A survey on the application of path-planning algorithms for multi-rotor UAVs in precision agriculture

Multi-rotor Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), although originally designed and developed for defence and military purposes, in the last ten years have gained momentum, especially for civilian applications, such as search and rescue, surveying and mapping, and agricultural crops and monitoring. Thanks to their hovering and Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) capabilities and the capacity to carry out tasks with complete autonomy, they are now a standard platform for both research and industrial uses. However, while the flight control architecture is well established in the literature, there are still many challenges in designing autonomous guidance and navigation systems to make the UAV able to work in constrained and cluttered environments or also indoors. Therefore, the main motivation of this work is to provide a comprehensive and exhaustive literature review on the numerous methods and approaches to address path-planning problems for multi-rotor UAVs. In particular, the inclusion of a review of the related research in the context of Precision Agriculture (PA) provides a unified and accessible presentation for researchers who are initiating their endeavours in this subject.

Notes on tenuipalpid mites associated with Quercus pubescens in southern Italy

During a survey of the flat mites (Tenuipalpidae) on forest trees and agricultural crops in five different sites of the Apulian territories (Southern Italy) in 2019, Brevipalpus recki (Livschitz and Mitrofanov) and Cenopalpus longirostris (Livschitz and Mitrofanov) were collected on Quercus pubescens (Willdenow) (Fagaceae). The authors give an account of the new record of C. longirostris, which was not listed in the previous Italian fauna, and of the finding of B. recki in southern Italy, since it was only mentioned from the northern region of the country so far. In addition, the paper lists Q. pubescens as a new host plant for C. longirostris.

Banana and Mango Value Chains

Fruit crops are high-value agricultural crops and are mostly managed by individual farmers in India unlike in the West where large private corporations are involved in production and exports of fruit crops. India’s fruits production increased significantly from 28.6 million metric tonnes (MMT) in 1991–92 to 96.8 MMT in 2018–19. Among fruits, mango and bananas are the most important crops with 50% share in fruits acreage as well as value dominated by mango.

Analysis of Soil Primary Macro Nutrient Status in Agricultural Land, Tabundung District, East Sumba Regency

Agricultural land is land that can affect agricultural productivity. Land, which is part of land resources, is the main component in the production of agricultural commodities. In supporting the productivity of agricultural commodities, there must be sufficient nutrients in the soil. Tabundung sub-regency is a producer of food crops, livestock and fisheries. As the main producer in the agricultural sector, the production of agricultural crops is not proportional to the total area of harvested land, meaning that the productivity of agricultural crops is not optimal if it is based on harvested area. The study was conducted in Tarimbang Village, Proud Watu and Tapil Regency of Tabundung. The method used in this research was survey technique and soil sampling was carried out in a composite manner. Soil samples were analyzed at the Nusa Cendana University Laboratory, Kupang. Primary data analyzed were elements of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), organic carbon (C), cation exchange capacity (CEC), and pH. The results showed that the overall nutrient status of N, P, and K were in the medium, high and very high categories, but there were some sample points that were in the low category for macronutrients N and P. While the concentrations of organic C, CEC and pH were overall generally in pretty good condition. This condition indicates that the research area provides sufficient nutrients for plant cultivation during the growth and yield of plants, but improvements are needed to overcome macronutrient deficiencies in several observation locations.

The effects of heavy metal exposure in agriculture soil on chlorophyll content of agriculture crops: A meta-analysis approach

Soil can be contaminated by the accumulation of heavy metals and metalloids through emissions from rapidly developing industrial areas. Due to the possibility of chemical change (speciation) and their bioavailability, the presence of toxic metals in the soil can greatly inhibit the biodegradation of organic contaminants. The researchers aimed to analyse the effect of heavy metal levels in agricultural soil on chlorophyll levels in agricultural crops through a meta-analysis method which is expected to provide results in the form of a summary of data that already exists in journals that have been published so far. Here we present a meta-analysis of 6 studies (56 data collected) published between 1997 and 2020 that reported the effects of heavy metal content on plant chlorophyll content. Based on the meta-analysis of the effect of heavy metal exposure in agricultural soil on the chlorophyll content of agricultural crops, the value “effect size overall” was -0.285 in the range of -0.380 to -0.190, where most of the values “effect size” were on the left. Plants growing on soil contaminated with heavy metals result in decreased growth due to changes in physiological and biochemical activities, especially when heavy metals inhibit plant growth and development. Furthermore, environmental risk assessment due to mercury exposure is very important to control the transport and accumulation of mercury in the biosphere to reduce the impact of mercury on the environment.

Quality of Pea Seeds and Agroecological Condition of Soil When Using Structured Water

The widespread use of water in crop production and agriculture is due to a significant increase in yields during the watering of agricultural crops, as well as the transfer of pesticides and mineral fertilizers to plants and soil by water. One of the ways to improve the quality of water used in crop production is to structure it. An urgent task is to study the effect of structured water delivered to agricultural crops by watering or spraying on the yield, quality of the resulting products and agroecological condition of the soil. Field studies on pea crops were conducted at experimental sites of the Vinnytsia National Agrarian University, laboratory studies were conducted in accredited laboratories for monitoring the quality, safety of feed and raw materials of the Institute of Feed Research and Agriculture of Podillya of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine and the testing centre of the Vinnytsia branch of the state institution “Institute of Soil Protection of Ukraine”. When watering peas with structured water, its yield increases by 42.3% compared to the version without water application and by 22.3% compared to the version with watering with plain water. Pea seeds when watered with structured water have a lower content of crude protein by 0.43 %, crude fat – by 0.09%, crude ash – by 0.63%, but a higher content of crude fibre by 0.11% and nitrogen-free extractives – by 0.99% compared to the version without water. The content of humus in the soil, when watered with structured water, was lower than in the version without water by 0.04%, lightly hydrolysed nitrogen – by 8.0%, mobile phosphorus – by 20.0%, exchangeable potassium – by 7.9%, the reaction of the soil solution – by 0.2 pH, hydrolytic acidity – by 21.7%, the concentration of mobile lead – by 18.4%. However, the concentration of mobile cadmium increased by 43.8% and soil moisture – by 4.3%. When comparing the indicators of the agroecological state of the soil, which was watered with structured and plain water, it was found that watering with structured water reduces the content of humus by 0.03%, lightly hydrolysed nitrogen – by 2.3%, mobile phosphorus – by 20%, exchange potassium – by 9.7%, hydrolytic acidity – by 7.7%, the reaction of the soil solution – by 0.3 pH, but increases the content of mobile lead by 10.9%, mobile cadmium – by 25.0% and increases the moisture content in the soil – by 2.7%