AgriEngineering, Volume 4, Issue 2 (June 2022) – 15 articles

The delivery of herbaceous feedstock from satellite storage locations (SSLs) to a biorefinery or preprocessing depot is a logistics problem that must be optimized before a new bioenergy industry can be realized. Both load-out productivity, defined as the loading of 5 × 4 round bales into a 20-bale rack at the SSL, and truck productivity, defined as the hauling of bales from the SSLs to the biorefinery, must be maximized. Productivity (Mg/d) is maximized and cost (USD/Mg) is minimized when approximately the same number the loads is received each day. To achieve this, a central control model is proposed, where a feedstock manager at the biorefinery can dispatch a truck to any SSL where a load will be available when the truck arrives. Simulations of this central control model for different numbers of simultaneous load-out operations were performed using a database of potential production fields within a 50 km radius of a theoretical biorefinery in Gretna, VA. The minimum delivered cost (i.e., load-out plus truck) was achieved with nine load-outs and a fleet of eight trucks. The estimated cost was 11.24 and 11.62 USD/Mg of annual biorefinery capacity (assuming 24/7 operation over 48 wk/y for a total of approximately 150,000 Mg/y) for the load-out and truck, respectively. The two costs were approximately equal, reinforcing the desirability of a central control to maximize the productivity of these two key operations simultaneously. Full article

Agricultural soils undergo periods of saturation followed by desiccation throughout the course of a growing season. It is believed that these periods of wetting and drying influence soil structure and may affect the rate of soil detachment. Thus, an experiment was conducted to investigate the influence of a disturbed soil (soil sieved to simulate tillage) subjected to various wetting and drying cycles, on soil bulk density and the resistance to soil detachment with runoff. Seven treatments consisting of wetting and drying cycles ranging from 0 to 6 cycles were evaluated under laboratory conditions using an experimental flume apparatus. A Richards growth model proposed for predicting the influence of wetting and drying on soil detachment was also evaluated. Results showed that the soil bulk density increased as the number of wetting and drying cycles increased. The soil detachment rate decreased as the number of wetting and drying cycles increased. Moreover, initial soil detachment (occurring as soon as runoff began) rates were high for 1 to 3 wetting and drying cycles, while the rate of initial detachment decreased after the third cycle. For example, soils with two and three wetting and drying cycles took 6.5 and 7 min to reach the maximum 1 cm souring depth, respectively, while the soils subjected to four or more wetting and drying cycles did not reach the maximum 1 cm depth during the 15 min runoff experiment. In addition, the proposed S-Shaped Richards growth model was a good predictor for estimating the soil detachment of soils experiencing various wetting and drying cycles. Findings from this study suggest that more attention should be given to the influence that soil wetting and drying have on the prediction of soil detachment. Information from this study is expected to be useful for improving soil management strategies for reducing soil erosion. Full article

Attractants used with sticky traps for monitoring navel orangeworm include artificial pheromone lures, ovipositional bait (ovibait) bags, and phenyl propionate; however, the sticky traps have the limitations of potentially becoming ineffective because of full or dirty glue surfaces and of having access to data dependent on increasingly expensive labor. A study comparing detection with a commercially available pseudo-acoustic optical sensor (hereafter, sensor) connected to a server through a cellular gateway found similar naval orangeworm activity profiles between the sensor and pheromone traps, and the timestamps of events in the sensors was consistent with the behavior of navel orangeworm males orienting to pheromone. Sensors used with ovibait detected navel orangeworm activity when no navel orangeworm were captured in sticky traps with ovibait, and the timestamps for this activity were inconsistent with oviposition times for navel orangeworm in previous studies. When phenyl propionate was the attractant, sensors and sticky traps were more highly correlated than for pheromone traps on a micro-level (individual replicates and monitoring intervals), but there was high variation and week-to-week profiles differed. These results indicate that these sensors represent a promising alternative to sticky traps for use with pheromone as an attractant, but more research is needed to develop the use of sensors with other attractants. These results will guide developers and industry in transfer of this promising technology. Full article

In this study, we have compared YOLOv4, a single-shot detector to Faster-RCNN, a two-shot detector to detect and classify whiteflies on yellow-sticky tape (YST). An IoT remote whitefly monitoring station was developed and placed in a whitefly rearing room. Images of whiteflies attracted to the trap were recorded 2× per day. A total of 120 whitefly images were labeled using labeling software and split into a training and testing dataset, and 18 additional yellow-stick tape images were labeled with false positives to increase the model accuracy from remote whitefly monitors in the field that created false positives due to water beads and reflective light on the tape after rain. The two-shot detection model has two stages: region proposal and then classification of those regions and refinement of the location prediction. Single-shot detection skips the region proposal stage and yields final localization and content prediction at once. Because of this difference, YOLOv4 is faster but less accurate than Faster-RCNN. From the results of our study, it is clear that Faster-RCNN (precision—95.08%, F-1 Score—0.96, recall—98.69%) achieved a higher level of performance than YOLOv4 (precision—71.77%, F-1 score—0.83, recall—73.31%), and will be adopted for further development of the monitoring station. Full article

