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Across Ontario, Canada, there are over 30 000 km of transmission line corridors. With proper planning and ongoing maintenance and monitoring, these corridors have the potential to be transformed into native meadow, offering vital pathways connecting natural heritage systems and supporting wildlife movement, while promoting biodiversity, natural functions, and ecosystem health. In 2019, seeding trials were established in the Gatineau Hydro Corridor in east Toronto where a long-term meadow creation project (The Meadoway) is ongoing, to evaluate the effectiveness of herbicide treatment (glyphosate), sowing method, and sowing season on seeding success with the goal of informing site-specific meadow creation techniques. Seed mixes included a variety of native grasses and forbs and were dominated by copper savannah grass (Sorghastrum nutans), big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii), little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), and switch grass (Panicum virgatum). Overall, fall or winter seeding with herbicide led to the highest seeding success. There was no difference in the effectiveness of hand seeding or using the seed drill. The results of this work provide valuable insights into effective seeding techniques to improve seeding success and also highlight the benefits of in situ experimentation to inform meadow creation techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the determinants of changes in agricultural technology in Vietnamese rice-growing households. The double-hurdle estimation developed in this study proved to be an efficient method for determining how and to what extent changes in agricultural technology had been influenced by various factors while also allowing correlation between farmers' choices. We found evidence of a persistent increase in the use of improved seeds and machinery. In contrast, the previous upward trend in the use of fertilisers and pesticides was recently reversed. Farmers' decisions to adopt and use these four agricultural technologies are highly correlated with farm size, input and output prices, and macroeconomic conditions. Our findings also confirm a simultaneous relationship between the decisions to apply agricultural practices. When promoting new agricultural technologies, follow-up policy interventions should account for these characteristics of individual smallholders' decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To address the problems of the inaccurate seeding rate and uneven seeding in the process of dense planting of winter wheat in Xinjiang, according to the physical characteristics of the wheat seeds and the agronomic requirements of the high-yield cultivation techniques for the winter wheat "well" type, a double-hole wheel-type densely planted wheat hole sower was designed and produced. Through theoretical design and research, the structural design of the overall hole seeder and its key components was completed. The findings indicated that 5–7 wheat seeds could be planted in each hole at a 9.2 mm nest depth and 610 mm3 nest volume, which was consistent with the "well"-type high-yield dense-planting cultivation technology's need for 400,000–500,000 basic seedlings per mu. The rotation speed and the quantity of the wave guide teeth were used as test factors and the qualifying index, replay index, and missed sowing index were used as test indicators to create the two-factor, three-level central composite design center combination test. It was possible to derive the mathematical model connecting the test factors and test indexes. The regression model underwent multi-objective optimization using the Design-Expert 13 program to determine the optimal parameters: the qualifying index was 91.24%, the replay index was 6.14%, and the missed seeding index was 2.62% when the wave guide rail had four teeth and the seed drill rotated at a speed of 40 revolutions per minute. The best parameter combinations were used for a bench verification test, and the test indicated that the qualified index was 90.25%, the replay index was 4.59%, and the missed broadcast index was 5.16%. The results demonstrated that the densely planted wheat hole seeder performs well, satisfies the requirements for winter wheat dense-planting and sowing operations, and serves as a model for the densely planted wheat hole seeders that will be optimized in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigating the seeding mechanism of precision seeders is of great significance for improving the quality of cotton sowing operations. This paper designs a rotary type-hole cotton precision mulching dibbler. The main factors influencing the entry of cotton seeds into the seed wheel holes during the seeding process are then theoretically analyzed. Following this, an accurate discrete element model of coated cotton seeds is established and combined with a discrete element method (DEM) and multi-body dynamics (MBD)-coupled simulation model of the seed drill for seed picking and planting. Simulation experiments on the seeding performance of the precision dibbler were performed to study the influence of the seed wheel structure and motion parameters on the picking and planting performance under different speeds. The optimal parameter combination for the seed wheel is obtained through optimization experiments, and a precision dibbler is manufactured for bench testing. The bench test results are consistent with the simulation test results. At the precision dibbler rotation speed of 16 r/min, the qualified index reaches a maximum value of 93.28%, the skip sowing index increases with the precision dibbler rotation speed, and the re-sowing index decreases as the speed increases. These optimization results significantly improved seeding precision and efficiency and are of great significance for the reliability and effectiveness of cotton sowing operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The breakthrough of articulated tractors has led to a significant increase in productivity and a cost reduction of agricultural operations. The performance of the tractor implement system depends on the understanding of the tractors’ energy parameters. Fertilizer seeders operate between 6 and 9 km h-1, while seed drills allow higher speeds. Increasing sowing speed improves operational efficiency. However, it is important to adequately set the machinery, to optimize the energy parameters, considering the balance between productivity and sustainability. This study evaluated the energy and operating parameters of a 398kW articulated agricultural tractor in a sowing operation at different speeds. The experiment was conducted in a complete randomized block design. Five theoretical speeds were chosen for the sowing operation (6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 km h-1), with seven replications (35 units). The tractor operating parameters were measured: operational speed, slippage, engine speed, hourly fuel consumption, engine thermal efficiency, specific fuel consumption, drawbar force, drawbar efficiency, fuel consumption per area and field operating capacity. The data were subjected to normality test, when significant, variance analysis. Results showed high field capacity in the highest speed and low fuel consumption per area at the highest speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Groundnut