Crop Production Operations Research Articles

Constraints faced by farmers in energy consumption in crop production in Belagavi and Gadag districts of north Karnataka

Energy is a critical input in all forms of economic activity on adaptability basis and plays a significant role in daily living from cooking to production activities. A farm is both consumer of energy and also producer. Farming through production process converts input energy into output energy on various forms of outputs produced in agriculture. The pattern in which energy inputs are used in crop production is closely related to the nature of cropping pattern and crop intensities. Therefore, there is a need to understand the constraints faced by farmers in energy consumption during crop production. In this context, the present study was conducted in Belagavi and Gadag districts of North Karnataka. The primary data pertaining to the crop year 2021-22 were collected from 72 farmers from irrigated condition and equal number of farmers from rainfed condition from two districts, comprising 144 farmers. The collected data on constraints were analysed using Garrett ranking technique. The major findings of the study revealed that non-availability of labour during peak operations in crop production observed in both Belagavi and Gadag districts (with Garrett score of 76.55 and 67.69 respectively). The second major constraint in Belagavi district was non-availability of draft animals (65.44) while, in Gadag district it was lack of accessibility of inputs like seeds, fertilizers and FYM (62.90), respectively. The third constraint in Belagavi district was non-availability of required machines at custom hiring centers (Garrett score 61.25) while, in Gadag district it was high cost of using mechanical power during farm operations (Garrett score 59.63) and the last constraint in both districts was given to Govt. support through subsidy to purchase of machinery (with score of 18.55 and 15.28).

Reduction of technogenic impact on the soil by increasing the stability of road trains movement within the field

The outcomes of assessing the possibility of reducing the technogenic impact on the soil during field operations in crop production are presented by increasing the stability of the transport movement and technological means in agricultural fields. An increase in the number of passes, a distortion of the tramline shape, an increase in slippage, wobbling and sliding of technical equipment on the field lead to a significant deterioration in the topography and structure of the soil layer, which causes soil destruction and a decrease in its productivity. Transport work performed on agricultural fields leads to a significant negative technogenic impact on the soil due to the numerous passes, large transported weight, and the application of trailers. The impact on the stability of the road trains movement is considered in the paper. Characteristics of damped oscillations are used to evaluate the efficiency of impacts on stability. The method of changing the inclination angle of the turntable kingpin of the road train trailer is chosen by the method of influencing the movement stability. It is established that changing the inclination angle of the turntable kingpin of the road train trailer allows reducing the average amplitude of oscillations of the trailer front side by 26.5–28%, increasing the period of oscillations by 33.3%, and also slightly changing the decrement of oscillations by 0.5–2.5%. Therefore, structural changes in the towing device of vehicles, by providing better directional stability, will reduce the technogenic load on the soil: decrease compaction and destruction of the soil layer.

МЕТОД РАСЧЕТА ВЫБРОСА ДИОКСИДА УГЛЕРОДА МАШИННО-ТРАКТОРНЫМИ АГРЕГАТАМИ НА ТЕХНОЛОГИЧЕСКИХ ОПЕРАЦИЯХ, С УЧЕТОМ ВЛИЯНИЯ ПАРАМЕТРОВ АГРЕГАТОВ НА ФОРМИРУЕМЫЙ УРОЖАЙ ЗЕРНОВЫХ КУЛЬТУР

