Agricultural Terrain Research Articles

Exploring soil erodibility: integrating field surveys, laboratory analysis, and geospatial techniques in sloping agricultural terrains

The escalating trend of land degradation poses a significant challenge, especially in sloping agricultural terrains, driven by the increasing global demand for food and the limited availability of flat arable land. In response to these challenges, farmers are compelled to shift their focus towards cultivating sloping terrains. This research aimed to employ a comprehensive methodology that integrates on-site field surveys, meticulous laboratory soil analyses, and geospatial data for mapping soil erodibility. The parameters under scrutiny encompass various crucial aspects, including soil texture (ranging from coarse sand to very fine sand, silt, and clay), soil structure, organic matter content, and permeability. The meticulous examination of these factors serves as the foundation for calculating soil erodibility, utilizing the well-established Wischmeir and Smith formula developed in 1978. The research findings present a nuanced understanding of soil erodibility in the study location, revealing a spectrum spanning low to very high erodibility. Specific units, such as Unit 1, Unit 2, Unit 3, Unit 7, Unit 9, Unit 10, Unit 13, and Unit 16, exhibit very low to low erodibility. In contrast, Unit 4, Unit 6, Unit 14, and Unit 15 showcase moderate erodibility, while units like Unit 5, Unit 8, Unit 11, Unit 12, Unit 17, and Unit 18 are characterized by moderately high to very high erodibility. These insightful results shed light on the diverse erodibility levels within the studied locations and provide valuable guidance for formulating sustainable land management practices.

The Study Evaluated the Potential Viability of Seeds from Various Types of Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Rice, a crucial staple crop for global food security, requires efficient production to meet the nutritional needs of an expanding population. Seed vigour is a crucial aspect of seed quality, and ANDUAT has introduced rice cultivars designed for the agricultural terrain of Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture & Technology in India. This approach aims to improve seed vigour and quality in response to changing agro-climatic conditions. The study used a completely randomised design to assess seed vigour using various metrics such as electrical conductivity, field emergence, radicle emergence time, mean germination time, germination percentage, speed of emergence, shoot length, root length, days to first count, and days to final count. The study's findings revealed that rice types were categorized into three based on seed vigour. Eleven seeds showed varying levels of seed vigour potential, ranging from high to medium to low, NDR-359, IR-64, Damini, Sarjoo-52, Nagina-22, DRR-44, Barani Deep, Varalu, Lalat, NDR-2065 and NDR-2064. The study provides eleven categories for informed decision-making in seed management and cultivation, highlighting the suitability of high-vigor varieties for direct planting and improving agricultural yield.

Coupling an Autonomous UAV With a ML Framework for Sustainable Environmental Monitoring and Remote Sensing

Many countries face problems in monitoring plant problems and monitoring large environments, as until now, there is no accurate means of aerial monitoring through which concerned parties can benefit from watersheds, monitor large agricultural areas, and make wise environmental decisions regarding them. This paper describes a pioneering approach to develop smart agriculture using multimission drones equipped with dual cognitive modules (brains) that are powered by a machine learning (ML) framework. The first brain uses deep reinforcement learning (DRL) principles to enable autonomous flight, allowing drones to navigate complex agricultural terrain with agility and flexibility. The second brain is responsible for precise and crucial agricultural tasks: counting trees, detecting water locations, and observing and analyzing plants using the Faster R‐CNN algorithm. The system is linked with the ground station for control and command, as well as it includes an Internet of Things (IoT) infrastructure equipped with sensors that collect soil parameters, which then get sent via 5G Wi‐Fi. The dual architecture of the drones, combined with the ground‐level IoT system, creates a comprehensive framework that not only enhances agricultural technologies but also aligns with environmental conservation goals, embodying a paradigm shift towards a greener and more sustainable future. Obtained results show reasonable results with an accuracy rate of 98%.

Tillage depth regulation system via depth measurement feedback and composite sliding mode control: A field comparison validation study