is a prominent oilseed crop in India but its productivity is far below the potential yield because of lack of knowledge along with adoption of enhanced varieties and technologies. The technology gap is a main issue in the production of groundnut in North Eastern zone of Tamil Nadu State in which Cuddalore district falls. A scientific and systematic effort was made to study the impact on yield by assessing the technological gap present in several components of the groundnut cultivation through cluster frontline demonstrations with scientific technologies. Methods: Cluster frontline demonstrations were implemented in groundnut to improve the production potential of improved varieties and new technologies through Krishi Vigyan Kendra. The study with one of its objectives to assess yield and technology gap in groundnut was conducted with 175 demonstrations during the period from 2020-21 to 2022-23 covering seven blocks in an area of 70 hectares in the Cuddalore district following cluster random sampling method. Groundnut varieties VRI 8 and VRI 10 along with improved technologies were demonstrated in the farmer’s field by providing necessary critical inputs along with seed drill sowing. Result: There resulted 53.34 per cent rise in yield as observed in demonstration plots over farmers’ practices in groundnut. The study revealed that in groundnut, the average extension gap of 13.95 q/ha, the average technology gap of 14.52 q/ha and the average technology index of demonstrations is 26.41 per cent. The higher average net returns (Rs. 149758/ha) were recorded in the demonstration plot (BCR 2.4) compared to the farmers’ plot. The sustainability yield index (SYI) and Sustainability Value Index (SVI) in demo plots are higher consistently than in farmers’ plots mainly due to the effect of cluster frontline demonstrations with the proper application of inputs/technologies viz., VRI 8 and VRI 10 varieties, treatment of seed by using bio-fertilizers, biocontrol agents, a test of soil based nutrient management, application of TNAU crop booster groundnut rich and gypsum application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper primarily presents statistics on the variation of physical characteristics (dimensions and mass) for the coulter discs of double-disc seeders. This statistic was calculated based on actual measurements of the probability density and cumulative probability for the mass of the discs, their average thickness, and outer diameter. These parameters (m = 4000 g, g = 4 mm, D = 380 mm) are tracked from the design phase to the actual realization phase, being the parameters specified in the purchase phase by users from agricultural machinery distributors. The standard deviation and deviation from the mean for a cumulative normal (Gaussian) distribution were calculated, and an analysis was made for the decrease of the mentioned parameters in discs already used for sowing cereals on an area of 80 hectares, due to the wear that appeared as a trace of the contact with the soil and the abrasive wear caused by it. Testing of disk parameters using both logarithmic and Gaussian distributions was performed, and test results are presented through appropriate graphs. With small deviations (which appeared for known or unknown reasons), it can be stated that the distribution of the mentioned parameters is generally a normal-type distribution. If the new discs are 15″ in diameter, experts recommend that they be replaced when they reach a diameter of less than 14.5 inches. This study can provide a reference for improving the physical characteristics of opener discs of seed drills in no-till conditions and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: Sowing Rapeseed. The direct sowing of rapeseed requires shallow tillage for stubble removal, which can cause significant vibrations that impact the seed metering device, thereby affecting the quality of seeding. This study focuses on a double-row hole-wheel-type seed metering device on the 2BYG-220 type combined rapeseed planter. Initially, vibrations experienced by the seed drill during field operations were measured and analyzed, revealing that the vibration frequencies during field operations predominantly ranged between 0 and 25 Hz. Consequently, an eccentric wheel–return-spring-type vibration seed metering test rig was designed, manufactured, and set up. By swapping out the eccentric wheel on the test rig, the amplitude was mainly concentrated within 3 mm. The test results indicate that amplitude had a minimal impact on the performance of the double-row hole-wheel-type rapeseed seed metering device, whereas vibration frequency had a more significant effect. When the vibration frequency was between 0 and 10 Hz, the seed metering device maintained a stable output between 7.6 and 8.2 g/min, with minimal impact from vibrations: the coefficient of variation for seeding uniformity ranged between 35.81% and 44.58%, indicating stability and good uniformity. However, when the vibration frequency ranged from 10 to 24 Hz, the output of the seed metering device decreased rapidly and exhibited a linear relationship with frequency changes, with a determination coefficient (R2) of 0.92376. The coefficient of variation for seeding uniformity increased rapidly and also showed a linear relationship with frequency changes, with a determination coefficient (R2) of 0.87973. Vibrations with frequencies greater than 10 Hz had a considerable impact on the performance of the seed metering device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The three-point hitch, found on agricultural tractors, facilitates the raising and lowering of an attached implement. Some tractors include a rock shaft that comprises a physical shaft that interconnects and facilitates the raising and lowering of the lower arms of the three-point hitch in a synchronized manner. In this study, we deal with a hitch system with the lower arms actuated by two independent hydraulic cylinders. This innovative tractor hitch system design allows the implement to follow the terrain, instead of the tractor, about the fore–aft (roll) axis of the tractor. However, since the two lower arms are independent, a specialized controller is needed to move these arms in unison. First, we present a position controller for individual arms and a roll controller to move these arms together. Second, we present a unique algorithm to emulate a physical rock shaft while the implement is operating in float mode. The algorithm ensures that the implement does not roll around the fore–aft axis while making sure it moves up and down vertically to follow the terrain. We present experimental results from the step response of the hitch system's height while tracking a velocity reference. With the roll of the implement defined as the difference between the left arm's position in percentage and that of the right arm in percentage, we observe that the largest mean roll was 0.23% with a flail mower attached and 0.26% without any implement. We then present results from the implement's position in the float mode when the software rock shaft was activated and compare them with the case without the software rock shaft. The experiments showed that, when the software rock shaft was turned on, the mean roll reduced from 4.64% to 0.58% with a seed drill implement and from −3.99% to −0.59% with a flail mower implement. The standard deviations in these two