Beet Harvest Research Articles

Energy-saving technology for harvesting root crops and potatoes

The purpose of the work is to empirically determine the temperature of the exhaust gases when changing the load on the power plant of a beet harvester with a separating system that provides better harvesting quality in conditions of high soil moisture. Have been developed: classification of methods for increasing the separating ability of slot-hole devices for cleaning root crops; laboratory installation for determining the quality indicators of a separation system with thermal energy for exhaust gas purification with a star-shaped cleaning device; a method for assessing the process of heat transfer from the exhaust gases of the power plant of the self-propelled harvester for harvesting sugar beets Holmer Terra Dos T3 to the separating system, which involves determining the temperature using thermocouples installed at various points in the gas exhaust system of the internal combustion engine. An experimental study of the temperature of the exhaust gases of the power plant of a harvesting machine was carried out using thermocouples at maximum rotation speed with a change in the thermal load index of the external environment from 5 to 30°C. The heat of the exhaust gases from the Mercedes-Benz power plant of the Holmer Terra Dos T3 self-propelled harvester, aimed at blowing the working surface of the separating device at the outlet of the first and fourth, as well as the second and third cylinders, has minor discrepancies exceeding the error limits (65 ± 5.8; 63.2 ± 1.5 and 74.9 ± 2.4; 75.2 ± 2.0°C, respectively), which leads to a uniform distribution of heat flow on the device for cleaning sugar beet roots.

Method and results of laboratory and field studies of a separating system with thermal energy of cleaning a machine for sugar beet harvesting

Method and results of laboratory and field studies of a separating system with thermal energy of cleaning a machine for sugar beet harvesting

Soil loss due to crop harvesting in highly mechanized agriculture: A case study of sugar beet harvest in northern Germany

Soil loss due to crop harvesting (SLCH) is a globally occurring and underestimated process that promotes soil degradation. Despite its negative effects on soil functionality and fertility SLCH has received comparatively little scientific attention to date. In Europe, sugar beets hold particular significance due to high production rates, while research in commercial mechanized farming of sugar beets is lacking. The aim of this study is to measure SLCH for sugar beets including nutrient and SOC losses using typical state of the art harvesters and compare that values to estimated SLCH provided by sugar beet factories. In addition, we tried to identify crop and soil variables that influence SLCH. Therefore, sugar beets and soil samples were collected for 14 sampling sites over a three-year period in Northern Germany to measure SLCH dependent on different crop characteristics, soil properties and weather conditions. The results indicate that SLCH is 0.064 kg per kg harvested sugar beet (SLCHspec) on the average, which corresponds to a loss of 5.7 Mg ha-1 harvest-1 (SLCHcrop). These numbers are higher than former comparable studies but also of about 83.3% higher than SLCH estimated by sugar beet factories. Additionally, amounts of SLCH considerably varied between years and fields, but also within fields. The most influential variables on SLCH are soil water content (SWC) and clay content, and we also observed that soil properties impact SLCH differently in relation to SWC. Moreover, we estimated that SLCH of sugar beets can lead to significant SOC and nutrient losses, latter resulting in direct costs for farmers of 18–34.4 € ha-1 harvest-1. The results confirm the importance of considering SLCH for soil degradation analyses and estimations and the need for models which spatially assess SLCH from field to global scales. This is important to explore soil conservation measures and strategies to reduce ongoing soil degradation especially in highly mechanized agriculture.

Effects of succession crops and soil tillage on suppressing the syndrome 'basses richesses' vector Pentastiridius leporinus in sugar beet.

Pentastiridius leporinus (Hemiptera: Cixiidae) is the most important vector of syndrome 'basses richesses' (SBR), a new disease that leads to severe economic losses in sugar beet. In this study, different soil tillage methods (ploughing and cultivator) and crops (winter wheat, spring wheat, maize and bare soil) following SBR-infested sugar beet were tested as potential management options in field trials. In the laboratory, the survival and development of first and third instar nymphs on wheat and maize was studied to further assess their suitability as host plants. In five out of seven field sites, reduced soil tillage had no effect on adult planthopper emergence compared to ploughing. In two sites, reduced tillage resulted in higher emergence rates. In nearly all field sites, up to 98.9% fewer emerging adults were detected in bare soil and maize, when compared to winter wheat. Under laboratory conditions, the lowest survival rate was found in first instar nymphs feeding on maize seedlings (4.2%), while 66.7% survived on wheat, over a period of 300 days. In contrast, 73.3% and 70% of third instar nymphs survived on wheat and maize over a period of 150 days. Soil tillage had little effect against Pentastiridius leporinus. Maize is a poor host for first instars but a suitable resource for third instar nymphs, the stage which encounters maize under field conditions. Hence, reductions in planthopper emergence in the field were likely caused by starvation due to the long host-free period between sugar beet harvest and the sowing of maize. © 2024 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Theoretical Study of the Motion of a Cut Sugar Beet Tops Particle along the Inner Surface of the Conveying and Unloading System of a Topping Machine