The existing methodologies employed for the quantification and regulation of tractor’s tillage depth present considerable shortcomings, primarily characterized by their low accuracy and poor disturbance rejection proficiency in complex agricultural terrains. In this study, we present a sophisticated feedback control strategy designed to mitigate these challenges. Our innovative approach hinges on calculating tillage depth from the alignment of the tractor’s hydraulic lifting arm, achieved by employing a mechanical angle sensor. This sensor adeptly gages the angle of the lifting arm, aligning it with the tillage angle of the pull rod and the implement’s angle, resulting in a robust relational model correlating the lifting arm angle with the tillage depth. This pioneering method amalgamates the accuracy inherent in the static model, derived from the tillage angle-based depth measurement, with the dynamic stability afforded by the mechanical ascertainment of the lifting arm angle. In conjunction, we introduce a Hybrid Extended State Observer-Based Backstepping Sliding Mode Controller (HESO-BacksteppingSMC). The HESO is instrumental in estimating unmeasured state variables and lumped disturbances, utilizing the system’s output feedback signal. Our control frame component capitalizes on the fast power-reaching law to yield a continuously smooth control signal, effectively eradicating the conventional chattering phenomenon inherent in controllers and amplifying its functional applicability. Theoretical evaluations affirm the uniformly and ultimately bounded stability of the errors associated with our proposed observer and controller, underscoring their robustness. The superior performance of our proposed tillage depth measurement and control methodology has been corroborated through a series of comprehensive simulation and field plowing trials, attesting to its precision and reliability in complex agricultural settings.

Motion-Control Strategy for a Heavy-Duty Transport Hexapod Robot on Rugged Agricultural Terrains

Legged agricultural transportation robots are efficient tools that can autonomously transport goods over agricultural terrain, and their introduction helps to improve the efficiency and quality of agricultural production. Their effectiveness depends on their adaptability to different environmental conditions, which is especially true for heavy-duty robots that exert ground forces. Therefore, this study proposes a motion-control strategy for a heavy-duty transport hexapod robot. Two critical tasks were accomplished in this paper: (1) estimating the support surface angle based on the robot’s foot position and body posture, and accordingly determining the motion constraint conditions on this support surface and the body posture based on energy optimization; (2) proposing an adaptive fuzzy impedance algorithm for real-time force–position composite control for adjusting foot position, in order to reduce the steady-state force tracking error caused by terrain stiffness, thus ensuring body stability through tracking of variable foot-end forces. An element of hardware in the loop control platform for a 3.55-ton device was designed and compared with the current popular force-control methods under different external contact terrains. The results show that the proposed control method can effectively reduce force errors, establish support forces faster on less-stiff environments, and reduce the torso tilt during phase switching.

Development and evaluation of 4WSS electric-driven chassis for high-clearance sprayer.

The high clearance sprayer with conventional steering mechanisms, as an intelligent spraying machine, is frequently stuck or broken in muddy fields due to the excessive torque load. A Four-Wheel Self-Steering (4WSS) electric-driven chassis with a smaller turning radius and better passability is developed to handle complex agricultural terrains. The 4WSS chassis is mainly composed of two custom-designed steering bridges and four in-wheel drive motors. It can achieve steering and driving forward simultaneously through coordinate differential speed control of drive motors, saving a set of dedicated servo steering systems and requiring less torque during steering compared to conventional structures. A kinematic model depicting the speed relationships between four wheels is established via geometric analysis, and a Speed Distribution Controller (SDC) is designed to accomplish locomotion objectives. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the new prototype 4WSS chassis system in tracking speed and steering angle. Compared to conventional agricultural chassis, the 4WSS chassis has a smaller turning radius of 2,877 mm. The 4WSS chassis exhibits superior performance in typical field conditions, including muddy terrain, deep gullies, and ridges.

A New Reconfigurable Agricultural Vehicle Controlled by a User Graphical Interface: Mechanical and Electronic Aspects

The use of innovative mobile vehicles with increasingly advanced mechatronic aspects in the agricultural sector is becoming, in recent years, a stimulating field of research and comparison. In particular, the problem addressed in the present work refers to improving the locomotion of mobile vehicles on agricultural terrain by reducing the soil damage and improve the overall performance. Agricultural vehicles generally use tracks and wheels for locomotion; the main difference between the two systems is the contact area with the ground and, consequently, the pressure distribution. The present work presents a new reconfigurable agricultural vehicle that can switch from one locomotion system to another, choosing the suitable configuration according to the terrain conditions. All the mechanical and electronic aspects of the prototype developed are analyzed together with an in-depth analysis of the management of the innovative functions through a user-friendly graphical interface able to control the vehicle.