Researches were conducted for the purpose of development of a method of calculation of emission of carbon dioxide by machine and tractor units on technological operations in crop production at cultivation of grain crops. The criterion of optimization of parameters and operating modes of soil-cultivating, sowing and other units – the minimum emission of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere at their production, maintenance and production operation is offered. Feature of the offered method is the fact that it considers the influence of parameters of the equipment on losses of a potential harvest which to avoid at today's level of development of the equipment and technologies it is impossible. Formation of a harvest results from absorption by carbon dioxide plants from the atmosphere and, partially, from the soil. Carbon dioxide (CO2) which the lost harvest could absorb from the atmosphere is removed from a circulation, so remains in the air, and in our technique it is attributed to CO2 released into the atmosphere at production, service and operation of the unit. In article the method of calculation of the amount of the carbon dioxide necessary for the formation of unit of a grain part of a harvest and not grain part accompanying it is in detail considered. The formula which allows to calculate the mass of carbon dioxide in kg for the formation of grain weighing 1 kg is offered. It became clear that from grain crops on formation of unit of a harvest, most of all CO2 from the atmosphere is absorbed by winter rye (about 3 kg/kg), further corn (2.8 kg/kg by theoretical calculations). Leaning on these researches, the mathematical model of operation of machine and tractor units on technological operations on preparation of the soil for crops and crops by the offered criterion of optimization is developed. An inspection of operability of the offered method by carrying out computing experiments with use of the created mathematical model on technological operation – preparation of the soil heavy disk harrows is carried out. During calculations of influence weight of the tractor, power of its engine, width of capture of the unit and working speed of the unit on carbon dioxide emission became clear. The minimum emission of carbon dioxide, for conditions of carrying out a computing experiment, is provided weighing tractor of 145 kN. The tractor weight deviation towards increase or reduction leads to growth of emission of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Usability Analysis of Weather Forecast and Impact Assessment of Weather Based Agro Advisories on Rice and Groundnut

A study was carried out by the Gramin Krishi Mausam Sewa (GKMS), Malkangiri, Odisha during 2020-21 to verify the usability of medium range weather forecasts along with impact of weather based agro advisories on rice and groundnut. Results of the study showed high degree of accuracy of forecast (usability) for different weather parameters (except rainfall in monsoon season, minimum temperature in winter season, morning relative humidity in winter season and afternoon relative humidity in pre-monsoon season). On other hand, those farmers followed weather based agro advisories (AAS farmers) recorded 7.94 and 14.22% more yield in rice and groundnut, respectively as compared to non-users of weather based agro advisories (non AAS farmers). AAS farmers also received more economic return from rice and groundnut. Thus, accurate weather forecasts helped the farmers in decision-making on the crop production operations and application of weather based agro advisories were useful for enhancing the production and income from rice and groundnut in studied regi

Methodological Approaches to the Formation of the Soil Abrasive Characteristics and Wear of Tillage Machine

When performing various technological operations in crop production, the working bodies of tillage equipment in contact with the soil wear out under the influence of an abrasive environment. (Research purpose) The research purpose is in theoretical substantiation for a method for quantifying the wear capacity of soils with different abrasive characteristics. (Materials and methods) The article presents the evaluation of the abrasive ability of the soil by the wear of a steel rod vertically immersed in the soil and moving translationally. Authors used the standard rod of steel St0; geometric parameters of the worn rod are diameter d = 25-30 millimeters, height h = 250 millimeters; dynamic characteristics during the test are moving speed V = 3 kilometers per hour, distance of movement L = 100 meters. The worn rod sinks to a certain depth, moves in the soil at a constant speed. A device was used to determine the abrasive characteristics of the soil. (Results and discussion) The numerical characteristic of the wear capacity of the soil was determined as the physical value of the wear of the standard worn rod when moving in the soil as A=Q/L, grams per meter. The lower the value of this ratio, the less abrasive components are in the soil; based on the wear data of a standard rod, it is possible to obtain a characteristic of the wear capacity of various soils. (Conclusions) The proposed method allows us to determine the abrasive and wear characteristics of various types of soils. The results of the study make it possible to install working bodies on tillage machines in accordance with the type and wear capacity of the soil in which they will work, which will reduce the cost of their manufacture and increase the efficiency of the use of equipment.

Sistem upravljanja usevom - mašine za terenske operacije i usvojene tehnike planiranja za proizvodnju šećerne trske

Major objectives of farm mechanization are to maximize production at minimum risks and optimum cost of equipment usage by good management planning and operation of machines to carry out sequence crop production operations for the whole farming system. Hence this study was needed at Sunti Golden Sugar Company, Nigeria to determine cost of equipment use and select appropriate tractor power and machinery for the crop cultivation, crop establishment, weed control, cane harvesting and transporting to the store for post-harvest processing for future target of 4,770 ha of sugar cane farm. Based on agricultural farm size, field operational planning factors like soil, weather/environmental conditions, each implement matched with appropriate tractor size was calculated. Costs of equipment use, ownership and operational costs for implements and tractors were also calculated. A well-drawn cropping field operations calendar was very important for crop and operational sequencing was recommended and was put in-place since the operations overlaps with multi-periods. As part of the recommendation, during the planned equipment downtime, major repairs and maintenance were to be carried out before critical field operation's period to improve pre-field and in-field efficiency for effective equipment and field operational planning and management. Determined are the values of each implement field capacity within allotted time available, actual number of implement/tractor power required, fuel and oil consumption per unit time for the sugar cane cultivation, harvesting and transporting operations at the sugar cane farm. Also appropriate earth-moving and earthwork equipment for road, irrigation and drainage structural works were also selected.

