Biological and Agricultural Engineering

A series of mobile irrigation apps have been developed on the basis that irrigation schedules can be estimated using an average of the previous five days of crop evapotranspiration (ETc). The application of this average ETc methodology for developing an irrigation schedule has not been fully evaluated for the suite of apps, including the avocado app. Thus, an irrigation testing model was developed and is presented here that simulates irrigation depths based on the Smartirrigation avocado app operation technique and uses a soil water balance to simulate drainage, soil water content, runoff and plant water stress. The objectives were to identify an optimum number of previous days average ETc needed for estimating of an app irrigation schedule and to evaluate seasonal influences (wet and dry seasons) on the irrigation schedule through development and application of an irrigation testing model. Four different methods (3, 4, 6 and 7 previous days ETc) were tested and compared to the current methodology (that uses the average of the previous 5 days ETc) for developing irrigation schedules for five years from 2010 to 2014. In general, no significant differences ( ) were observed for irrigation depths, drainage depths, runoff and soil water content simulated among the app scheduling methods. Sixty two to 67% water savings were predicted with the app irrigation scheduling methods compared to a time based irrigation method (38 mm week⁻¹). Average irrigation and drainage depths simulated were 15 to 41% and 160 to 512% greater in wet seasons compared to dry seasons, respectively. Ninety seven to 100% of the drainage was simulated during rainfall events. The current app methodology (previous 5 days ETc) was found to capture weather variability for irrigation schedule development. Use of previous 6 and 7 days ETc was also sufficient. Addition of a wireless connection allowing users to modify the irrigation schedule using the smartphone app is recommended to reduce water losses during wet seasons and/or when rainfall events are predicted or occur.

In this study, the germinated sesame seeds were planted using the fluid drilling technique and this technique was compared with other ones from the point of the effects on plant emergence from the soil. The experiments were carried out in the experimental field of the department of Agricultural Machinery Faculty of Agriculture at Ege University. Split – Split – Plot type of experiment was investigated under different soil conditions. Different soil conditions in this study were obtained by using different soil types and moisture contents. The moisture content of the soil was provided by irrigation. The main plot for each soil type was divided into three sub plots. The each of these three sub plots with different soil moisture content (dry, low moisture and moistured) was then divided into plots in order to apply dry, wet and germinated planting techniques. The experiments were triplicated. The results obtained from the experiments were then analyzed statistically by Totemstat Statistic Pocket Programme in order to compare the differences in the percent of plant emergence, period of emergence and the growth of sesame plants. The studies conducted on planting technique of germinated seedes were usually on vegetables. Some studies using this technique were also achieved for flowers, grass and cereals. But as known from the literature there is no study using sesame seeds. It is believed this is the first one. Germinating power of sesame seeds is high but because of the small seed size emergence power is low. From the study, it was concluded that the emergence ratio increased and plant growth was beter when the sesame seeds were pre-germinated and then planted.

In this research, seed flow rate, seed flow regularity and accuracy of seed spacing of top delivery mini type straight fluted roller were examined in the laboratory experiments for the random seeding of uncoated onion, carrot, canola and coated canola seeds. The regression models developed in this study included the seed flow rate changes with "mini fluted roller's", active flute length, rates of revolution. Generally, seed flow regularity of mini type fluted roller indicated as a value of coefficient of variation (CV) was found below 4% for onion, carrot and canola seeds. When the results were examined from the point of λ goodness criteria and V f factor of variation, it was found that seeding unit with top delivery type straight fluted roller considered in the study was capable of sowing of uncoated onion, carrot, and coated and uncoated canola seeds at desired quality.

In this study, the germinated sesame seeds were planted using the fluid drilling technique and this technique was compared with other ones from the point of the effects on plant emergence from the soil. The experiments were carried out in the experimental field of the Department of Agricultural Machinery, Faculty of Agriculture at Ege University. Split – Split – Plot type of experiment was investigated under different soil conditions. Different soil conditions in this study were obtained by using different soil types and moisture contents. The moisture content of the soil was provided by irrigation. The main plot for each soil type was divided into three sub plots. The each of these three sub plots with different soil moisture content (dry, low moisture and moistured) was then divided into plots in order to apply dry, wet and germinated planting techniques. The experiments were triplicated. The results obtained from the experiments were then analyzed statistically by Totemstat Statistic Pocket Programme in order to compare the differences in the percent of plant emergence, period of emergence and the growth of sesame plants. The studies conducted on planting technique of germinated seedes were usually on vegetables. Some studies using this technique were also achieved for flowers, grass and cereals. But as known from the literature there is no study using sesame seeds. It is believed this is the first one. Germinating power of sesame seeds is high but because of the small seed size emergence power is low. From the study, it was concluded that the emergence ratio increased and plant growth was beter when the sesame seeds were pre-germinated and then planted. (Oral Presentation in  23rd National Congress on Agricultural Mechanization, Çanakkale/Turkey; 09/2006 - Article of MSc Thesis)