implement cases improved from 16.77% to 2.79% and 6.45% to 3.53%, respectively, proving the effectiveness of the software rock shaft and its potential to replace the physical rock shaft found on the traditional tractors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coverage path planning is a central task in agricultural field operations such as tillage, planting, cultivation, and harvesting. In future visions, manual operation will be replaced by fleets of autonomous agricultural vehicles that perform the tasks autonomously. A step towards this transition is to enable simultaneous and safe cooperation of autonomous vehicles on the field. In this article a novel approach is presented for coverage path planning (CPP) for two autonomous tractors that perform sequentially dependent tasks simultaneously on the same area. The approach is based on the idea of computing the coverage solutions for each task by dividing them into short paths that consist of a swath and a turn. The approach ensures collision avoidance by examining that the simultaneous short paths, operated by different tractors, do not collide geometrically, and then schedules them to be operated simultaneously in real-time. The approach was demonstrated successfully in a real-world test environment with two autonomous tractors. The tractor that performed the first task was equipped with a disc cultivator and the second tractor was equipped with a seed drill. A test area of 0.8 ha was used for the demonstration drive, during which the tractors drove 22 swaths simultaneously. Both tractors completed their respective tasks. • We present the problem of sequentially dependent coverage path planning. • Sequentially dependent coverage tasks are performed simultaneously on the same area. • A novel algorithm for solving this problem for two autonomous tractors. • The algorithm solves and schedules non-conflicting paths in real-time online. • Successful collision-free completion of autonomous operation in a field test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current climatological context, where land irrigation is increasingly required and present, the management of sowing in the field becomes a process with an absolute need for precision. Sowing, regardless of the crop, variety or hybrid, must be done with the utmost care and with advanced (performance) technologies to maximize the potential of the plants through the growing season. Thus, the pre-establishment and management of the sowing furrows as well as the performance of the tractor - seeder (sowing machine) gearing (assembly) become essential factors in carrying out this precision operation. Thanks to irrigation under the pivot we distinguish (identify) a new category of sowing, in a circle, which absolutely needs a perfect control of the sowing dose at the section level as well as a self-guiding system, installed on the tractor, with a precision signal under 2 cm - RTK precision signal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The indicators of work quality, technological and of use of the seed drill Jumil JM 2040 PO was evaluated in the sowing of corn like covering crop for the development of the Conservation Agriculture in the Base Unit of the IAgric in Pulido, province Artemisa. The indicators were determined according to the methodology contained in the normative procedures in use in the IAgric. As a result, was verified that the seed drill is coupled appropriately to a tractor of 75 cv., developing a speed of displacement of 6 km/h; depositing the seed to an average depth of 4.4 cm and 4.29 seeds for lineal meter. The seed drill fulfilled appropriately the sowing of corn like covering crop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The factors influencing on seed germination and wheat yield are such as the optimum use of tillage and seeding methods. This study was a randomized complete block experimental design with four treatments and four replications to determine the suitable tillage method for a grain drill with bent leg opener (bent leg grain drill) and also determine the effect of these implements on soil moisture conservation and rainfed wheat yield in dry soil conditions. Treatments were seeding wheat by a bent leg grain drill in four tillage application of direct seeding (no-tillage), bent leg tillage (reduced tillage), bent leg tillage + disc (reduced tillage), and chisel plough + disc (conventional tillage). Results indicated that tillage methods and seeding wheat by the bent leg grain drill affected residue remained on the soil surface, soil bulk density, soil moisture, seedling emergence percent and wheat yield. Reduce tillage by the bent leg tillage implement and seeding by the bent leg grain drill increased residue remained on the soil surface (31%), seedling emergence (26%), soil moisture conservation before harvesting (22.9%), and wheat yield (19.8%) compared to the conventional tillage. The bent leg tillage provides a proper seedbed for seeding wheat with less passes of tractor in dry soil conditions. The results show that the technology of bent leg tillage and bent leg grain drill has the potential to increase soil moisture conservation and wheat yield in rainfed conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A factorial pots experiment (2x2x4) was carried out using completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications, in Qlyasan Research Station / College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences / University of Sulaimani during Nov.25,2018 and Jun.2,2019, to determine the effects of seed bank sterilization, wheat seed cleaning and soil of different four locations and their interactions on weed control, yield of bread wheat Triticum aestivum L. (var. Adana) and yield components. The first factor was wheat seeds, machinery cleaned seeds (A1) and non-cleaned seeds (A2), the second factor was soil sterilization: sterilized soil (S1) and non-sterilized soil (S2), while the third factor was soils from four different locations: Qlyasan (L1), Kani Panka (L2), Halabja (L3) and Chamchamal (L4). Results showed that machinery seed cleaning decreased weed dry weight (WDW), and increased number of spikes (NS), total spikes weight (TSW), and grain yield (GY). Soil sterilization decreased WDW and increased plant height (PH), NS, TSW, and grain yield. L2and L4 recorded the lowest WDW, and L2 recorded the highest NS, TSW and GY. Interaction treatment A1S1decreased WDW and increased PH, NS, TSW and GY. Interaction treatment A1L2 decreased WDW and increased NS, TSW and GY. Interaction treatment S1L2 decreased WDW and increased NS, TSW and GY. Triple interaction A1S1L2 decreased WDW and increased NS, TSW and GY significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the interaction of disc vibration working elements of a seed drill with soil to reduce traction resistance and energy consumption in soil processing. Regularities characterizing the impact of vibrations on the soil are identified, and a mechanical-mathematical model of soil cutting by the vibrational disc-working element of a seed drill is developed. Mathematical dependencies for determining the parameters of vibro-impact interaction of the cutting edge of the disc-working element with the soil are obtained. The efficiency conditions of the vibro-cutting process, in terms of reducing traction resistance and energy consumption, are established. A methodology for selecting rational parameters for vibro-cutting soil in the design and operation of the disc-working element of seeding equipment is developed. Experimental results of a prototype vibrational working equipment are presented, confirming theoretical findings and demonstrating the effectiveness and feasibility of vibrational soil cutting by the disc-working element for reducing traction resistance and energy costs. The research, the results of which are presented in this article, is funded by the Committee on Science of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan (grant AP14869252 "Development of the universal sowing complex with increased productivity for the agro-industrial production of the Republic of Kazakhstan"). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to ensure the most reasonable distribution of wheat seeds in the field to improve seeding quality and uniformity, a set of negative pressure precision seed-metering device was designed, which shares a hollow shaft. Every seedmetering device can sow two rows of wheat. By the STAR-CCM+, the analysis of nephogram, vectogram and streamline graph showed that more ideal structural parameters of the seed-metering device are 0.5 mm width of the slit sucking seed (WSS), 150-200 mm diameter of the seed-metering disc (DSD), 2.0 mm axial depth of air chamber in the seed-metering disc (ADS), and arcshaped cross-section shape of the ring groove sucking seed (CSGS). Single-factor test on the JPS-12 test-bed analyzed the influence of the CSGS, WSS, DSD, and ADS on the qualified index (Iq), multiple index (Imul), miss index (Imiss) and coefficient of variation of qualified seed spacing (CV). Through the orthogonal on the JPS-12 test-bed, it is found that the influence of vacuum negative pressure and seed-metering device shaft speed is significant on the Iq, Imiss and Imul. Based on these, the structural parameters of the seed-metering device were optimized. The DSD is 180 mm, the WSS is 0.7 mm, the ADS is 2.5 mm, and the CSGS is arc-shaped. The optimization seed-metering device was tested on the JPS-12 test-bed. The Iq is 86.66%, the Imiss is 5.09%, the Imul is 8.25%, and the CV is 24.50%. These testing results fully coincide with the standard JB/T 10293-2013 Specifications of single seed drill (precision drill). The seed-metering device meets fully the requirements for wheat precision seeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studded feed rollers are widely used in seed metering units of seed drills. The flow evenness is an important indicator of the performance of studded feed rollers. With this research, the effects of studded feed rollers with different stud numbers (27, 36, and 45 studs) on flow evenness were investigated both in the laboratory and by simulation in case of using different ground speeds (1.5, 2, and 2.5 m⋅s–1). While the experiments were carried out on the seed drill model prepared in the laboratory, the simulation was done with the Rocky DEM software program. In the laboratory and simulation studies, it was determined that the flow evenness increased with the increase in the number of studs and the ground speed. The results obtained from the laboratory and simulation studies show parallelism with each other. However, it was seen that the results obtained in the laboratory were slightly higher than the results obtained from the simulation. With this study, it has been seen that it would be very beneficial to use the DEM model to improve the performance of the seed metering unit and to develop a new seed metering unit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study evaluated the seeding quality of radish seeds cv. Saxa Polana (percentage of single seeds, double seeds and missed seeds (skips) sown with a Max Pneumatic S 156 seed drill fitted with a pneumatic seed dosing unit set at different forward speeds of a metering unit and different sowing disc speeds. The seeding quality was analysed using Nakagami distribution functions, a chi-squared goodness of fit test, linear regression functions, and the ISO 7256/1, 1984 (E) Standard. The diagrams predicting the effect of the different speeds on the percentage of singles, doubles and skips were highly consistent with the results of the seeding quality analysis based on the ISO 7256/1, 1984 (E) Standard. The authors relied on Nakagami distribution functions to develop a new method for predicting the in-row distance between seeds within the analysed range of speeds, including those which were not empirically tested speeds. The proposed method can be used to predict seeding quality at different speeds when only the selected settings of the dosing unit are taken into account in the analysis. This approach significantly shortens the research time and also decreases the relevant costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an innovative solution for a distributor head equipped with a deflector (controlled plate)—intended to change the tilt angle (realignment) of the pneumatic seed drill distributor head cover. We compared two qualitative parameters of seed sowing, coefficient of variation and coefficient of lateral unevenness of seed sowing (δ). Values were obtained on the test stand with an innovative deflector built into the distributor head at three angles of inclination (0°, 5° and 10°). Statistical analyses revealed a significant effect of airflow velocity and deflector angle, which corrects the deviation from the vertical plane of the distributor head, on the uniformity of seed sowing. In addition, regression equations were determined to predict the quality of the seed sowing process. The developed and manufactured innovative distributor head with a deflector that tilts in two planes, designed to improve the distribution evenness of the air stream transporting seed to individual coulters in pneumatic seed drills, received a positive review. The use of a deflector with automatic control of its position angle, correcting the deviation of the distributor head from a vertical plane in pneumatic seed drills improves the uniformity of seeding. Therefore, it is reasonable to use this solution for new pneumatic seed drills and those in use on soils with different relief (undulating surface). Moreover, the solution fits in with modern agricultural manufacturing in accordance with the ideas of precision agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the sowing performance of the spoon wheel maize seeding machinery, in this paper, two varieties of maize seed are selected as examples. The maize spoon precision seed metering device, a core component of the spoon wheel seeding machinery, is used as the research object. The maize seed assembly model is first established based on the maize seed assembly modeling method. Its validity is verified by the sowing experiment and corresponding DEM simulation under the different revolving speeds of the seed metering wheel. Secondly, the performance of the spoon precision seed metering device is optimized by integrating the maize seed assembly model and multivariate nonlinear regression method. Therefore, the number of sub-spheres of the horse tooth, spherical cone, and spheroid maize seed model are 10–14, 18, and 6, respectively. The results show that the performance of the seed metering device improved when the revolving speed of the seed metering wheel, handing angle, and seed spoon radius are 25 r/min, 40°, and 7 