Search Results (4)

Reducing operation energy consumption is the development demand of conservation tillage equipment. In order to solve the problems of high power consumption and the easy blockage of the no-tillage drill under full straw retention, the key parameters of the straw back-throwing device were optimized in this study. The Box–Behnken central combination test method was used to analyze the influence of the impeller rotating speed, feed quantity and cross-sectional area of the throwing pipe on the specific power consumption and throwing speed, the mathematical models of which were built with the aid of the least square method. In addition, the mathematical models were optimized by using a multi-objective quantum behaved particle swarm optimization (QPSO) with an improved target weighting coefficient. The optimization results indicated that, when the impeller rotating speed was 2287 r/min, the feed quantity was 1.1 kg/s and the cross-sectional area of the throwing pipe was 506.997 cm², the specific power consumption and throwing speed by the models were 7528 m²/s² and 11.73 m/s, respectively. The models were verified by comparing the optimization results with the measured data in the simulation filed tests, which proved that the multi-objective QPSO algorithm was feasible to optimize the working and structural parameters of the straw back-throwing device of the no-tillage drill under full straw retention. The results provide references for the parameter optimization of similar no-tillage drills under straw retention. Full article

A laboratory investigation of abrasive waterjet cutting of wheat straws was conducted. The work was aimed at a systematic characterization of the abrasive waterjet cutting capability of wheat straws, as a potential alternative to cutting discs currently adopted in no-till drills and planters for crop residue management. A two level $2_{\mathrm{IV}}^{7-3}$ fractional factorial design was applied to investigate the influence of abrasive waterjet process parameters on the cutting efficiency of wheat straws. Straw coverage thickness, water pressure, and orifice diameter were found to be the most significant ones. Experimental results suggest that straw cutting mechanism is mostly related to the hydraulic power of the jet. A multiple logistic regression was performed to model the relationship between the cutting efficiency and the jet power. The logistic model was then applied to estimate the average water and power consumption for wheat straw cutting during a no-tillage seeding operation. An average jet hydraulic power of 6400 W would be sufficiently high to guarantee 90% cutting efficiency in presence of heavy residue distribution. The experimental study shows that a small quantity of abrasive powder (50 g·min⁻¹) allows one to increase the jet cutting capability of wheat straws, and to reduce the required maximum hydraulic power, compared to pure waterjet cutting. Results show are potentially relevant for field validation in agriculture based on no-tillage. Full article

Introducing agro-ecological techniques such as no-tillage systems with cover crops in rotations with soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) could provide more resilience to changing climatic conditions and, at the same time, reduce soil erosion, nitrate leaching, and weed density in the main crop. However, there are challenges in introducing no-tillage techniques in crop systems in Europe as there is little quantitative knowledge about the agro-economic impact. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the agronomic and economic impacts of three soybean cropping systems involving a rye (Secale cereal L.) cover crop prior to soybean, i.e., two no-tillage systems; either herbicide-free with crimping the rye or herbicide-based without rye crimping and one plough-based in which rye was cut as green silage. The impacts of these cropping strategies were compared in a three-year cropping system experiment at a research station in north-eastern Germany with and without irrigation. The following parameters were measured: (1) cover crop biomass; (2) weed biomass; (3) soybean plant density; (4) soybean grain yield; and (5) gross margin of the cropping system. The results showed that all three soybean cropping systems can effectively suppress weeds. System (C), the no-tillage herbicide-based system, produced the lowest rye biomass and highest soybean yield; system (B), the no-tillage herbicide-free/crimped rye system, produced the highest rye biomass and lowest soybean yield compared to system (A), the standard cutting/plough-based system. The differences in rye biomass and soybean yield observed between the three systems could be mainly attributed to the timing of the cover crop termination and the soybean sowing date. The gross margin was highest in system (C), due to the high soybean grain yield. The low soybean grain yield in system (B) resulted in lower revenues and gross margins compared to systems (A) and (C), although system (B) could be economically attractive in organic farming with higher prices for organic soybean. In the particularly dry year 2016, gross margins were higher when soybean was irrigated compared to the rainfed cultivation, due to significantly higher grain yields. Before recommending the application of the no-tillage with cover crop technique for the conditions tested in north-eastern Germany, more investigations on the benefits and risks of this technique are needed. Further research needs to focus on maintaining a high rye biomass as well as on ensuring an early soybean planting date. Optimizing the crimping and drilling equipment is still required in order to develop good management practices for no-tillage herbicide-free systems in European conditions. Full article

Machine functional parameters define fleet composition and management and, thus, play an important role in economic and environmental performance. Large availability of programming methods and decision support systems are available in the market, however, there is still a lack of applicative tools to forecast the perceived and necessary technical parameters and machinery price options to complete tasks. In the current research, most correlated functional parameters for four group of seeding machines were determined with the application of linear and multiple linear regression analyses. Power, weight, working width, number of rows, and list price were studied, and reference equations were developed for seed drills, precision, combined and no-tillage planters. Two statistical analyses models were, therefore, developed for each of the groups in order to allow evaluation and prediction of performance and cost, thus contributing to the selection process optimisation and perceived choice of the needed implement. Full article