One of the most delicate operations in the sugar beet harvesting process is removing the tops from the heads of the root crops without any mechanical damages. The aim of this study is to improve the design of the conveying and unloading system of the sugar beet topper machine. In this paper, a mathematical model of the motion of a cut beet tops particle M, along the conveying and unloading system, has been developed to support the evaluation of kinematic and design parameters, depending on the rotational speed of the thrower blade, the air flow speed, the required ejection speed of particle M, and the position of the trailer that moves alongside the harvester. It has been established that increasing the speed Va of the top particle M, which has left the end of the blade of the thrower, leads to an increase in the arc coordinate S(t) of its movement along the cylindrical section of the casing. Within the range of the speed change from 4 m·s–1 to 8 m·s–1, the value of the arc coordinate S(t) increases by 1.4 times during time t = 0.006 s. Moreover, a rapid decrease in speed V is observed with an increase in the length x of the discharge chute.

FEATURES OF THE INTERACTION OF ROTARY CLEANERS WITH THE HEADS OF SUGAR BEET ROOTS

Sugar beets are one of the most important technical crops and one of the sources of sugar in Ukraine. Despite significant reductions in cultivated areas in recent years, sugar beets remain the main raw material for the sugar industry of Ukraine. In recent years, there has been a trend towards the use of foreign machinery for harvesting sugar beets, which was developed according to European quality standards of raw materials with increased sugar-bearing mass waste when the stalks are separated. Regardless of whether the technological process is carried out according to Ukrainian standards with minimal sugar-bearing mass waste, or according to European standards, with increased sugar-bearing mass waste, the task of determining the location of the sugar-bearing mass in space and its maximum separation remains in both cases. The task of harvesting sugar beets is to obtain the maximum possible amount of sugar-bearing mass from a unit of area with technologically and economically justified waste of sugar-bearing mass and the permissible content of physical and harmful pollutants - humus and soil. One of the important operations, which significantly affects the quality of raw materials, is the separation of chaff. Rotary working bodies with flexible and rigid with radially fixed elements are the most effective at separating the scum and are simple in design. However, they are effective at speeds of forward movement of beet harvesting machines no more than 1.5 m/s. The purpose of the work is to substantiate the process and develop new technical solutions for high-quality separation of the sugar-bearing mass with minimal sugar-bearing mass waste, which will increase the harvesting productivity. The article proposes the design of a root vegetable head cleaner with directed action of cleaning elements. A kinematic analysis and graphically modeled process of interaction of working elements with root crop heads for the serial and proposed root crop head cleaner were carried out. As a result of the research, the reason for the low-efficiency operation of serial cleaners at speeds of translational movement of beet harvesting machines more than 1.5 m/s was revealed, and the constructive and technological parameters of the cleaner with the directed action of the working elements were substantiated.

MODELING OF WORKING BODIES FOR THE EXTRACTION OF SUGAR BEET ROOTS TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE DYNAMICS OF SOIL STICKING ON THEIR SURFACE

