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Agricultural Engineering for Sustainable Production and Circular Economy
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Agricultural Engineering for Sustainable Production and Circular Economy

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Agriculture".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2025 | Viewed by 7206

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Pawel Sobczak

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Guest Editor
Department of Food Engineering and Machines, Faculty of Production Engineering, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 28 Głęboka Street, 20-612 Lublin, Poland
Interests: agriculture engineering; feed production; sustainable production
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Jacek Mazur

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Guest Editor
Department of Food Engineering and Machines, Faculty of Production Engineering, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 28 Głęboka Street, 20-612 Lublin, Poland
Interests: agricultural engineering; animal processing; food processing
Prof. Dr. Piotr Markowski

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Machines and Research Methodology, Faculty of Technical Sciences, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, 11 Michała Oczapowskiego Street, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland
Interests: precision agriculture; mechanical engineering; seed technology engineering; computational mathematics modeling and simulation; food engineering
Dr. Andrzej Anders

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Machines and Research Methodology, Faculty of Technical Sciences, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, 11 Michała Oczapowskiego Street, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland
Interests: mechanical engineering; seed technology engineering; computational mathematics modeling and simulation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue invites original research papers thematically related to agricultural engineering, precision agriculture and technology 4.0, production, utilization and circular production issues. The thematic scope fits into the broadly understood issue of sustainable development in food production, using modern food production and processing technologies that interfere as little as possible with the natural environment. The scope of this Special Issue also covers innovative devices and applications in the field of mechanical engineering, as well as bioengineering combined with environmental protection.

Research areas may include (but are not limited to) improving technology and production processes in the agri-food industry; artificial intelligence and machine learning in industry and precision agriculture systems; the impact of technological progress on changes in production methods used in industry and agriculture; modern design solutions for machinery; technological lines used in industry; and integrated production methods used in sustainable, ecological, and precision agriculture. Review articles containing the latest scientific reports within the intended scope are also encouraged. This Special Issue will accept high-quality articles containing original research results and review papers pertaining to the field of agricultural engineering.

Prof. Dr. Pawel Sobczak
Prof. Dr. Jacek Mazur
Prof. Dr. Piotr Markowski
Dr. Andrzej Anders
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • agricultural engineering
  • circular economy
  • food production
  • utilization
  • precision agriculture
  • technology 4.0

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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29 pages, 1328 KiB  
Article
An Analytical Approach to Gear Mesh Dynamics for the Sustainable Design of Agricultural Machinery Drive Systems
by Krzysztof Twardoch and Damian Sierociński
Sustainability 2025, 17(5), 1837; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17051837 - 21 Feb 2025
Viewed by 483
Abstract
This research aims to advance the understanding and application of dynamic models for gears within agricultural machinery drive trains by developing analytical solutions. Despite the significant advancements in vibration analysis, there is a notable scarcity of comprehensive research that addresses the analytical modeling [...] Read more.
This research aims to advance the understanding and application of dynamic models for gears within agricultural machinery drive trains by developing analytical solutions. Despite the significant advancements in vibration analysis, there is a notable scarcity of comprehensive research that addresses the analytical modeling of gear dynamics, particularly using advanced mathematical techniques such as the multiple scale method (MSM). A new approach to modeling gear meshing is introduced, where the Fourier expansion of a rectangular signal is utilised to simulate the time-varying mesh stiffness (TVMS). Such an approach allows the use of the MSM as an efficient tool to obtain solutions for parametrically induced vibrations. A dynamic model of a simple helical gear system is introduced in the form of Hill’s equation, and a sensitivity analysis is conducted for the main parameters of the system based on the solution obtained with the MSM. The results show the high credibility of the provided method when compared with a well-known state-of-the-art model and that the model reacts to parameter variations as expected. Additionally, an analysis of the energy harvesting possibilities is presented, which shows that, for the default parameter values, the harvester should be tuned to 5694.31 Hz to generate the maximum energy. It is concluded that the proposed model and MSM approach can serve as suitable tools for gear analysis, and the future paths for research are defined. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Engineering for Sustainable Production and Circular Economy)
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21 pages, 3665 KiB  
Article
Smart Sensors and Artificial Intelligence Driven Alert System for Optimizing Red Peppers Drying in Southern Italy
by Costanza Fiorentino, Paola D’Antonio, Francesco Toscano, Nicola Capece, Luis Alcino Conceição, Emanuele Scalcione, Felice Modugno, Maura Sannino, Roberto Colonna, Emilia Lacetra and Giovanni Di Mambro
Sustainability 2025, 17(4), 1682; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17041682 - 18 Feb 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 728
Abstract
The Senise red pepper, known as peperone crusco, is a protected geographical indication (PGI) product from Basilicata, Italy, traditionally consumed dried. Producers use semi-open greenhouses to meet PGI standards, but significant losses are caused by rot from microorganisms thriving in high moisture, temperature, [...] Read more.
The Senise red pepper, known as peperone crusco, is a protected geographical indication (PGI) product from Basilicata, Italy, traditionally consumed dried. Producers use semi-open greenhouses to meet PGI standards, but significant losses are caused by rot from microorganisms thriving in high moisture, temperature, and humidity, which also encourage pest infestations. To minimize losses, a low-cost alert system was developed. The study, conducted in summer 2022 and 2023, used external parameters from the ALSIA Senise weather station and internal sensors monitoring the air temperature and humidity inside the greenhouse. Since rot is complex and difficult to model, an artificial intelligence (AI)-based approach was adopted. A feed forward neural network (FFNN) estimated greenhouse climate conditions as if it were empty, comparing them with actual values when peppers were present. This revealed the most critical period was the first 3–4 days after introduction and identified a critical air relative humidity threshold. The system could also predict microclimatic parameters inside the greenhouse with red peppers, issuing warnings one hour before risk conditions arose. In 2023, it was tested by comparing predicted values with previously identified thresholds. When critical levels were exceeded, greenhouse operators were alerted to adjust conditions. In 2023, pepper rot decreased. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Engineering for Sustainable Production and Circular Economy)
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15 pages, 1870 KiB  
Article
Carbon Footprint of Flour Production in Poland
by Magdalena Wróbel-Jędrzejewska, Ewelina Włodarczyk and Łukasz Przybysz
Sustainability 2024, 16(11), 4475; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16114475 - 24 May 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2394
Abstract
The importance of carbon footprint (CF) analysis in the agricultural and food industries as a fundamental element of the means to achieve sustainable food production is emphasized here. In this study, flour production in Poland and the technological processes were characterized. This study’s [...] Read more.
The importance of carbon footprint (CF) analysis in the agricultural and food industries as a fundamental element of the means to achieve sustainable food production is emphasized here. In this study, flour production in Poland and the technological processes were characterized. This study’s aim was to determine and compare flour production CF for different companies. The production stages were examined, and aspects related to transportation and storage were analyzed. The obtained data made it possible to identify areas of potential improvement to increase the efficiency of production and logistics processes and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The results showed that flour production CFav ranges from 0.042 to 0.080 kg CO2eq/kg of product (in different companies). The results obtained for individual plants did not differ. One method of reducing CF was through the use of renewable energy sources. Photovoltaics (share of 17–20%) has significantly reduced flour production CF by 13–15%. The decrease was significant from March to October due to the country’s climatic conditions. The work highlights CF’s importance as a tool to reduce environmental impacts and optimize production costs while pointing out the need to customize the calculation methodology to the specifics of the product and process. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Engineering for Sustainable Production and Circular Economy)
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Review