Driverless transport systems (DTS) or automated guided vehicles (AGV) have been part of intralogistics for over six decades. The uniform and structured environment conditions in industrial halls provided the ideal conditions for simple automation, such as in goods transport. Initially, implementing simply-designed safety devices, e.g., bumpers, could reduce risk to an acceptable level. However, these conditions are not present in an agricultural environment. Soiling and harsh weather conditions are anticipated both indoors and outdoors. The state of the art in intralogistics are light detection and ranging (LiDAR) scanners, which are suitable for both navigation and collision avoidance, including personal protection. In this study, the outdoor and navigation suitability of LiDAR is assessed in test series. The aim is to contribute advice on validation of LiDAR as a possible technology with respect to navigation and collision avoidance in freely navigating automatic feeding systems. Full article

The exploitation of natural resources for agriculture is growing to fulfill the demand for food, which requires the rational use of inputs for sustainable production. Brazilian agricultural production stands out on the international scene. For instance, corn is one of the most exported products in Brazil, which is possible through the planting in the second crop season within a year, called the “off-season”. In addition to being a technique that allows soil conservation, it also reduces the use of inputs and soil tillage. The agricultural production systems require a large amount of energy throughout their processes, mainly through inputs and fuels. Energy flows allow for the identification of the efficiency of the production system and, consequently, its sustainability. Indicators regarding net energy gain per area (Energy balance) and energy profitability (Energy Return on Investment) were applied. The first-season system presented higher energy demand when compared to the second-season system, with a difference of 10.24 GJ ha⁻¹ between the conventional ones and 10.47 GJ ha⁻¹ between the transgenic ones. However, the indicators showed higher energy efficiency in the transgenic off-season corn production, in which the return on energy was 55% higher, and the energy incorporation was 35% lower when compared to conventional first-season corn. Full article

Purpose: The objective of this review is to describe the main technologies (automated activity monitors) available commercially and under research for the detection of estrus and calving alerts in dairy cattle. Sources: The data for the elaboration of the literature review were obtained from searches on the Google Scholar platform. This search was performed using the following keywords: reproduction, dairy cows, estrus detection and parturition, electronic devices. After the search, the articles found with a title related to the objective of the review were read in full. Finally, the specific articles chosen to be reported in the review were selected according to the method of identification of estrus and parturition, seeking to represent the different devices and technologies already studied for both estrus and parturition identification. Synthesis: Precision livestock farming seeks to obtain a variety of information through hardware and software that can be used to improve herd management and optimize animal yield. Visual observation for estrus detection and calving is an activity that requires labor and time, which is an increasingly difficult resource due to several others farm management activities. In this way, automated estrous and calving monitoring devices can increase animal productivity with less labor, when applied correctly. The main devices available currently are based on accelerometers, pedometers and inclinometers that are attached to animals in a wearable way. Some research efforts have been made in image analysis to obtain this information with non-wearable devices. Conclusion and applications: Efficient wearable devices to monitor cows’ behavior and detect estrous and calving are available on the market. There is demand for low cost with easy scalable technology, as the use of computer vision systems with image recording. With technology is possible to have a better reproductive management, and thus increase efficiency. Full article

Crop yield forecasting is becoming more essential in the current scenario when food security must be assured, despite the problems posed by an increasingly globalized community and other environmental challenges such as climate change and natural disasters. Several factors influence crop yield prediction, which has complex non-linear relationships. Hence, to study these relationships, machine learning methodologies have been increasingly adopted from conventional statistical methods. With wheat being a primary and staple food crop in the Indian community, ensuring the country’s food security is crucial. In this paper, we study the prediction of wheat yield for India overall and the top wheat-producing states with a comparison. To accomplish this, we use Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines (MARS) after extracting the main features by Principal Component Analysis (PCA) considering the parameters such as area under cultivation and production for the years 1962–2018. The performance is evaluated by error analyses such as RMSE, MAE, and R². The best-fitted MARS model is chosen using cross-validation and user-defined parameter optimization. We find that the MARS model is well suited to India as a whole and other top wheat-producing states. A comparative result is obtained on yield prediction between India overall and other states, wherein the state of Rajasthan has a better model than other major wheat-producing states. This research will emphasize the importance of improved government decision-making as well as increased knowledge and robust forecasting among Indian farmers in various states. Full article