This article is devoted to the study of the process of the formation of soil adhesion on the surface of the root crop during digging, which allows in the process of modeling and designing the surfaces of the active working organs of root harvesting machines. Analyzing scientific research on this topic, it is possible to observe little attention paid to this problem, therefore the work on this topic is quite relevant. The purpose of this work is to simulate the process of soil taring, which can lead to root crop damage and a decrease in product quality. The article provides a dynamic analysis of this process, taking into account various factors, such as moisture, stickiness and other physical and mechanical properties of the soil, digging speed, shape and geometric parameters of the root crop. The Mohr-Coulomb method was chosen as the model, which made it possible to solve certain problems of the root crop extraction process and perform simulation of soil behavior for a wide range of load systems based on parameters, agricultural soils. Determination of the main characteristics of the soil in the simulation of beet extraction was carried out for a moderately heavy loam in a wet state, for which most of the input parameters for the PLAXIS software were known. These samples were subjected to standard rapid triaxial tests at an initial stress of 3 kPa, up to σ3 200 kPa. possible methods of avoiding excessive soil sticking and increasing the efficiency of harvesting root crops are substantiated. The results of the research can be useful for agricultural enterprises and sugar beet producers to optimize the process, which will allow to improve the quality of the products. Summing up, modeling the root crop extraction process is an important tool for optimizing the parameters of the harvesting machine and reducing the energy component of the digging process. This can improve the efficiency and quality of root crop production, which is important for agricultural enterprises and root crop producers. Additional research and development in this field can contribute to the continuous improvement of the root crop extraction process, which will make it possible to take into account the obtained data when designing the working bodies of beet harvesting machines.

Accounting of physical qualities of root crops during sugar beet reception and storage

This article studied the quality of sugar beet roots during storage. The determining factor in the efficiency of beet sugar production is the output of sugar at a plant. Root crops are characterized by a sharp change in technological quality depending on the areas of beet seeding, agrometeorological conditions of a year, cultivation technology and storage conditions. They are easily damaged during harvesting and transportation, they are relatively poorly stored. The physical properties of root crops depend mainly on the settings of the beet harvesters, weather conditions during the harvesting period; chemical properties depend on the varietal characteristics and agricultural cultivation techniques. When growing under the same conditions, varietal characteristics play a decisive role in the yield and technological quality of root crops. Therefore it is important to use two or three hybrids when growing on the farm, which belong to different groups according to the initial technological qualities and the level of sugar loss during storage. The hybrids must provide a high sugar yield during the sugar factory operation. Therefore, it is necessary to have hybrid-specific data on sugar yield during the entire harvesting period, the date of achieving maximum sugar content, resistance to gray rot and the intensity of sugar loss during the storage. Root crops with higher sugar content lose more sugar during prolonged storage, and its yield is reduced to a greater extent. Root crops of such hybrids should not be stored, but immediately sent for processing. Studies show that in piles where raw materials with 9–10 % of mechanically damaged root crops are stored, rotting processes are activated 4.5 times, and with 17– 18 % – 10 times faster compared to undamaged ones. To reduce the damage to root crops by gray rot during storage, biocidal preparations should be used. During storage in the field in open piles for 12 days, sugar losses in root crops reach 1.7 % in September in absolute weight. Sugar losses in such conditions reach 1.3 % in September and 0.9 % in October. The increased amount of green mass reduces the technological quality of root crops. For each per cent of green mass without storage, sugar yield is reduced by 0.2 %, molasses yield and sugar losses increase due to additional non-sugars in the juice. During storage such root crops germinate quickly, which reduces sugar yield. Key words: sugar beet, root crop, root crops quality, premature seeding, gray rot, piles.

РЫХЛЕНИЕ ПОЧВЫ ПЕРЕД РАБОТОЙ СВЕКЛОУБОРОЧНЫХ КОМБАЙНОВ

Sugar beet is an important industrial crop, which, in addition to sugar, contains vitamins, organic acids, microelements, fiber, fructose, etc. Processed products such as pulp and molasses are widely used in animal husbandry. An analysis of long-term observations showed that in dry years, with a decrease in soil moisture by 3-8%, its hardness increases to 47%. At the same time, the shift output of combines decreases, and the average specific fuel consumption per hectare increases and there is an increased wear of the digging working bodies. We studied the effect of loosening the soil before the operation of beet harvesters on the force of extracting root crops, increasing the productivity of combines and reducing specific fuel consumption. In a search experiment to identify the ability of a needle disk to loosen the soil layer and possibly reduce its ability to hold root crops, a prototype soil cultivator was developed. In order to identify the most efficient operation of the ripper, the number of teeth (needles) was changed: 8 - 10 - 12 and the depth of the teeth from 5 to 15 cm in increments of 5 cm. extraction force. During the search experiment, indicators characterizing the physical and mechanical properties of the soil were taken. An analysis of the working bodies of soil rippers was carried out and a model sample of a needle disc ripper was developed. The conducted field tests have shown a decrease in the force of retaining root crops by the soil after the passage of the developed cultivator, which in turn can help reduce the resistance to the work of diggers and, as a result, increase the efficiency of beet harvesters.