Tracing Ancient Itinerants and Early Medieval Rulers in the Forests of Bandhavgarh

This article arises out of a disquiet about the archaeology of historical India which has largely been concerned with cities and villages. Forests and wilderness rarely figure there, except in passing when the expanding agricultural terrain is described in relation to forest lands being domesticated or when there is an exploration of lines of communication, some of which pass through forested tracts. Because of this gap in engaging with lands beyond agrarian tracts and city sites, large expanses that carry markers of ancient human use have not centrally figured in such research. Here, we describe our field work in the Bandhavgarh National Park and Tiger Reserve and its implications. The earliest remains go back in the form of caves to the 2nd century CE. Shrines of early medieval antiquity, sculptures, and reservoirs begin in the time of Kalachuri kings (7th century CE till the 13th century CE) and continue into the high medieval with Vaghela fortifications and palace remains (13th century CE onwards). What these can tell us when they are immersed in the hills and meadows of Bandhavgarh, in its forests and around its water bodies, is explored here.

Effectiveness of Agricultural Insurance Program as A Sustainable Agricultural Development Effort

In an effort to develop agriculture, especially as a protection for farmers against crop failure, the provincial government of Bali through the National Food Security program has established Badung Regency as a pilot project for implementing agricultural insurance through the Jasindo Insurance Company. This concept is applied as a guarantee for farmers in terms of price fluctuations of agricultural products that tend to decline, thus triggering the reduction of agricultural terrain that increases each year in Bali Province. This study goals to analyse the level of effectiveness of the agricultural insurance program and to analyze the factors that affect the level of effectiveness of the insurance program as an attempt to develop sustainable agriculture in Bongkasa Village, Abiansemal Region, Badung Regency. The method of analysis in this research is done quantitatively, namely this study uses two analyzes, namely descriptive analysis which is used to analyze the level of effectiveness of agricultural insurance programs and Confirmatory Factor Analysis which is used to confirm latent variables and indicators. The results of the analysis show that the level of effectiveness of the agricultural insurance program is 81.75 percent with effective criteria. The variable that has a dominant affect on the performance of the insurance program as an effort to develop sustainable agriculture is the process variable which is then followed by the output variable and the input variable.

Curve-Aware Model Predictive Control (C-MPC) Trajectory Tracking for Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) over On-Road, In-Door, and Agricultural-Land

Navigating the AGV over the curve path is a difficult problem in all types of navigation (landmark, behavior, vision, and GPS). A single path tracking algorithm is required to navigate the AGV in a mixed environment that includes indoor, on-road, and agricultural terrain. In this paper, two types of proposed methods are presented. First, the curvature information from the generated trajectory (path) data is extracted. Second, the improved curve-aware MPC (C-MPC) algorithm navigates AGV in a mixed environment. The results of the real-time experiments demonstrated that the proposed curve finding algorithm successfully extracted curves from all types of terrain (indoor, on-road, and agricultural-land) path data with low type 1 (percentage of the unidentified curve) and type 2 (extra waypoints added to identified curve) errors, and eliminated path noise (hand-drawn line error over map). The AGV was navigated using C-MPC, and the real-time and simulation results reveal that the proposed path tracking technique for the mixed environment (indoor, on-road, agricultural-land, and agricultural-land with slippery error) successfully navigated the AGV and had a lower RMSE lateral and longitudinal error than the existing path tracking algorithm.

Coexistence of two newt species in a transition zone of range overlap

Abstract Theory suggests that spatial segregation of similar, co-occurring species may be driven by alternative innate life history and dispersal strategies, and that it operates through catastrophic events. An inventory of the evolutionary closely related small-bodied newts Lissotriton helveticus and L. vulgaris in the northwest of France demonstrated the species’ spatial partitioning, with L. vulgaris dominating in two pond-rich and historically disturbed coastal areas and L. helveticus prevailing inland where ponds are sparser. Population numbers were followed over several decades (1975–2021) in a pond within the narrow (ca. 2000 m wide) species transition zone. Early in the temporal survey (1986) a massive die-off was observed of two-third of the L. helveticus breeding population from a late frost event. Yet, the contribution of L. helveticus to the newt assemblage was more or less stable around 60%, even though the total population size fluctuated by an order of magnitude. Lissotriton vulgaris and a third species, Ichthyosaura alpestris, made up ca. 30% and 10% of the total till 1993, after which date their relative contributions reversed. These data suggest that a state shift may have occurred among the latter two species and that the assumed two-species dynamics of Lissotriton underlying the study has been an oversimplification. The local decline of L. vulgaris is paralleled by the loss of well-vegetated ponds from the wider agricultural terrain that affects this species more than L. helveticus and I. alpestris.

ROLE OF WOMEN IN ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT: A STUDY IN NORTH EAST INDIA

Women play critical role in managing natural resources on family and community levels. In communities around the world, women manage water, sources for fuel, and food, as well as the both agricultural terrain. Across the world women play critical roles in relation to natural environment. North East India is the bio-diversity hotspot of India. This region is full of natural resources and people of this region is living with the nature .This paper tries to look out the role of women in environmental management. The major objective of this paper is to understand the role of women in environmental protection. This paper also tries to explore how the women of north east India is contributing towards managing the diversity of ecosystem. This paper is based on secondary data and qualitative by nature.