Development of a methodology for assessing the parameters of the state of crops and soil environment for crops according to remote sensing of the Earth

Improving the efficiency of agriculture is impossible without the use of innovative solutions, among which it is necessary to highlight information technology and the use of the capabilities of the digital economy. To the greatest extent, these opportunities are manifested in such a new technological direction as precision farming which has received a new impetus for development in connection with the expanding use of remote sensing of the Earth. However, it should be noted that the use of remote sensing means for more than twenty years has so far had little effect on the effectiveness of precision farming technologies. This is due to the insufficient development of the scientific and methodological base for the use of remote sensing in the monitoring and control of agricultural technologies. Until now, the enormous opportunities of modern remote sensing tools are reduced to the construction and study of various types of vegetation indices, according to which it is impossible to make control decisions in precision farming systems. This problem is especially acute in control systems for the processes of applying mineral fertilizers, which are the main technological operations in crop production. Here, scientific and technological progress concerned only the mechanization of soil sampling at fixed points in the field and subsequent laboratory analysis of the samples. Each sampling point is considered representative for a field plot with an area of 5 to 15 ha. Such a technology for obtaining information is not only very laborious, but also carries big errors in the subsequent justification of fertilizer doses. The aim of this work is the further development of scientific and methodological foundations and software and hardware assessment tools according to remote sensing data of the content of the main nutrients in plants and soil.

Analysis of Energy Consumption during Plowing Using a Motor-Block with Moldboard Plow

Introduction. Plowing the soil is a major operation in the cultivation of crops. It is one of the most labor-intensive operations in crop production, accounting for about 40 % of all energy costs. Most of these costs fall on consumed power, ensuring the effective functioning of the motor-block unit with a moldboard plow. Therefore, estimation of power consumed by motor-blocks is the urgent task. Materials and Methods. To solve the problem of determining the energy characteristics of the motor-block unit during plowing, a theoretical analysis was carried out, including values of torque, traction force on running wheels, resistance during their rolling and resistance force at the jointers-depleted plow, with the account for the geometry of the plowing unit based on the motor-block. Dependences of power consumption and specific energy consumption were obtained using the method described below. Results.As a result of our analysis of the power balance, we obtained dependences to find power consumption, as well as the specific energy intensity of plowing the soil with a motor-moldboard plow, which allowed for energy assessment of the functioning of the agricultural unit. Discussion and Conclusion. On the basis of these dependences of the required power and specific energy consumption, taking into account experimental data on interaction of the plow with the soil, design parameters and technological modes of operation of the agricultural unit consisting of motor unit Neva MB-2S-7,5 Pro and plow P1-20/3, were obtained to facilitate the choice of optimal modes of their functioning.

Assessment of material and technical resources of crop production technologies

The author explains the general principles of influence of the material and technical resources (MTR) on performance and efficiency of the main technological operations in crop production. Various technologies from the point of view of MTR expenses were estimated. The general tendencies in development of crop production technologies were revealed. The distribution of costs of materials and equipment to perform a variety of agricultural activities was determined. Cost indicators should be a guide in the search of innovative technological processes and working elements of agricultural machins. The greatest values of expenses of work, fuel, metal, and also, money where found. The concepts allowing to provide costs production reduction were formulated. To achieve the maximum productivity with the minimum expenses, the perspective calculations shoul be based on «progressive» agrotechnologies. When determining progressive agrotechnology it is necessary on reasonable grounds to approach indicators of crop productivity in various agrozones and regions of the country. For an assessment of efficiency of MTR by crop production and ensuring decrease in resource intensity of agricultural products by search and use of essentially new technologies for energy saving when performing agricultural operations, an integrated percentage indicator of comparison of progressive technologies with the applied ones was developed. MTR at application of new progressive crop production technologies by integrated percentage index were estimated. This indicator can be used for definition of efficiency of MTR. Application of the offered technique will promote an effective assessment of MTR, decrease in resource intensity by search and developments of essentially new technologies of performance of operations in crop production.