Development of the design and substantiation of the parameters of the working body for digging the roots of sugar beet

The article proposes an original design of the forked working body of a beet harvester designed to dig up roots from the soil, which reduces the damage to root crops through the use of elastic elements in its design, which are rubber studded tires and the creation of an additional digging force acting on them. As a result of the analysis of the work of the proposed design, it was found that when interacting with the root crop, the elastic elements partially cover its surface, while creating an additional digging force. Analytical dependences are obtained, as well as the design and kinematic parameters of the forked working body are substantiated on the average size of the sugar beet root crop, which makes it possible to substantiate the optimal operating modes of the machine, to determine the dependence of the influence of the root crop size and the translational speed of the root harvester on the rotational speed of the tip of the active fork. The calculations showed that with an increase in the operating speed of the machine in the range from 1.0 to 2.0 m/s, it is necessary to ensure an increase in the angular velocity of the rotors ωr in the range from 24 to 57.4 s−1, which corresponds to a change in their rotation frequency from 230 to 554 min−1, which ensures that root crops are not damaged from interaction with working bodies. Given the versatility of the proposed design of the working body and a wide range of harvested root crops, the number of rows of spikes should be taken equal to 18. With an optimal value of the cylinder radius of 0.036 m, the distance between the rows of spikes is 13 mm. Given the presence of soil and plant residues, the height of the elastic spikes, it is advisable to use equal to 5-7 mm

Modeling of Transportation Process in a Technological Complex of Beet Harvesting Machines

Based on a critical review of known research and developments in recent years, the article presents a methodology for analyzing the capacity of the sugar beet sweeping-transport complex. The research aims to find rational use of machinery resources in the technological complex. A reloading method of transportation of root crops was considered. Its peculiarity was flexibility, adaptability to weather, and climatic and economic conditions during the gathering of sugar beet. Under favorable weather conditions and the availability of a sufficient number of vehicles, dug roots, removed from the combine from the field by a tractor semi-trailer, were reloaded into the heavy trucks. They were on the road from the edge of the field and transported to the plant. In case of changing conditions (in rainy weather, when the soil was too wet, or when there were not enough vehicles), a cleaner loader was added to the machines complex. After, the production process was carried out in a transshipment or flow-transshipment way. Beet harvesting and transportation of root crops were considered as work of the technological chain, which consists of three links: “field – beet harvester”, “beet harvester – tractor semi-trailer”, and “tractor semi-trailer – vehicle”. The basic steps of the capacity analysis allowed for determining the capacity of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd links, their comparison, and subsequent analysis and selecting rational options to overcome the possible difference between their values.

Experiment and parameter optimization of an automatic row following system for the traction beet combine harvester

To improve the automation level and operation quality of China's beet harvester and reduce the loss due to damaged and missed excavation, this study used a self-developed sugar beet combine harvester and field simulation experiment platform, based on the single-factor bench test of the automatic row following system in the early stage, taking hydraulic flow A, spring preload B, and forward speed C which have significant influence on performance indices as test factors, and taking the missed excavation rate, breakage rate and reaction time as performance indices, the orthogonal experimental study on the parameter optimization of the three-factor and three-level automatic row following system with the first-order interaction of various factors was carried out. The results of the orthogonal experiments were analyzed using range analysis and variance analysis. The results showed that there were differences in the influence degree, factor priority order and first-order interaction, and the optimal parameter combination on each performance index. A weighted comprehensive scoring method was used to optimize and analyze each index. The optimal parameter combination of the overall operating performance of the automatic row following system was A2B2C1, that is, the hydraulic flow was 25 L/min, the forward speed was 0.8 m/s, and the spring preload was 198 N. Under this combination, the response time was 0.496 s, the missed excavation rate was 2.35%, the breakage rate was 3.65%, and the operation quality was relatively good, which can meet the harvest requirements. The comprehensive optimization results were verified by field experiments with different ridge shapes and different planting patterns. The results showed that the mean values of the missed excavation rate of different planting patterns of conventional straight ridges and extremely large "S" ridges were 2.23% and 2.69%, respectively, and the maximum values were 2.39% and 2.98%, respectively; the average damage rates were 3.38% and 4.14%, and the maximum values were 3.58% and 4.48%, which meet the industry standards of sugar beet harvester operation quality. The overall adaptability of the automatic row following system is good. This study can provide a reference for research on automatic row following harvesting systems of sugar beets and other subsoil crop harvesters. Keywords: beet, combine harvester, traction type, parameter optimization, automatic row following DOI: 10.25165/j.ijabe.20231601.7245 Citation: Wang S Y, Gao X M, You Z Y, Peng B L, Wu H C, Hu Z C, et al. Experiment and parameter optimization of an automatic row following system for the traction beet combine harvester. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2023; 16(1): 145–152.