Soil properties after one year of interseeded cover cropping in topographically diverse agricultural landscape

Planting cover crops within or following a cash crop may improve soil-based ecosystem services due to increased plant diversity and a longer duration of live vegetation coverage. We examined the effect of three different cover cropping systems on soil properties after one year of a three-year organic transition rotation at four agricultural field sites with contrasting topographical positions, namely depressions, slopes, and summits. The four studied systems were (1) cereal rye (Secale cereal L.) planted after corn (Zea mays L.) harvest (Rye); (2) a mixture of cold susceptible cover crop species, namely, oat (Avena sativa), winter pea (Pisum sativum), and radish (Raphanus sativus), interseeded into corn (WK); (3) a mixture of cold tolerant cover crop species, namely, annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum), Dwarf Essex rapeseed (Brassica napus), and crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum), interseeded into corn (WH); and (4) a no-cover control (NC). While soil moisture was affected by topography, interseeding cover crops into corn did not influence soil moisture levels at the 0–10 cm depth for the studied year. Soil NO3- content was markedly higher in the WK system compared to cereal rye and WH cover crop treatments. The difference was especially pronounced in depressions and summits. Soil N mineralization rates followed the pattern WH>WK>Rye>NC and the effects were most pronounced in slopes. Soil microbial biomass C was the highest in depressions followed by summits and slopes, and in depressions the WH had higher microbial biomass than the other systems. There were no effects of cover crops and topography on soil C mineralization one year after the organic transition was initiated. The WH system increased the fraction of 0.053–2 mm aggregates and decreased > 2 mm aggregates in depressions. The results suggest that the effect of cover cropping can become evident already one year after the organic transition begins. The WH mixture interseeded into the cash crop was an optimal cover crop choice for improving soil characteristics as well as decreasing soil N leaching risks during organic transition in undulating agricultural terrain. However, the magnitude of the benefit provided by WH was mediated by topography.

EFFECTIVE PROFILE ESTIMATION FOR TRACTOR DYNAMICS ON AGRICULTURAL TERRAINS

For tractor operation on deformable terrains, accurate terrain profiles are critically needed to determine the dynamic tractor response, which is affected by the terrain roughness. Effective profiles for tractors operating on agricultural terrains were identified in this study. A novel technique, called independent component analysis (ICA), was used to estimate the effective profiles. ICA can use a known system dynamic response (observed signals) to identify road-induced excitation. In this context, tractor wheel vibration signals were used as observed signals, and the ICA method was used to estimate the source signals, which are the effective profiles of the terrain. The proposed approach was validated by comparing the estimated profiles with those measured by a profiling apparatus in the time and frequency domains. The calculated root mean square error RMSE and the relative error Ef between the measured and estimated profiles showed that the proposed approach can be used to accurately estimate road profiles. A group of grass-field roughness data was taken as an example to compare the characteristics of the original and effective profiles, and the parameters of the effective profiles, such as the RMS, roughness index C and waviness W were found to noticeably change during the interaction between the tractor wheel and the terrain soil.

Comparison of Topsoil Organic Carbon Stocks on Slopes under Soil-Protecting Forests in Relation to the Adjacent Agricultural Slopes

Soil erosion is one of the major processes degrading the natural environment but also agricultural production areas. Soil erosion may lead to soil organic carbon (SOC) loss, especially from sloping agricultural terrain units. The use of phytomelioration in environmental management, particularly long-term, permanent forest vegetation, is widely recognized as a possible measure for soil erosion protection and mitigation of climate change through carbon sequestration. The aim of this study was to compare of the topsoil organic carbon stocks on the slopes under soil-protecting forests in relation to the adjacent agricultural slopes. The research was conducted in the young glacial landscape of North-Central Poland. The study indicated the significant role of forest management on the increase of soil organic matter content and SOC stock. The results show that land use and slope gradients are important factors controlling soil organic carbon pools in topsoil in young glacial areas. This topic is extremely important particularly as the effects of climate change become more and more visible, and society faces new challenges in preventing these changes.