Fieldprint Calculator: A tool to evaluate the effects of management on physical sustainability

Fieldprint Calculator is a free online resource that analyzes crop production operations and computes their sustainability and operational efficiency. By improving productivity and reducing the impact on the environment measured by the individual metrics, producers may improve their overall sustainability. Earn 0.5 CEUs in Soil & Water Management by reading this article and completing the quiz at www.certifiedcropadviser.org/certifications/self‐study/753.

SIMULATION AND ANALYSIS OF LOW COST WEEDER

Weed management is one of the tedious operations in crop production. Because of labor costs, time and fully manual weeding is unfavorable. Hence effort is made to design and develop efficient Farm equipment to perform weeding without using electric power. This paper presents modeling, simulation, analysis, fabrication and testing of low cost three row weeder. The conception and key characteristics of simulation based design and the advantage of using it to design the driving mechanism of three row weeding equipment were discussed. The structure and mechanical parts of weeder were designed using CATIA with detail, including its threedimensional modeling, assembly, interference checking, kinematics simulation, and two-dimensional engineering-drawing conversion etc. Later 3-D cad model is saved as (.stp) format and imported in ANSYS work bench environment and checked for Multibody dynamics simulation and Finite element analysis is done for safe design. The result shows that simulation based design technology can shorten the design & development period and reduce design cost.. The machine would be very useful for poor farmers. The cost of the commercial model of the equipment was estimated at Rs6500/-. The functional efficiency result of the manually operated weeder cum feeder on loamy soil was 81.4%, clay soil was 86.5% and sandy soil was 89.4% on of these soils. The overall machine field efficiency was 88.82% .

Energy and Economic Evaluation of Farm Operations in Crop Production

The present research work has been carried out at Central Research Station farm of Dr. PDKV, Akola and atKatkheda and Sutala village of the Akola and Bulbhana district respectively. The operations considered were landpreparation, sowing, intercultural, harvesting and crop residue management etc. The inputs like human power,bullock power for traditional operation were studied in entire work of the research. Similarly, for the same cropsthese operations were carried out by the mechanized practice for the exact quantification of the operational energyinput. The study reflects the energy use patterns in mechanized and traditional farming and optimized energyefficient cropping system through mechanized farming over traditional farming. The practices evaluated for thecrop production which resulted in the high yielding of crop and the crop residues.On the basis of results obtained, it was observed that the traditional operational energy requirement increases from2680.78 MJ/ha in traditional method to 3130.72 MJ/ha in mechanized method for green gram crop. While, there isdecrease in cost of operation from Rs 8407.5/ha in traditional method to Rs 5147.0/ha in mechanized system.Similar trend was observed in cotton, soybean, sorghum and wheat crop. For all the crops seed bed preparation isdone by tractors in traditional as well as mechanized method except in mechanized method land smoothening isdone by self propelled tiller instead of bullock drawn blade harrow. In most of the crops the farm operations weremechanized with different implements except harvesting operation, due to unavailability of appropriate machine for harvesting of crops except wheat crop. Overall it seen that the application of modern implements andmachineries for the crop production over the traditional practices reduces the cost of production which surelyimpact on the crop production and the net income of the farmers.

Estudo energético da produção de biocombustível a partir do milho

Objetivou-se analisar energeticamente a produção de etanol a partir do milho (Zea mays L.). As pesquisas de campo foram realizadas na região paulista do Médio Paranapanema, São Paulo (SP), no período de janeiro a dezembro de 2007. Avaliou-se o consumo energético referente às fases de produção e processamento industrial do grão. O custo energético total da produção agrícola correspondeu a 15.633,7MJ ha-1, e o item mais oneroso foi o de "insumos" (77,5%). Nas etapas industriais, o consumo energético foi equivalente a 3.882,2MJ t-1. As operações de "hidrólise, sacarificação e tratamento do caldo" representaram 50,2% do dispêndio energético total. O custo energético do milho foi de 7,9MJ L-1 nas operações agronômicas de produção e 11,8MJ L-1 nas etapas de processamento industrial. O balanço energético do cultivo e da industrialização foi de 1,2MJ.