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19 pages, 4170 KiB  
Review
Current Trends and Future Prospects in Onion Production, Supply, and Demand in South Korea: A Comprehensive Review
by Muhammad Imran, Hajeong Kang, Sang-Gu Lee, Eun-Ha Kim, Hyun-Min Park and Seon-Woo Oh
Sustainability 2025, 17(3), 837; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17030837 - 21 Jan 2025
Viewed by 2646
Abstract
Onion cultivation in South Korea faces a range of interconnected challenges, shaped by fluctuating supply and demand dynamics, the dominance of imported seed varieties, and the growing issue of fungal pathogens affecting stored onions. In recent years, significant shifts occurred within the onion [...] Read more.
Onion cultivation in South Korea faces a range of interconnected challenges, shaped by fluctuating supply and demand dynamics, the dominance of imported seed varieties, and the growing issue of fungal pathogens affecting stored onions. In recent years, significant shifts occurred within the onion industry, such as export volumes in 2023 declining to 106 tons compared to 99,506 tons in 2022, while import volumes surged to 113,902 tons to meet domestic demand through the Tariff Rate Quota (TRQ) system. Concurrently, domestic production onion supply in 2023 estimates a total of 1.347 million tons, a 5.2% increase compared to the previous year, due to a 6.3% rise in domestic production. Despite this growth, South Korea’s onion seed market remains heavily dependent on imports, particularly from Japan, underscoring the need for the development of competitive domestic cultivars. Furthermore, environmental conditions such as microclimates in regions like Muan have proven to be critical, as they produce onions with superior nutritional profiles and storability. However, fungal diseases pose persistent threats to storage, resulting in substantial economic losses. However, the country’s reliance on imported varieties and the climate’s effects on cultivation call for more investment in domestic breeding programs and adaptive farming practices. To address these challenges, this review synthesizes historical data, current trends, and the future prospects of onion production, supply, and demand in South Korea. Comprehensive strategies are proposed, including the promotion of adaptive farming practices, investment in domestic breeding programs, and enhanced storage techniques to mitigate fungal pathogens. This work emphasizes the importance of integrated efforts among policymakers, researchers, and industry stakeholders to improve productivity, reduce reliance on imports, and secure a sustainable future for the South Korean onion industry. The findings offer actionable insights for enhancing market competitiveness and achieving agricultural sustainability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Engineering for Sustainable Production and Circular Economy)
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