mm, respectively. There is good agreement between the expected results and experimental ones with relative errors of less than 5%, and the optimized seed metering device facilitates the process of seed guiding and seed delivery during the sowing process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice is one of the strategic crops in Egypt and the world. Therefore, the main objective of the research was to modify and develop the seed drill to suit the cultivation of rice and add the digger to make a path for the cultivation area to direct the irrigation water. The modification and development were done in the workshop of the Rice Mechanization Center (RMC) in Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate, and field experiments were carried out on the rice variety "Sakha Super 300" with the planting seasons 2021 and 2022. The field experiments were carried out using the modified hill seed drill under four different planting forward speeds, namely, 2.55, 4.01, 6.11, and 8.38 km/h.; three different hills spacing between within the row, namely, 12.5, 15.5 and 17.5 cm; and three different cell volumes of feeding rollers namely, 354, 428 and 509 mm³ with a fixed depth of 6 mm. The results showed that when the forward speed of cultivation increased, the field capacity increased and power requirements, and a decrement percentage in field efficiency and energy consumption at any given load for modified hill drill. The minimum values of grain yield (3.45, 3.41, and 2.94 Mg/fed) were obtained at planting forward speed of 8.38 km/h., for grain cell volume of 354 mm³ under 12.5, 15, 17.5 cm hill spacing, respectively. However, the maximum values of grain yield (4.79, 4.74, and 4.34 Mg/fed) were obtained at planting forward speed 2.55 km/h., and grain cell volume of 509 mm³ under 12.5, 15, and 17.5 cm hill spacing, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quinoa is an ancient crop that is nutritious, balanced, and suitable for most people. However, it has not been known and sought by the public until modern times. In recent years, quinoa has been intensively known and widely grown in China. Quinoa mechanized production machines have also been developed. With the help of DEM, we design and optimize the quinoa combined seeder, improving seeding efficiency and quality. In this paper, the basic physical and contact mechanics parameters required for the Hertz-Mindlin (no slip) of quinoa seeds in EDEM software were determined. The coefficient of rolling friction of quinoa seeds was calibrated on DEM, and which of Long Quinoa 4 is 0.043, and that of Meng Quinoa 4 was 0.016. Meanwhile, we can find that the coefficient of rolling friction strengthens the shape to restrict rolling and weakens the shape to increase rolling. The above research provides simulation parameters for the design and optimization of quinoa seed seeding machinery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A universal conical spreader for uniform distribution of granular fertilizers and seeds of grain crops, grasses is proposed. The developed universal conical spreader is designed for subsurface application of above-mentioned granular materials using seed drills and can be used as a passive distributor in a wide variety of applications. The methods of theoretical mechanics and descriptive geometry, particularly the method of replacement of projection plane have been applied to arrive at the design of the cone – the shape of conical spreader. A parametric equation was derived for the truncated part of the cone, which is an ellipse. The unique design of the cone-shaped distributor has a truncating form in the direction transverse to the movement of the seeder. In order to determine the interval of variability of spreader parameters more precisely, an analysis was carried out using a Mathcad-15 software. The results of theoretical research were confirmed in the laboratory and field conditions. The width of seed distribution, uniformity, and stability of distribution were studied to arrive at the most effective cone distributor design. The smallest values of non-uniformity and instability of material distribution of experimental coulter are reached at the values of factors D = 117–119 mm, h = 17–18 mm, and H = 32–35 mm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was aim to investigate performance of seed drill - fertilizer (GIL-SAX multisem18) was evaluated under two different farming systems (till and no-till) and tractor speeds (5.28, 7.76 and 8.30 km.h-1 ). The characteristics were measured including draft force, wheel slip, seed delivery rate, and germination rate. The experiment was organized as a randomized complete block design (RCBD). The significant difference was examined using the least significant difference tests at a P≤0.05. The results showed a minimum draft force and wheel slip under the till system and tractor speed of 5.28 km.h-1 interaction. The lowest seed delivery rate was found when no-till was practiced with a speed of 5.28 km.h-1 . Adopting the no-till system with the speed of 7.76 km.h-1 achieved the highest germination rate. The till system achieved the lowest fuel cost in economic analysis 8395 IQD. ha-1 at a speed of 8.30 km.h-1, while the no-till system achieved the lowest cost of seeds 65066 IQD. ha-1 and sowing operation cost 36079 IQD. ha-1 at speed 5.28 km.h-1 . Irrigation and agronomy indicators should be addressed in the further work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of scientific and technological progress in agriculture, the use of operational and mathematical modelling for effective solution of problems and resource conservation in the field of agricultural engineering is relevant. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to determine the optimal parameters of the centrifugal radial fan of a pneumatic precision seed drill by constructing a new mathematical model of the process of its operation. This was achieved by applying mathematical modelling methods when planning multi-factor experiments. As a result, a complex of automated experiments has been defined, which leads to a significant increase in the productivity of scientific work. A statistical representation of the experiment is established, which allows moving to a multi-factor active experiment, in which it is possible to separate the influence of factors from the noise background and make a transition to statistical methods for analysing the results. This allowed predicting the optimal characteristics of the centrifugal radial fan of the precision seed drill. In the course of this study, a new regression equation was compiled in the form of a first-degree polynomial, which determines the influence of each of the factors on the magnitude and value of the response. The coefficients of the polynomial are determined, the significance of the coefficients is estimated, and the adequacy of the proposed model is checked. After obtaining the regression equation, it became possible to graphically construct the dependence of the response function on impact factors. A fractional factor experiment was also performed, which determined the values of the parameters of the object's state Y for all possible combinations of levels of variation of the factors X.. Based on the established functional relationship between the output parameter of the fan, a regression equation of the following form is obtained: Pv=Pv (n, β1, β2, z). This predicted the receipt of the total pressure Pv (Pa), when setting different values of independent quantities n, β1, β2 and z. The application of the obtained analytical dependencies significantly simplified the determination of optimal design parameters of pneumatic systems for the development and construction of modern technical seed drills [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing countries in Asia widely use manual seed broadcasting methods due to a lack of appropriate seeding machinery. The agricultural sector is currently facing labor shortages and high labor costs, especially seasonal labor shortages for broadcasting and transplanting operations. However, the primary constraint in adopting existing broadcasting seeders for small-scale farmers in developing countries is the high initial purchase costs. Therefore, developing locally commercial accessible technology for small-scale farmers is an urgent requirement. In this regard, attempt was taken to develop a new low-cost 3D printed seeder that can be used for multi-crop seed broadcasting operations when integrated with an autonomous terrain vehicle. A new seed metering mechanism was proposed for seed broadcasting that can be controlled electronically from the autonomous terrain vehicle. Positional sensors based on the real time kinematics—global navigation satellite system (RTK-GNSS) were used to record positional information. The best observation was noted at a vehicle operational speed of 0.351 ms−1 and had a coefficient of variation (CV) referring to the distribution uniformity of seeds of 19% for green peas, 22% for cowpeas, and 25% for chickpeas. The developed seeder could spread multi-crop seeds and adjust the seed rates electronically at the different ranges of rotational speeds. Therefore, the use of 3D printed fabricated prototype seed broadcasting units with small-scale autonomous vehicles can be implemented to help in labor supplements and perform the broadcasting of different seeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: With extensive adoption of mechanised harvest in paddy, the population of blackgram in the rice - blackgram relay cropping system is drastically affected due to the chain traverse by combine harvester. This has emerged as another major abiotic stress in addition to moisture stress at flowering stage of the crop, which resulted in poor yield. Methods: The studies were conducted during post rainy seasons of 2015-16 to 2017-18. with six treatments viz., T1 - Sowing blackgram by broadcasting 7-10 days prior to manual harvest of paddy, T2 - Sowing blackgram by no till seed drill on the day of harvest of paddy, T3 - Sowing blackgram by broadcasting 4-6 days prior to harvest of paddy by combine harvester, T4-T1 + Life saving irrigation with mobile sprinkler once at 30-35 DAS, T5-T2 + Life saving irrigation with mobile sprinkler once at 30-35 DAS, T6-T3 + Life saving irrigation with mobile sprinkler once at 30-35 DAS. Result: The results indicated that higher grain yield of 875 kg ha-1 was obtained with blackgram sown 7-10 days prior to manual harvest of paddy plus life saving irrigation on 30-35 DAS with mobile sprinkler using farm pond water, which was 31.6% higher than that of blackgram sowing with no till seed drill. The study also indicated that farm pond dug at an area of 100 m3 would be sufficient to irrigate 1 ha of blackgram through mobile sprinkler once at flowering stage (30-35 DAS by which the net return could be increased by ' 61416 ha-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Efficiency of production system is calculated by the input spent to amount of output produced. The Agronomic efficiency has been found to be below 48% than the world efficiency standard of 40 kg ha-1. The average fertilizer usage of India is 133 kg ha-1, 232% higher than the global standard fertilizer of 40 kg ha-1. The certified seeds and agriculture machinery usage has been increased by 15% and 13% in India but the efficiency of farm stays behind. Methods: With this back ground the present study applied cost approach variable return to scale Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model to evaluate the Indian farms resource using 200 rural farms of Tamil Nadu state. The data envelopment analysis models have the advantage of simultaneous measure of technical, allocative and cost efficiency of the individual farms. Result: The cost efficiency among the respondents ranged from 0 to 1 with a mean efficiency of 0.66. The study found that Decision-Making Units (DMU) have cost inefficiency, suggesting that most of the DMU operated very far away from the efficiency frontier. Allocative inefficiency (0.55) is worse than the technical inefficiency (0.80), implying that the lower economic efficiency is the result of high allocative inefficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective/Context: This research analyzes the circumstances and argumentative apparatus that affected the officials who planned the jungle areas of Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru between 1968 and 1978. Methodology: Intellectual history tools are employed to unravel the construction of the Amazon as an object of knowledge among planners. Their interpretative mechanisms are observed in the dispute over the relevance of building urban or agricultural societies in the jungle. Considering their personal trajectories introduces a contextual analysis of the configuration of their argumentative bodies when giving meanings to the rainforest. The Amazonian monitoring and its insertion in the web of knowledge and technologies deployed with the implementation of development plans allow us to point out the most notorious environmental effects after their performance. Originality: Analytically comparing the planning activities in the Amazon brings an innovative description of the circumstances that defined its planners' work. The article shows how it emerged in the context of the "great acceleration," with which Environmental History describes the turning point in which state action gained a momentum of sensitive magnitude in the jungle space. Conclusions: Among the planners of Brazil, Ecuador and Peru, the intention to advance development centers prevailed, fostering industrialized urban societies, while those of Colombia preferred a model that affirmed the modernization of agriculture and cattle ranching. The former sought to industrialize natural resources in the cities to strengthen their countries' political and economic independence; the latter that using hybrid seeds and machinery would allow farmers to increase their productivity and income, with which they hoped to open the national economy to the global market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optical seed mass flow sensors are widely used on seed drills, grain drills and combine. An important challenge in these sensors is their malfunction in a dusty condition. Dust caused by soil and seeds may sit on the light elements and disrupt its function. In this study, an approach was developed to compensate this effect. A non-contact intelligent system with infrared diodes and a microcontroller with ARM architecture was built up to monitor the seed flow in the delivery tube of seed drills. At the hardware phase, a glass with a different radius of curvature was installed in front of the elements. The semi-cylindrical glass placement