Avaliação energética da produção de etanol utilizando como matéria-prima a cana-de-açúcar

Analisou-se energeticamente a produção de etanol originária da cana-de-açúcar. As pesquisas de campo foram realizadas na região paulista do Médio Paranapanema, no período de janeiro a dezembro de 2007, avaliando-se o consumo energético referente às fases de produção e processamento industrial. Verificou-se que o custo energético total da produção agrícola correspondeu a 14.370,9MJ ha-1, e o item mais oneroso foi o de "insumos" (50,4%). Nas etapas industriais, o consumo energético foi equivalente a 1.641,6MJ t-1. As operações de "hidrólise, sacarificação e tratamento do caldo" representaram 71,7% do dispêndio energético total. Na cana-de-açúcar, observou-se um custo energético de 2,0MJ L-1 em relação ao etanol produzido nas principais operações agronômicas de produção e 19,4MJ L-1 nas etapas de processamento industrial. A eficiência energética no cultivo e na industrialização foi de 1,1.

Pathways to reduce the environmental footprints of water and energy inputs in food production

With climate change and population growth, the pathways for reducing the environmental footprint of food production are increasingly sought, but poorly understood. This paper sketches the environmental footprints of water and energy use in food production systems. The main objective is to present an empirical application, to help identify the main pathways to reducing the footprints. The agricultural system of rice, wheat, and barley production on selected farms in the southern Murray Darling Basin in Australia is used as a case study. Further insights are gained through a review of the data published in pre eminent journals. Together the analysis indicates that boosting water productivity and improving energy use efficiency in crop production operations are the two possible pathways to reducing the environmental footprints of water and energy inputs in food production. These generic conclusions have implications for water, food and environment policy.

Methyl Isothiocyanate Residential Community Air Assessment for South Franklin County, Washington

Metam sodium (metam; sodium methyl-dithiocarbamate) by weight is the most widely used soil fumigant, and the third most used pesticide in the United States (57–62 million lb/year) (USEPA, 2005a). Metam is applied preplant to a wide variety of crops, with potatoes, tomatoes, tobacco, and strawberries receiving more than 1 million pounds annually. Metam rapidly hydrolyzes upon contact with soil moisture to methyl isothiocyanate (MITC), the biologically active ingredient. The high vapor pressure of MITC (2.5–2.8 kPa at 20 C) can lead to substantial surface emission and subsequent off-target air mass movement if metam is not properly applied to the soil (Lee et al., 2002; Li et al., 2006; Sullivan et al., 2004). Thus, MITC may present a significant human inhalation exposure pathway in communities at the urban– agricultural interface (USEPA, 2005b). Methyl isothiocyanate is an acute respiratory irritant (Pruett et al., 2001). Many residential exposure incidences with reported nose irritation, sore throat, nausea, and dizziness from probable MITC exposure have been well documented in California (Thongsinthusak, 2003). Although not classified by the EPA as a hazardous air pollutant, MITC is considered a toxic air contaminant under the Code of California Regulations, Title 3, Section 6890(b). In Washington State, metam is the most widely used fumigant, with more than 20 million pounds applied in 2005 for control of soil-borne nematodes and diseases in large-scale potato production (NASS, 2006). It is typically applied preplant during the fall by center-pivot chemigation (PMSP, 2002). Recent expansion of suburban development into traditionally agricultural areas now appears to be associated with an increasing number of residential health complaints. Recently, 12 cases of possible or probable acute illnesses related to MITC inhalation exposure have been reported to the Washington State Department of Health (Burgess et al., 2000; Morrissey, 2006). Data on methyl isothiocyanate concentration in residential air are lacking for estimation of possible inhalation exposure near potatogrowing regions in Eastern Washington. A few agricultural air monitoring studies have evaluated off-target movement of MITC to residential communities. The majority of these evaluations have been conducted in California near row crop production operations (California Air Resources Board, 1994; California Department of Pesticide Regulations, 2003; Seiber et al., 1999). In particular, Seiber et al. (1999) studied regional off-site movement of MITC to residential areas in Bakersfield, California during the summer fumigation season in this region. The 1-h timeweighted average (TWA) MITC residential outdoor ambient concentrations ranged from 0.3 parts per billion (ppb) to a maximum of 14 ppb. Thongsinthusak (2003) has comprehensively summarized the MITC concentrations found in the California residential studies. Fumigation practices for Pacific Northwest field crops differ appreciably from those used for California row crops. Whereas metam is typically shanked directly into the soil during the spring or summer in California, it is generally applied by center-pivot chemigations in eastern Washington during the cooler fall months of September and October before irrigation districts shut off water supplies. The intensity of J. H. Merriman V. R. Hebert (&) Washington State University Tri-Cities, 2710 University Drive, Richland, WA 99354-1671, USA e-mail: vhebert@tricity.wsu.edu