Smart Farming (SF) is an emerging technology in the current agricultural landscape. The aim of Smart Farming is to provide tools for various agricultural and farming operations to improve yield by reducing cost, waste, and required manpower. SF is a data-driven approach that can mitigate losses that occur due to extreme weather conditions and calamities. The influx of data from various sensors, and the introduction of information communication technologies (ICTs) in the field of farming has accelerated the implementation of disruptive technologies (DTs) such as machine learning and big data. Application of these predictive and innovative tools in agriculture is crucial for handling unprecedented conditions such as climate change and the increasing global population. In this study, we review the recent advancements in the field of Smart Farming, which include novel use cases and projects around the globe. An overview of the challenges associated with the adoption of such technologies in their respective regions is also provided. A brief analysis of the general sentiment towards Smart Farming technologies is also performed by manually annotating YouTube comments and making use of the pattern library. Preliminary findings of our study indicate that, though there are several barriers to the implementation of SF tools, further research and innovation can alleviate such risks and ensure sustainability of the food supply. The exploratory sentiment analysis also suggests that most digital users are not well-informed about such technologies. Full article

This study aimed to improve the seed quality during the deterioration period of rough rice (Oryza sativa L.), cultivar ‘Khoa Dawk Mali 105’ (KDML 105), using an automatic soaking and germination accelerator unit (ASGA) together with stimulation via infrared radiation treatment (IRT) to stimulate seed quality (germination rate and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) content). This study used a general full factorial design, and the independent variables were the storage period (10, 11 and 12 months), methods of germinated rough rice preparation (conventional method (CM) and an automatic soaking and germination accelerator unit (ASGA)), and stimulation with IRT. The initial grain moisture content did not exceed 14% (wet basis (wb)). The germination rate of the rough rice by CM and ASGA with stimulation with IRT was significantly higher than non-stimulated rice, by 6.56 and 8.11%, respectively, in each storage period. The GABA contents of the germinated rough rice using CM and ASGA stimulated with IRT were significantly higher than ungerminated rough rice, by 19.52 and 21.24% (10 months), respectively; 16.36 and 23.58% (11 months), respectively; and 69.88 and 67.69% (12 months), respectively. Full article

Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) is an emerging technology being utilized in agriculture. This system could be used to monitor the overall health of plants or in pest/disease detection. As sensing technology advancement expands, measuring nutrient levels and disease detection also progresses. This study aimed to predict three different levels of potassium (K) concentration in peach leaves using principal component analysis (PCA) and develop models for predicting the K concentration of a peach leaf using a hyperspectral imaging technique. Hyperspectral images were acquired from a randomly selected fresh peach leaf from multiple trees over the spectral region between 500 and 900 nm. Leaves were collected from trees with varying potassium levels of high (2.7~3.2%), medium (2.0~2.6%), and low (1.3~1.9%). Four pretreatment methods (multiplicative scatter effect (MSC), Savitzky–Golay first derivative, Savitzky–Golay second derivative, and standard normal variate (SNV)) were applied to the raw data and partial least square (PLS) was used to develop a model for each of the pretreatments. The R² values for each pretreatment method were 0.8099, 0.6723, 0.5586, and 0.8446, respectively. The SNV prediction model has the highest accuracy and was used to predict the K nutrient using the validation data. The result showed a slightly lower R² = 0.8101 compared with the training. This study showed that HSI could measure K concentration in peach tree cultivars. Full article

One of the most important problems during the implementation of any technology is to reduce labor costs, energy, and resource conservation while increasing the yield of cultivated crops and, as a result, reducing the cost of production. Despite a significant amount of scientific research devoted to the problem of energy and resource conservation in the cultivation and harvesting of agricultural crops and the development of mechanization tools that ensure the high-quality performance of technological operations, there remain issues that have not been fully resolved to date. In addition, not all the results of known theoretical and experimental studies can be directly applied to intensify the process of harvesting root crops since the quality indicators of marketable products depend on the type and technological parameters of the separating working bodies. This article presents the design of a rod elevator with an adjustable angle of inclination of the web, which reduces damage to commercial products of root crops and bulbs with maximum completeness of separation. A laboratory facility has been developed to substantiate the design and technological parameters of a separating system with an adjustable web inclination angle. Based on the results of theoretical and experimental studies, a machine for harvesting onions with an adjustable blade inclination angle has been developed, which provides an increase in the quality indicators of onion harvesting at optimal values of the parameters: (1) translational speed of movement of the rod elevator with an adjustable web inclination angle of 1.7 m/s with a 98.4% completeness of separation and 1.7% damage to the bulbs; (2) translational speed of the movement of the machine for harvesting root crops and onions 1.0 m/s with a 98.5% separation completeness and 1.1% damage to the bulbs; (3) digging depth of the digging plowshare equal to 0.02 m, with an onion heap separation completeness of more than 98% and product damage of less than 1.4%. The results of theoretical and experimental studies of a rod elevator to substantiate the design and technological parameters during its interaction with a heap of onion are presented. Basic design and technological parameters of the studied rod elevator are substantiated, namely, the distance S1 of the movement of the rod of the actuators, the angle a1 of the longitudinal inclination of the surface of the rod elevator relative to the horizon, and differential equations of motion of the onion-sowing pile element on the surface of the rod elevator with an adjustable angle of inclination of the web. Full article