Monitoring of the spread and development of pests and diseases in sugar beet stands

Goal. To determine the spread and development of pests and diseases in sugar beet crops and their threat to crop plants.
 Methods. Analysis of the reports of regional forecasting and signaling laboratories of the State Vetphytosanitary Service of Ukraine and the results of own observations conducted at research and breeding stations of the Institute of Bioenergy Crops and Sugar Beet of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and beet farms of Ukraine regarding the prevalence and development of phytophages and pathogens, their reservation in agrocenoses. Determination of the threat from them to crops according to the Methodology of research in entomology and phytopathology and the Methodology of conducting research in beet growing.
 Results. It was established that certain types of pests have a significant reservation in agrocenoses and other stations and annually threaten sugar beet crops in various beet harvesting zones. In particular, from year to year, the greatest danger to crop seedlings and plants during their growing season is caused by beetles of the common beet weevil Asproparthenis punctiventris (Bothynoderes punctiventris Germ.), the number of which significantly exceeds the economic threshold of its harmfulness. Among other types of harmful insects that annually threaten sugar beet crops, the gray beet weevil (Tanymecus palliates F.), beet fleas (Chaetocnema sp.), shieldworms (Cassida sp.), stem weevil (Lixus sultilis Beh.) will be dangerous in future years.), the number of which varies within the thresholds of their harmfulness. Regarding diseases, there is still a threat of significant damage to culture plants by cercospora (Cercospora beticila Sacc.), fomosis (Phoma betae Frank), powdery mildew (Erysiphe communis (Wallr Grev f.betae Jacz.)), and others. In particular, according to observations, cercosporosis is gaining pace of intensive development due to favorable weather conditions, so we recommend farms to take measures to reduce plant damage. Precipitation, which passes through centers at the end of summer in most regions of Ukraine, can lead to significant susceptibility of root crops to various types of rot, which can also lead to a decrease in crop yield and quality deterioration.
 Conclusions. In recent years, favorable conditions have been created in Ukraine for the development and spread of many types of pests and diseases in sugar beet crops, which leads to an increase in their harmfulness compared to previous seasons. In particular, the population density of beetles of the common beet weevil was 2—18 specimens/m2, which is ten times higher than the standard. The same applies to other pests and diseases, a significant reserve of which may threaten crops in the coming year.

The role of genetic and biological features of plants in the formation of the sugar beet harvest at different sowing times

This article studied the influence of sowing dates of various biological forms of sugar beet on the productivity of root crops in specific soil and climatic conditions. The role of sowing dates on seed germination, the dynamics of the formation and drying of sugar beet leaves, the number of functioning leaves during the growing season, as well as the dynamics of the growth of the leaf surface area of sugar beets depending on varietal characteristics and sowing dates are shown. Both the lack and the excess of any factor negatively affect the productivity of plants. Therefore, when developing agricultural techniques for crop cultivation, it is important to take into account the timing of sowing, the specifics of the action of mineral fertilizers, the genetic properties of hybrids, climatic and weather conditions, soils, states of organogenesis, phases and interphase periods of plant growth and development. Operational management of the process of crop formation, taking into account varietal characteristics, during the growing season by selecting the appropriate agrotechnical measures and the terms of their implementation should be carried out taking into account the state of crops and meteorological conditions. The scientific basis for agrotechnical measures is the theory of the dynamics of crop formation. It was established that during the early sowing period, the reserves of productive moisture and nutrient reserves in the soil in the first half of the growing season are greater than in the later ones, which ensures the rapid development of the root system, the growth of the leaf surface, the increase in the mass of root crops and the accumulation of sugar in them. The highest yield of root crops and sugar yield per hectare was obtained when sowing triploid hybrid Okhtyrskyi and diploid hybrid ICB 0902 during the first sowing periods. Sowing beets five days later reduced yield by 3.8 t/ha and sugar content by 0.1 %. Late sowing dates sharply reduced the yield and sugar content of root crops. Key words: sugar beet, germination, yield, oneseeded, sugar content, sugar collection.