Fluted rollers are the one mostly used in seed and fertilizer metering devices in random seeder. Small seeds planted in Turkey have high costs and planting such seeds should be achieved in order to adjust the seed rate accurately. Hence, designers need some prediction functions that include variables related to construction, operating conditions along with the physical properties of the seeds used for the flow rate calculations in designing random seeders. Hence a study was conducted and the objective of this study was to develop a general prediction function for the flow rate prediction for small seeds. Published data (5535 data points) obtained by using uncoated onion, carrot, alfalfa, red clover, canola and coated canola seeds in the laboratory were used to develop the prediction model. The variables used in the model were related to the roller geometry, properties of the material being metered, and the roller operating conditions. The flow rate prediction model developed account...

The experiment design was split plot with main plots devoted to the residual management strategies including burning residue, crushing residue by disk and leaving residue on the field without any crushing operation. Sub plots were tillage methods including moldboard plowing at the depth of 20-25 cm in fall, moldboard plowing at the depth of 20-25 cm in spring, and moldboard plowing at the depth of 20-25 cm in spring and fall. Other operations were identical in all treatments. Parameters such as soil cone index, percent of residue crushing, percent of residue inversion, percent of seed emergence, crop yield, sugar percent, depth of root development and percent of soil organic carbon were measured. Results showed that tillage and residual management had no significant effect on seed emergence, sugar percent, bulk density and soil cone index. Tillage management had a significant effect on yield and depth of root development so that fall plowing and fall and spring plowing treatments pr...

The uniformity of seed flow that affects accuracy of seed spacing is the key indicator to evaluate the success of fluted roller design. Constructional, operational parameters and the properties of the seeds are effective in seed flow uniformity. In this study, relation of seed flow uniformity of canola, onion and carrot seeds with coefficient of variation (CV) values of seed distribution are investigated. Flute diameter, flute shape, flute volume, the number of flutes, flute helix angle, active flute length as constructional parameters, the rotational speed of the fluted roller metering device as operational parameters are effective in evaluation of seed flow uniformity. Obtaining accuracy of seed spacing will lead to develop a generalized function in order to predict uniformity of flow rate from fluted rollers. This study is considered to be the initial step of developing a generalized function since the relation of coefficient of variation (CV) values and seed flow uniformity to be found for different seeds that can be correlated to material properties. It is believed that the developed seed flow uniformity function will help designing fluted rolls as used in seeders for metering devices.

Chlorferon and diethylthiophosphate (DETP) are the hydrolysis products of coumaphos, an organophosphate pesticide. In this research, two consortia of bacterial cultures, one responsible for degrading chlorferon and the other for degrading DETP, were selectively enriched from waste cattle dip solution. The enriched cultures were used as inocula to grow biomass for biodegradation studies. For chlorferon degradation, the optimum biomass concentration was found to be 80g/L, and pH 7.5 was selected as the optimal operating pH. Chlorferon degradation was characterized by substrate inhibition kinetics with parameter values estimated to be V(m)=0.062+/-0.011mg/(g-biomass)h, K(m)=21+/-7mg/L, and K(Si)=118+/-45mg/L. For DETP degradation, the optimum biomass concentration was found to be 60g/L, and the optimum pH was in the range of 7.5-8. DETP degradation was characterized by Michaelis-Menten kinetics with parameter values estimated to be V(m)=1.52+/-0.10mg/(g-biomass)h and K(m)=610+/-106mg/L.

... Key Words: Logistic model, fungal growth, subsurface growth, ergosterol John J. Classen1*,Cady R. Engler2, Charles M. Kenerley3 and A. Dale Whittaker2 ... surfaces (Armentrout et al., 1986; Viniegra-Gonzalez et al., 1993; Yang et al., 1992). ...