Bird welfare and comfort is highly impacted by extreme environments, including hot/cold temperatures, relative humidity, and heat production within the coops during loading at the farm, transportation, and holding at the processing plants. Due to the complexity of the multiphysics phenomena involving fluid flow, heat transfer, and multispecies mixtures (humidity) within the coops, machine learning models may be helpful to evaluate broiler welfare under various environments. Machine learning techniques (Artificial Neural Networks and Bayesian Optimization) were applied to estimate the desired parameters required to ensure broiler welfare inside the coops. Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) were trained with the results of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations for various ranges of inputs related to the microenvironment. Input variables included air velocity, broiler heat production, ambient temperature, and relative humidity. The Output variable was the Enthalpy Comfort Index (ECI), which is a measure of the bird welfare. The trained networks were then analyzed using Bayesian Optimization (BO) for the inverse mapping of ANNs and to predict the range of acceptable input parameters for a desired output, i.e., ECI in the comfort level. Results indicate that reducing the broilers heat production inside the coop along with increasing fan velocity enhances the broiler welfare and the thermal microenvironment. The BO developed in this study provide the microenvironmental parameters to estimate the bird welfare that is comfortable. Full article

In recent years, the agricultural field has been confronting difficulties such as the aging of farmers, a shortage of workers, and difficulties for new farmers. Harvesting time prediction has the potential to solve these problems, and is expected to effectively utilize human resources, save labor, and reduce labor costs. To achieve harvesting time prediction, various works are being actively conducted. Methods for harvesting time prediction using meteorological information such as temperature and solar radiation, etc., and methods for harvesting time prediction using neural networks based on color information from fruit bunch images are being investigated. However, the prediction accuracy is still insufficient, and the harvesting time prediction for individual tomato fruits has not been studied. In this study, we propose a novel method to predict the harvesting time for individual tomato fruits. The method uses Mask R-CNN to detect tomato bunches and uses two types of ripeness determination to predict the harvesting time of individual tomato fruits. The experimental results showed that the accuracy of the prediction using the ratio of R values was better for the harvesting time prediction of tomatoes that are close to the harvesting time, and the accuracy of the prediction using the average of the differences between R and G in RGB values was better for the harvesting time prediction of tomatoes that are far from the harvesting time. These results show the effectiveness of the proposed method. Full article

Mechanical perturbation constrains edaphic functionality of arable soils in tillage. Seasonal soil tool interactions disrupt the pristine bio-physio-mechanical characteristics of agricultural soils and crop-oriented ecological functions. They interfere with the natural balancing of nutrient cycles, soil carbon, and diverse organic matter that supports soil ecosystem interactions with crop rooting. We review soil working in tillage, associated mechanistic perturbations, and the edaphic response of affected soil properties towards cropping characteristics and behavior as soil working tools evolve. This is to further credit or discredit the global transition to minimum and no-till systems with a more specific characterization to soil properties and edaphic crop-oriented goals of soil tooling. Research has shown that improvement in adoption of conservation tillage is trying to characterize tilled soils with edaphic states of native soil agroecosystems rendering promising strategies to revive overworked soils under the changing climate. Soil can proliferate without disturbance whilst generation of new ecologically rich soil structures develops under more natural conditions. Researchers have argued that crops adapted to the altered physio-mechanical properties of cultivated soils can be developed and domesticated, especially under already impedance induced, mechanically risked, degraded soils. Interestingly edaphic response of soils under no-till soil working appeared less favorable in humid climates and more significant under arid regions. We recommend further studies to elucidate the association between soil health state, soil disturbance, cropping performance, and yield under evolving soil working tools, a perspective that will be useful in guiding the establishment of future soils for future crops. Full article