Field Investigation of Straw Length, Stubble Height and Rotary Speed Effect on the Dispersion and Burying of Residue

High-yielding agriculture leads to plenty of residues left in the field after harvest, which not only makes seeding operations difficult, but also decreases residue decomposition rate. Thus, it is necessary to incorporate some residue into the soil by tillage operations. Providing the relation between tillage operations and residue incorporation, and establishing a mathematical model plays an important role in residue management and the design of tillage machinery. In order to obtain detailed data on the interaction between crop residue and tillage operations, an electric and multi-functional field testing bench with precise parameter control was developed to perform residue incorporation characteristics of rotary tillage, and investigated straw length, rotary speed and stubble height effect on the dispersion and burying of residue. Three experimental factors affecting residue incorporation performance were studied, i.e. six lengths of straw (30-150 mm), four heights of stubble (50-200 mm), and three rotary speeds (240-320 rpm). Chopped straw and stubble with certain sizes were prepared for the test, and measure the dispersion uniformity and burying rate of residue after rotary tillage. The results indicated that straw length, stubble height, and rotary speed all impact residue incorporation quality. The dispersion uniformity and burying rate of residue decreased with the increase of straw length and stubble height; Lower rotary speed parameter buried lesser residue and dispersed worse uniformity than higher one; It is suggested that farmers determine the straw length and stubble height at the stage of harvest according to the burying rate and dispersion uniformity of residue.

Retention of eucalyptus harvest residues reduces soil compaction caused by deep subsoiling

Eucalyptus harvesting, forwarding and soil tillage operations are among the main causes for compaction of forest soils, with potential impacts on productivity. This concern is especially important in areas with soils that are naturally compacted (fragipans and duripans). In these soils, tillage operations include the use of subsoilers that can reach depths of more than one meter and require heavy tractors that exert high pressure on the soil. One of the ways to try to minimize the effect of this compaction is by retaining harvest residues. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impacts of eucalyptus harvesting on soil physical attributes, as well as to determine the potential of different types of residue management to reduce compaction from the soil tillage operation. Two experiments were conducted in the same area with a Yellow Argisol. In the first experiment, compaction caused by mechanized harvesting with harvester + forwarder was evaluated. In the second experiment, different managements of harvest residues were examined as potential modifiers of soil compaction during tillage for new plantings. For this, three managements systems were tested: (1) retention of all harvest residues and litter from the previous rotation (HR + L), (2) retention of litter from the previous rotation (L), and (3) removal of harvest residues and litter from the previous rotation (WR). Before and after harvest, sampling was carried out in the planting rows and inter-rows, and after tillage, samples were collected in the traffic line of the subsoiler-tractor set. In both experiments, undisturbed soil samples were collected from the center of the 0–10, 10–20, 20–40, 40–60, and 60–100 cm layers to determine soil density and total porosity. In each period and site of evaluation, mechanical resistance to penetration up to the 60-cm depth was also determined. The harvesting operation increased soil density at 0–10 and 60–100 cm depths only in the inter-rows. Retention of harvest residues and litter (HR + L) after harvesting avoided increases in soil density and penetration resistance caused by machine traffic during tillage. The results indicate the importance of retaining harvest residues on forest soils for achieving sustainable utilization and for conserving soil quality.

Estimation of Soil Surface Roughness Using Stereo Vision Approach

Soil roughness is one of the most challenging issues in the agricultural domain and plays a crucial role in soil quality. The objective of this research was to develop a computerized method based on stereo vision technique to estimate the roughness formed on the agricultural soils. Additionally, soil till quality was investigated by analyzing the height of plow layers. An image dataset was provided in the real conditions of the field. For determining the soil surface roughness, the elevation of clods obtained from tillage operations was computed using a depth map. This map was obtained by extracting and matching corresponding keypoints as super pixels of images. Regression equations and coefficients of determination between the measured and estimated values indicate that the proposed method has a strong potential for the estimation of soil shallow roughness as an important physical parameter in tillage operations. In addition, peak fitting of tilled layers was applied to the height profile to evaluate the till quality. The results of this suggest that the peak fitting is an effective method of judging tillage quality in the fields.

FORCES AND DISPLACEMENTS DISTRIBUTION AFTER FEM ANALYSIS OF VIBRATORY WORKING TOOL

The research status and the study of vibratory working tools used in tillage operations are discussed in this paper. At this moment, one of the most critical issues for the engineers and manufacturers is to achieve the highest efficiency with the least resources needed. Various studies by researchers on vibratory working tool styles and models have been taken into account. A study was then conducted to ascertain the advantages of vibratory equipment over rigid equipment. A finite element process study was also conducted on one active working tool to observe specific deformations and displacements. Draft forces ranging from 440 to 750 N were used in the study. According to prior studies, the angle of attack after the forces have been applied should not exceed 80 degrees.