Şeker pancarı yaprağı silajına arpa ezmesi, arpa samanı ve buğday kepeği ilavesinin yem değeri, silaj kalitesi ve in vitro organik madde sindirilebilirliği üzerine etkisi

This study has been carried out to investigate the effects of adding barley paste, barley straw, and wheat bran to sugar beet leaves (SBL) silages on the nutrient content, silage quality and in vitro organic matter digestibility of the silages. Following the sugar beet harvest, 10% barley paste (BP), 10% barley straw (BS), and 10% wheat bran (WB) were added to the sugar beet leaves taken after the sugar beet harvest, and then they were ensiled in 1 liter special glass jars and four application groups were formed as being control, SBL+BP, SBL+BS, and SBL+WB. Analyzes were carried out in three replications for each silage group. According to the study findings, for the control, SBL+BP, SBL+BS and SBL+WB groups respectively, dry matter at percentages of 18.65%, 23.35%, 21.40%, 21.02%, pH at levels of 4.01, 3.89, 3.94, 3.91, and crude protein at percentages of 11.24%, 12.06%, 7.83%, 11.32% were found. At the end of the study, it was determined that the addition of 10% barley paste to the sugar beet leaves increased the silage dry matter content and fleig score.

Forecasting the directions of the EU sugar market development after limiting government intervention

Motivation: The EU sugar industry is one of the most regulated industry which is subject to import duties, subsidies and quotas. Government intervention in sugar markets significantly affects sugar production, consumption and trade. The GATT/WTO negotiations led to the commencement of the liberalization process in the EU sugar market, and initiated a number of reforms aimed at abolishing government support. Consequently, the sugar market in the EU has undergone considerable changes. Proper recognition of the directions of changes will contribute to reducing the difficulties of entities operating on the global sugar market.
 Aim: The purpose of this publication is to present the forecasts made in 2017 regarding the main categories characterizing the EU sugar market and to verify their validity following the analysis of the actual data. The work uses the forecasts made for 2017–2020 based on empirical data collected from 1993–2016, and then verifies their validity when set against the real data.
 Results: The results of the research showed that statistical models are not able to predict correctly not only the forecasted values, but also the directions of their changes. The range of indicators of forecast errors was almost 40 percentage points, which reduced their credibility. The Pearson correlation index of over 0.7 indicated a significant correlation between the real data and the forecast values for the consumption or sugar beet harvest, while interpreting the discrepancy coefficient index, which did not exceed 1 for the forecast of the sugar production volume. This allows to conclude that this forecast shows the smallest differentiation in comparison to the actual data obtained.

Sugar Beet Harvest Depending on Crop Rotation, Method of Basic Tillage, and Dose of Mineral and Organic Fertilizers

Sugar Beet Harvest Depending on Crop Rotation, Method of Basic Tillage, and Dose of Mineral and Organic Fertilizers

Study of an Exhaust Gas Heat Separation System for the Beet Harvester

It was noted that increased soil moisture worsens the quality of harvesting root crops due to a decrease in the completeness of separation. To increase the separating capacity of a slotted cleaner for root crops, it was proposed to improve the heating of the separating surface with hot exhaust gas. (Research purpose) To optimize the design and technological parameters of an exhaust gas heat separation system of the sugar beet harvester power plant. (Materials and methods) Federal Scientific Agroengineering Center VIM developed an exhaust gas heat separation system for harvesting root crops and potatoes in high moisture conditions using the heat of the harvester power plant exhaust gases. The cleaning quality of the separating system of a self-propelled sugar beet harvester was determined under the gradual engine load from 0 to 100 percent of the nominal rated power. The temperature of the exhaust gases was measured with the assumption of changes in the engine load and its effective power. (Results and discussion) The experiment revealed an increase in the completeness of the separation of a root crops heap from 96.0 to 98.8 percent at 26-32 percent soil moisture due to the separation system in the form of a cleaning star, which uses the heat of the engine exhaust gases. The established optimal values of the factors under consideration are as follows: the separating star rotation rate is 21.8 revolutions per minute, the distance between the separating star and the deflector is 128.4 millimeters. (Conclusions) It was determined that the high quality of the technological process of root crops harvesting in high soil moisture conditions ensuring a 97-percent separation efficiency is possible if optimize the separating device design and technological parameters and maintain the separating star rotation rate at 20-22 revolutions per minute and the distance between the separating star and the deflector within 120-140 millimeters. The authors noted the prospects of developing this system and the need for theoretical and experimental studies to improve the design and technological process of the harvester separating system.