in front of the optical elements meant that the arrangement was sealed against dust. Besides, the fall of the seeds tangential to the glass during the sowing caused the glass to self-clean. However, the hardware configuration of the seed flow sensor with semi-cylindrical glass alone was not sufficient under adverse dusty conditions. A suitable algorithm was therefore developed and applied to compensate for the dust effect. In this case, instead of the level of output voltage, MS (mean of variances) of sensor outputs was calculated. The mass flow estimation model was obtained using multiple regression between the MS index level of the seed flow sensor and digital scale data. Experiments were carried out using different types of seeds in several repetitions. In all tests, the correlation coefficient of the mass flow estimation model was obtained above 0.9. The results revealed that this system works correctly and precisely in dusty field conditions without having to clean the sensing elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Misr Journal of Agricultural Engineering is the property of Egyptian National Agricultural Library (ENAL) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Brasileira de Engenharia Agricola e Ambiental - Agriambi is the property of Revista Brasileira de Engenharia Agricola e Ambiental and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The given analysis is committed towards the improvement of the design of the precision seeding drill coulter, especially regarding the main working element - the point. The quality of the furrow and seed bed formation directly depends on the coulter point. In the vertical plane, the coulter point has a combined wedge working surface with an acute and obtuse soil entry angle, and in the horizontal plane, it is arrow-headed at an angle less than the angle of friction of the soil on the steel. There are theoretically determined, values of the main design and technological characteristics of the improved point. As the result of laboratory research of a coulter improved design, it was defined that at the values of an angle of an entry into the soil of the upper part of the coulter within, the lower part of the coulter within, the camber of the point in the horizontal plane, a decrease in the draught of the coulter is achieved on average by 16%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cultivating the arable, highly sloped hills and uneven terrain is challenging and unsafe with large agricultural machines. Therefore, a fleet of small autonomous ground vehicles (AGVs) was proposed to farm sloped or uneven terrain. The fleets need a robotic grain drill to operate on varying slopes, and the success of the fleet depends on the performance of the robotic seeder or grain drill. The feed mechanism is the heart of the seeder, and its design and performance influence the plant population and crop yield. In this study, we designed and fabricated an auger-type feed mechanism for robotic wheat drilling. Feed mechanisms with augers having three different pitches were developed as per the ASABE standards. The developed feed mechanism was investigated in a laboratory setup for flow rate and flow uniformity in accordance with ISO standards. The predictor variables were auger type (pitch), auger rotational speed, vibration, and slope. The auger flow rate for flat slopes was a linear function of auger speed and varied from 30 g/min to 170 g/min. The coefficient of variation (CV) for the flow rate ranged from 2% to 10%. The CV was within acceptable limits, which was an excellent indicator of the bulk feed mechanism's flow uniformity. The performance of the feed mechanism was influenced by vibration and slope. However, the auger flow rate remained constant for vibration frequencies of 0, 6, and 14 Hz, suggesting that the feed mechanism was vibration-proof and could tolerate the vibration frequency up to 14 Hz. The flat, downhill (descending), and uphill (ascending) slope levels did not affect the feed mechanism performance. However, the side slopes (right and left slope) significantly affected the feed mechanism flow rate but did not affect the flow uniformity. The study also developed a feed mechanism for a sloped-ground prototype seeder, which can be easily scaled and adopted by small autonomous vehicles or mobile robots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice-wheat cropping system facing serious issues in terms of scarcity of resources (water, labour, land and energy), escalating cultivation cost coupled with frequent climatic anomalies in South Asia. Generally, farmers following in-situ burning for easy disposal off of rice residue and timely seeding of succeeding wheat crop. Timely sowing of wheat under full rice residue load has become possible with the help of efficient seeding machineries. Therefore, an experiment was conducted to study soil temperature fluctuation, weed dynamics and crop productivity under different tillage and rice residue management options in wheat during rabi 2020-21 and 2021-22. Zero tillage with rice residue showed thermo-moderating effect by lowering afternoon soil temperature by 1.8 to 3.59 ℃ and 0.88 to 4.66 ℃ under normal (2020-21) and terminal heat stress (2021-22) conditions, respectively compared to conventional till wheat from 5 to 14th standard meteorological weeks. Lower soil temperature found under zero tillage scenario compared to conventional tillage and difference was more pronounced in heat stress conditions. This congenial environment also reflected in wheat yields as zero till wheat under full rice residue retention with (4891–5238 kg/ha) and without waste decomposer (4950–5264 kg/ha) resulted in higher grain yields as compared to conventional till wheat (3740–4244 kg/ha). Sowing of wheat under residual soil moisture (irrigation is to be applied 10–14 days before super straw management based combine harvesting of rice) and residue driven reduction in soil temperature may facilitate early sowing and moderating soil temperature against terminal heat stress, besides saving of pre-sowing irrigation in wheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The type of operation of the seed drill metering mechanism and the operating speed are determinant in the crop's productivity. Thus, the objective was to evaluate the longitudinal distribution of maize seeds with different seed metering mechanisms at different displacement speeds. The study was carried out at the Experimental Farm of Agricultural Sciences - FAECA of the Federal University of Grande Dourados (UFGD), in the municipality of Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul (MS). The experimental design used was completely randomized in a 2 x 4 factorial scheme, with two seed dosers (pneumatic and mechanical) and four sowing displacement speeds (5, 7, 8 and 10 km-1). The longitudinal distribution of seeds was evaluated by checking the spacing between acceptable, flawed and multiple seedlings. The data were submitted to analysis of variance and the means were compared by the Tukey test at 5%. There was no significant difference up to the speed of 8 km h-1 for the mechanical feeder in the analysis of the performance of each mechanism within the different speeds. However, the pneumatic feeder achieved superior performance for faulty and double spacing. In general, for both metering mechanisms, the increase in sowing speed increased