Research on Ground Profiling Control of Combine Harvester Based on the Symmetric Algorithm

Combine harvester is an important part of agricultural modernization, and the function of the header is more important. The header is mainly composed of a transmission device, cutter, and reel. In the process of practical application, the harvest efficiency of different types of the combined cutting machine is much higher than that of manual harvesting. In this paper, a ground profiling sensing mechanism is designed by building a dynamic model. The results show that: the ground profiling sensor mechanism of combine header based on the symmetric algorithm can truly reflect the agricultural terrain data, and provide data support for the action of digging shovel and improve the profiling accuracy of the combine.

Theoretical Model for Prediction of Turning Resistance of Tracked Vehicle on Soft Terrain

Skid-steered tracked vehicles are commonly used in soft agricultural terrain due to its low ground pressure between vehicle tracks and the ground. However, the sliding and sinkage of the track during a turning maneuver causes considerable turning resistance, which reduces the vehicle's turning ability. Therefore, we constructed a theoretical model that predicts the turning resistance of tracked vehicles—under steady-state conditions on soft terrain—accounting for track sinkage effects and track slip and skid. The results demonstrate that the moment of turning resistance decreases with increased track slip and skid ratio but increases with track sinkage depth. The model-predicted moments of turning resistance for the outer and inner tracks—at a given track sinkage depth and track slip and skid ratio—are in reasonably close agreement with available experimental data. This theoretical model can be employed as a predictor for testing the turning resistance of tracked vehicles operating on a wide range of soils.

Testing Evidence for Local Metalworking at Tell es-Sa’idiyeh, Jordan

The study reports on the identification of chemical composition of samples, of natural and artificial origin, in order to investigate the technology involved and the contest of production of metals, slag and vitrified materials from the Jordanian site of Tell es-Sa’idiyeh. The site is situated in the east central Jordan Valley, 1.8 km east of the River Jordan, on the south side of the Wadi Kufrinjeh. The settlement is placed on two mounds: the Upper Tell, to the middle east of the site, lies 14 m above the plain level and covers an area of about 10,000 sq·m; and the Low Tell, approximately 90 by 40 m to the west, is about 20 m lower than the upper mound. The surrounding land may be considered some of the most fertile agricultural terrains in the country and the site occupies a key strategic position, dominating the crossroads of two major trade routes.

DESIGN AND VALIDATION OF A SURFACE PROFILING APPARATUS FOR AGRICULTURAL TERRAIN ROUGHNESS MEASUREMENTS

How to accurately and efficiently measure the profiles of the terrain on which agricultural machines operate has been an ongoing research topic. In this study, a surface profiling apparatus (profiler) was developed to measure agricultural terrain profiles along parallel tracks. The profiler is mainly composed of sensor frames, an RTK-GNSS system (Real Time Kinematics-Global Navigation Satellite Systems), laser sensors, an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) sensor and a data acquisition system. Along with a full description of how the terrain profiles were produced, a methodology to compensate for the tractor motion was included in the sensor data analysis. In field profiling validation, two trapezoidal bumps with known dimensions were used to assess the ability of the terrain profiler to reproduce the vertical profiles of the bumps, resulting in root mean square error (RMSE) of 3.6-4.7 mm and 4.5-5.1 mm with profiling speeds of 1.02 and 2.56 km/h, respectively. In addition, a validation test was also conducted on an asphalt road by profiling a flat road with the measuring wheels of the profiler rolling on the flat section but with the tractor wheels driving over a trapezoidal bump to excite the tractor pitch and roll motion. The measured profiles then also exhibited a flat road, which showed the ability of the profiler to remove the tractor motion from the profiling measurements.

Finite Element Analysis of Chassis Integrated Structure for Tractor Trolley in Agricultural Applications

This paper deals with the design evaluation of chassis integrated structure intended to carry tractor trolleys. This structure is either bolted along with tractor trailer chassis or attached to the trolley using special attachments. Such structure is located in between the trolley chassis and tractor trolley. The role of this structure is to provide a support to the trolley during transportation in agricultural terrains. This structure transmits and upholds the load variations during tractor travel in agricultural terrains. Present work deals with design evaluation of one such structure. In this work, the structure under consideration is designed to house and support one axle semi-trailer trolley. Locations of attachment of the structure to the chassis or trolley depend upon the weight and size restrictions mentioned in Indian Standards. Major design considerations for the structure include height of the semi-trailer trolley, nature of load or cargo placed inside the trolley, restrictions on axle load and tractor geometry parameters as departure angle and ground clearance. In order to evaluate structure characteristics of stress and deflection computer simulation is carried for the road-load conditions. Road profiles for structure simulation and analysis include typical Indian agricultural terrains comprising of black cotton soil and soil lumps