Spatio-Temporal High-Resolution Subsoil Compaction Risk Assessment for a 5-Years Crop Rotation at Regional Scale

Soil compaction results whenever applied soil stress by machinery exceed the soil strength. Both, soil strength and stress, are spatially and temporally highly variable, depending on the weather situation, the current crop type, and the machinery used. Thus, soil compaction risk is very dynamic, changes from day to day and from field to field. The objective of this study was to analyze the spatio-temporal dynamics of soil compaction risk and to identify hot-spot areas of high soil compaction risk at regional scale. Therefore, we selected a study area (∼2,000 km2) with intensive arable farming in Northern Germany, having a high share of cereals, maize and sugar beets. Sentinel-2 images were used to derive the crop types for a 5-years crop rotation (2016–2020). We calculated the soil compaction risk using an updated version of the SaSCiA-model (Spatially explicit Soil Compaction risk Assessment) for each single day of the period, with a spatial resolution of 20 m. The results showed the dynamic changes of soil compaction risk within a year and throughout the entire crop rotation. The relatively dry years 2016 and 2018–2020 reduced the soil compaction risk even at high wheel loads applied to soil during maize and sugar beet harvest. Contrary, high precipitation in 2017 increased the soil compaction risk considerably. Focusing on the complete 5-year period, 2.7% of the cropland area was identified as hot-spots of soil compaction risk, where the highest soil compaction risk class (“extremely high”) occurred every year. Additionally, 39.8% of the cropland was affected by “extremely high” soil compaction at least in one of the 5 years. Although the soil compaction risk analysis does not provide information on the actual extent of the compacted area, the identification of risk areas within a period may contribute to understand the dynamics of soil compaction risk in crop rotation at regional scale and provide advice to mitigate further soil compaction in areas classified as high risk.

Dynamic changes in betanin content during the growing season of table beet: their interplay with abiotic factors.

The table beet, a widespread edible root crop known for its medicinal and antioxidant properties, early maturation, good shelf life, and high contents of bioactive compounds, vitamins and minerals, is used for the production of a natural red food dye. The relevance of this study is dictated by the lack of knowledge about the dynamic changes in the content of betanin during the growing season when developing table beet cultivars with a focus on pigment extraction. The article presents the results of a study of 29 red-colored table beet accessions from the collection of the N.I. Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources (VIR). Dynamic changes in the content of the pigment during the growing season were observed on two beet accessions, cvs. ‘Russkaya odnosemyannaya’ and ‘Bordo odnosemyannaya’. Four pH versions of the buffer solution were tested, and the test results are presented. A buffer solution with pH 6.5 is recommended for research purposes. The amplitude of variability in the content of betanin in the peel (39.9–239.2 mg/100 g) and f lesh (14.4–127.5 mg/100 g) of beets was determined. It was conf irmed that the content of betanin in the peel exceeded that in the f lesh in all samples. A positive relationship between these indicators was revealed (r = 0.74, p ≤ 0.05). It was found that betanin accumulation did not occur in beet roots during the growing season. The pigment showed considerable f luctuations associated with abiotic environmental factors. Correlation analysis showed a signif icant positive relationship between air temperature and betanin content in the root f lesh (r = 0.32–0.31, p ≤ 0.05). A negative impact of environmental temperature on betanin content in the peel manifested itself on the third day (r = –0.34…–0.35, p ≤ 0.05). The negative response to precipitation was less expressed in cv. ‘Bordo odnosemyannaya’ due to the genotype’s more active metabolism and plasticity. Structural morphological features of the photosynthetic apparatus were described for the tested accessions, and their interrelations with the studied character were specif ied. Recommendations are given concerning the choice of a planting pattern and the timing of table beet harvesting for pigment extraction