the number of faulty and double spacings. Therefore, the pneumatic metering mechanism showed a better response in the number of acceptable spaces with increasing speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Plant Production is the property of Egyptian National Agricultural Library (ENAL) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Focusing on the problems of the poor filling ability and stability of the mechanical wheat seeder and the complicated structure of the pneumatic seeder, a special air suction wheel-hole single seed drill for remote controlled self-propelled single seed dibbler in wheat plots was designed in this paper. According to the agronomic requirements of precision seeding in wheat plots, the seeding wheel radius was set at 180 mm 16 suction holes. Using the discrete element simulation software EDEM to analyze the seed disturbance effect of different parameter designs, the thickness of seed suction ring was 16 mm, the height of seed suction mouth was 4.5 mm, and the diameter of seed suction cam was 12 mm. Through hydrodynamic simulation, the phase angle of the negative pressure chamber was 280 degrees, positive pressure chamber was 22 degrees, phase angle of the unpressurized interval zone was 20 degrees, thickness of the negative pressure chamber was 24.5 mm, diameter of transition pipe was 17.5 mm and length of the transition pipe was 14.5 mm. Based on the above design parameters, the samples were then processed and benchtop experiments carried out. The results showed that under the best operating parameters, the re-suction index was 0.82%, the leakage index was 6.67%, and the qualified index was 92.41%, which met the design requirements. This study could provide a reference for the design of single-seed dibbling technology in wheat plots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Irrigation & Drainage is the property of Journal of Irrigation & Drainage Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Until now, the traditional method for planting pea seeds is manual because of the scarcity of planting machines. Therefore, this study aims to provide and evaluate a new seed drill for planting pea seeds on a raised bed in silt-clay loam soil. This seed drill consists of the frame, seeds hopper, seed metering device, transmission system, and covering unit. Laboratory tests on pea seeds were conducted to determine the seeds' physical and mechanical properties. Field trials were carried out under the following parameters; four forward speeds (0.79, 0.98, 1.28, and 1.64 m s-1), three disc cell capacities (1, 2, and 3 seeds per cell), two different cells shapes (circular, and a rectangle with semicircle end), and three distances between rows (7.5, 10, and 15 cm) to assess the performance of the seed drill on fuel consumption, specific energy, slip ratio, seeds damaged, germination ratio, plants number per hill, longitudinal scattering, and pea pods yield. The results revealed that the optimum performance of the seed drill was achieved at a forward speed ranging from 0.79 to 0.98 m s-1, using a disc cell capacity of 2 seeds, a circular cell shape, and a distance between rows of 10 cm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The factors influencing on seed germination and wheat yield are such as the optimum use of tillage and seeding methods. This study was a randomized complete block experimental design with four treatments and four replications to determine the suitable tillage method for a grain drill with bent leg furrow opener (bent leg grain drill) and also determine the effect of these implements on wheat yield and water productivity in dry soil conditions. Treatments were seeding wheat by a bent leg grain drill in three tillage application of no-tillage (NT), reduced tillage (RT), conventional tillage (CT) and also control (conventional tillage + seeding wheat by conventional grain drill). Results indicated that tillage methods and seeding wheat by the bent leg grain drill affected residue remained on the soil surface, soil bulk density, seedling emergence percent, wheat yield and water productivity. Reduce tillage by the bent leg tillage implement and seeding by the bent leg grain drill (RT) increased residue remained on the soil surface (45%), seedling emergence (13%), wheat yield (11%) and water productivity (11%) compared to the control. The bent leg tillage provides a proper seedbed for seeding wheat with less passes of tractor in dry soil conditions. The results show that the technology of bent leg tillage and bent leg grain drill has the potential to increase wheat yield and water productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, the application feasibility of an air-assisted centralized metering device equipped with a fluted feed roller was investigated. The performance of the proposed metering device for rapeseed planting was evaluated in the laboratory. For this purpose, effects of rotational speed (n) of the metering device shaft (at levels of 46.5, 48, 79, and 96 rpm), active roller length, L, (at levels of 1/6, 1/4, and 1/3 of the total length of the fluted roller), and number (N) of seed delivery tubes (at levels of 16, 24, and 32 outlets) on the seed weight delivery coefficient of variation (CV) and seeding rate (SR, kg ha-1) were investigated. A factorial experiment arranged as a completely randomized design with three replications was used to perform the laboratory experiments. Results showed that the effects of all treatments (n, L, and N) on both SR and CV were significant. The interactions of N×L and L×n were also significant on both SR and CV. The interaction of N×n was significant only on the SR. The interaction of N×L×n was also significant on the SR. Results of mean comparisons revealed that the CV decreased as n and L increased; whereas, it increased as N increased. However, the opposite pattern was observed for the SR with changing the mentioned factors. Minimum SR value (6.1 kg ha-1 - in the recommended SR range for rapeseed planting) was obtained at 46.5 rpm and L1 (1/6 of the total length of the fluted roller) with 32-outlet seed delivery tube. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of maintaining straw on the soil surface is a subject widely discussed and proven in the literature. However, the effects of this straw on planting efficiency and quality still lack information. In this sense, both time and method of the black oat management influence the permanence of the straw on the soil and, thus, can interfere in the next crop's germination and plantability of the seed drill. This study aimed to evaluate methods and times of black oat management and their implications on the plantability and development of the corn crop in succession in two harvests. A randomized block design with twelve treatments was used, consisting of the combination of three methods of management (crushed, rolled, and desiccated) and four times of management (0, 10, 20, and 30 days before the corn sowing) of black oat straw, arranged in a 3 x 4 factorial scheme, with four replications. The black oat management carried out 30 days before the corn sowing provides the highest corn emergence rate. Management methods that promote greater fragmentation of straw tend to offer less mechanical impediment to seedling development and result in a greater initial and final plant population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]