposits in the Lower Volga region (both for raw materials purity of MgCl2 up to 95-98%, and for reserves about 500 billion tons) was a unique event. The use of bischofite consists in the salt compositions of sand to protect roads from icing yet. The chapter represents the results summary of the bishofite solutions electrochemical processing with the purpose of obtaining solutions with the antibacterial properties complex the use of which can be recommended for pre-plant seeds treatment, plant protection from fungal effects, which allowed, as shown by experiments on the crops cultivation, to increase yields up to two-three times, and also to use for disinfection of domestic and industrial wastewater in agricultural enterprises. The technological characteristics of the using electrochemical device are considered in the chapter.

The Application of Electrophysical Effects in the Processing of Agricultural Materials

Crop production is largely associated with a number of external factors that affect productivity, quality, and cost of production. A significant part of the cost (20-40%) occurs on post-harvest processing, storage, and preparation for feeding. These processes include drying, decontamination, steaming, micronisation, etc. The chapter describes the electrotechnology impacts and their use in processes of grain processing. The chapter deals with the classification of electrophysical methods of influence, correlated with the processes in which they can be applied. It describes the required levels of exposure and the resulting values of productivity, intensity, and other parameters, qualitatively describing the specific processes. The factors which can positively affect grain production include the use of ozone, ions, infrared, and microwave fields.

Innovative Technologies for E-Learning of Safety of Agro-Industrial Production

An important factor of impact on the decrease in operational injuries is the high-quality and timely training, certification, preparation, and retraining of personnel in safety of production. Procedures of training and control of knowledge of various directions of safety of production are regulated by the existing normative documents developed by authors of the chapter . The systems of e-learning of personnel for safety of agro-industrial production have to be built in digital technologies of management of agro-industrial production and have the modular structure allowing the customization of systems on requirement of concrete production.

Analysis of Experimental Research Results Obtained for Grain Drying With Electrically Activated Air

This chapter presents an analysis of factors influencing the heat and moisture exchange for their further use in experimental research to study the process of grain drying with active ventilation. The temperature and velocity of the drying agent and grain moisture content are determined. One centimeter (1 cm) thick layer is considered to be a thin layer. This size appears to be very manageable to transfer the regularities of the drying process to a thicker layer when modeling the drying process in a thick layer. The experiment was carried out for three drying modes: classical mode (i.e., drying of grains with natural and heated air), with a constant concentration of air ions in the drying agent, with cyclic (periodic) presence of air ions in the drying agent. Using the regression equations produced a so-called electro-activation criterion can be described. The dependencies obtained would help to optimize the drying process with respect to drying time criterion.

Use of an Elastic-Damping Mechanism in the Tractor Transmission of a Small Class of Traction (14 kN)

Each modern tractor should be adapted to perform an increasing number of various traction, transportation, and other works. Therefore, their designs are becoming more complex. To improve tractor productivity, the power-to-weight ratio and the speed of its units are constantly increasing. This inevitably improves dynamic loading of the chassis and the transmission parts, the level of the generated oscillations, which increases the vibration load of the transmission. One of the promising ways to solve this problem is to introduce elastic links into the tractor transmission closer to an engine or a clutch. Installed closer to the engine, the elastic element in the transmission of the tractor absorbs the impact of the shocks, protecting the tractor engine from large dynamic loads. The material of the chapter contains studies confirming the efficiency of the use of an elastic mechanism (closer to the engine) in the tractor transmission of a small class of traction (14 kN).

Energy-Saving Electrical Installations for Heat Supply of Agricultural Objects

Electrical energy in the thermal processes of agricultural production has a number of technical and technological advantages in comparison with other energy carriers. At the same time, electricity is the most high-quality but expensive type of energy. The effective use of electrical energy in thermal processes is possible with the implementation of all its advantages over fuel energy. This requires a system of technical, economic, and energy analysis and the selection justification of the most effective systems and technical means of heat supply of stationary agricultural technological processes. The chapter presents functional and technological schemes, physical models, the experimentally obtained dependencies, parameters, and operating regimes of the developed energy-saving electrical equipment and systems for the main thermal technological processes.