Energy inputs and crop production in Western Pakistan

The objective of this study was to investigate the patterns of enery use and their relationship with crop production on farms in the Dera Ismail Khan (D.I. Khan) District of the North West Frontier Province, Pakistan. A year-long survey of daily inputs of energy to more than 600 crop plots of 26 farms in seven villages was carried out. These represented both rainfed and irrigated farms operated by bullocks and tractors. Irrigation was provided by either canal or tube-wells. Data on energy inputs were recorded for crop-production operations through biweekly visits to the selected farms, for human labor, bullocks, electric motors, diesel engines and tractors. Applications of fertilizers and chemicals and the results of yields were recorded. On a per hectare basis, the use of tractors reduces the use of both human labor and bullocks on farms and increases the total energy consumption. Due to timely land preparation, yields of most of the crops were higher on tractor-operated farms than on bullock-operated farms. On rainfed farms, energy consumption was the lowest due to lack of a permanent source of irrigation. Floods destroyed the crops on certain plots, and therefore subsequent operations like harvesting were not performed. Canal-irrigated farms had higher cropping intensities and used more energy than rainfed farms. Per hectare consumption of energy was highest on tubewell-irrigated farms due to the high consumption of electrical or diesel energy for pumping.

Ergonomics aspects of crop production in tropical developing countries: a literature review

Little is known about the extent to which ergonomics factors limit manual crop production operations in developing countries. This paper presents the findings of a review of the ergonomics literature, performed to identify and quantify such constraints in the tropics. Most of the literature reviewed reported studies of land preparation and weeding tasks. The practical application of the data from many of the studies was found to be limited. However, there was sufficient evidence to show that the use of different handtools to carry out a given task could influence the physiological cost incurred by the user, and that some tools performed more effectively than others in the completion of that task. This indicates that the application of ergonomics principles has the potential to relieve at least some of the drudgery associated with agricultural tasks carried out by resource-poor farmers in the tropics. The review highlights the need for a more comprehensive methodological and participative approach, and outlines a number of issues to be addressed in future research.

TRAHFICABILITY DETERMINATION USING FUZZY SET THEORY

ABSTRACTFor many crop-production operations involving field machinery, the decision regarding whether or not to carry out the operation is largely influenced by the trafficability of the field. The prevalent approach in simulation models employs binary set theory to classify days in the operation window as workable or unwoikable based on trafficability. Such a classification is inadequate from the management point of view because it does not consider the relative contributions of the factors leading to the decision on trafficability. An alternative approach that determines field trafficability by using fuzzy set theory is suggested in this article. The criteria used for trafficability determination were modeled as fuzzy sets to account for their relative contributions and the moments method was used to defuzzify the pooled contribution. Weather data from different periods in four years were used to compare the results of this approach with those of an existing model. The number of trafficable days predicted by the fuzzy set approach were closer to the observed number of trafficable days.

Precise Control of Tractor Engine Speed

ABSTRACT An engine speed control was designed and implemented on a JD 4030 tractor for maintaining a steady engine speed as the tractor was used to perform crop production operations. The controller adjusted the position of the throttle control lever on the fuel injector pump to minimize changes in engine speed which normally occur due to changing load. Tractor engine speed was maintained at a reference speed (rpm) selected by the operator to suit the task being performed. The controller measured the engine speed, evaluated the correction in throttle position, and used a digital linear actuator to implement the correction. Performance tests indicated that for a reference speed of 2000 rpm and an update period of 0.2 s, average engine speed for 4 test runs ranged from 1996 to 1999 rpm under abrupt loading cycles ranging from 17 to 52 kw (load applied with a pto dynamometer). The standard deviation of speed for these runs ranged from 4.5 to 6.6 rpm.