Tractor-Implement Tillage Depth Control Using Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS)

This study presents a design of an adaptive neuro-fuzzy controller for tractors’ tillage operations. Since the classical controllers allows plowing depth errors due to the variations of lands structure, the use of the combined neural networks and fuzzy logic methods decreases these errors. The proposed controller is based on Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS), which permits the generation of fuzzy rules to cancel the nonlinearity and disturbances on the implement. The design and simulations of the system, which consist of a hitch-implement mechanism, an electro-hydraulic actuator, and a neuro-fuzzy controller, are conducted in SolidWorks and MATLAB software. The performance of the proposed controller is analyzed and is contrasted with a Proportional Integral Derivative (PID) controller. The obtained results show that the neuro-fuzzy controller adapts perfectly to the dynamics of the system with rejection of disturbances.

Nitrous oxide emissions and maize yield as influenced by nitrogen fertilization and tillage operations in upland soil

Previous studies simply focused on determining nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from the soil under different tillage operations and nitrogen (N) fertilizations without considering crop yield. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the effects of different tillage operations and N fertilizations on N2O emissions and crop yield from upland soil. Two different tillage operations [conventional tillage (CT) and no-tillage (NT)] and N fertilizations [without urea (WOU) and with 186 kg N ha−1 of urea (WU)] were established in a randomized block design with three replications on upland soil. Maize (Zea mays) was cultivated from 6th July to 4th October, 2018 (year 1), and from 15th April to 26th July, 2019 (year 2). The daily N2O flux did not peak soon after tillage operation and N fertilization, but it was more related to the change in water-filled pore space (WFPS). The mean value of WFPS across N fertilizations and seasons (years) was higher in CT than in NT. The changes of nitrification and denitrification rates could be attributed to the differences in WFPS between CT and NT. Nitrification was the predominant process producing N2O with CT, but denitrification was with NT. The application of urea increased cumulative N2O emissions, while CT also increased it compared with NT. The order of the mean values of cumulative N2O emissions across seasons from the highest to the lowest was as follows: CT + WU (7.12 kg N2O ha−1 year−1) > NT + WU (5.69 kg N2O ha−1 year−1) ≥ CT + WOU (5.02 kg N2O ha−1 year−1) > NT + WOU (4.24 kg N2O ha−1 year−1). Tillage operation did not affect the grain yield of maize or yield-scaled N2O emissions (YSNE). However, the application of urea increased the grain yield of maize and decreased YSNE, implying it could reduce N2O emission per unit of maize grain production. No-tillage management did not decrease YSNE value compared to CT operation, but N fertilization significantly decreased YSNE in the current study.

Modeling the Effects of Crop Rotation and Tillage on Sugarbeet Yield and Soil Nitrate Using RZWQM2

HighlightsFour crop growth modules in RZWQM2 were calibrated for four sugarbeet rotation sequences.Sugarbeet following wheat had a slightly higher yield (3% to 6.5%).Moldboard plow increased sugarbeet yield by 1% to 2%.The difference in N losses under different crop rotations and tillage operations was negligible.Abstract. Sugarbeet (Beta vulgaris) is considered to be one of the most viable alternatives to corn for biofuel production as it may be qualified as the feedstock for advanced biofuels (reducing greenhouse gas emission by 50%) under the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007. Because sugarbeet production is affected by crop rotation and tillage through optimal use of soil water and nutrients, simulation of these effects will help in making proper management decisions. In this study, the CSM-CERES-Beet, CSM-CERES-Maize, CROPSIM-Wheat, and CROPGRO-Soybean models included in the RZWQM2 were calibrated against experimental field data of crop yield, soil water, and soil nitrate from the North Dakota State University Carrington Research Extension Center from 2014 to 2016. The models performed reasonably well in simulating crop yield, soil water, and nitrate (rRMSE = 0.055 to 2.773, d = 0.541 to 0.997). Simulation results identified a non-significant effect of crop rotation on sugarbeet yield, although sugarbeets following wheat resulted in 3% to 6.5% higher yields compared to other crops. Net mineralization and N uptake rates were slightly higher when sugarbeets followed wheat compared to the other crops. Seasonal N and water mass balances also showed lower N and water stresses when sugarbeets followed wheat. The effects of tillage operations on sugarbeet yield were also non-significant. The difference in the N losses to runoff and drainage from the sugarbeet fields under different crop rotations and tillage operations was negligible. As sugarbeet production may be expanded into nontraditional planting areas in the Red River Valley due to potential demand for biofuel production, our findings will help to assess the associated environmental impacts and identify suitable crop rotations and management scenarios in the region. Keywords: Biofuel, Crop rotation, RZWQM2, Sugarbeet, Tillage.

The usage of a combined machine in the process of preparing the land for planting

The existing traditional technologies of land preparation, such as leveling, chiseling, harrowing, mulching, and many other agro-technical measures performed by separate units, are labor-intensive, which costly and overspending on material costs, where fuel consumption is 78-86 liters per hectare. In the unit that prepares the lands, we are proposing planting in one pass, five agrotechnical tillage operations were carried out at one time, and 35-45 l of fuel consumption was observed while each hectare of land was being tilled. Based on the research results on the efficiency of presowing tillage and the results of scientific research to increase the efficiency of this type of aggregates, an optimal variant of a combined aggregate is prepared and used for the direct preparation of lands for planting.