JournalTOCs

Turkish Journal of Agricultural Engineering Research
Number of Followers: 1

This is an Open Access Journal

Open Access journal
ISSN (Online) 2717-8420
Published by DergiPark

[185 journals]

Design and Development of a Model Smart Storage System
- Authors: Omokara IDAMA; Ovuakporaye Godwin EKRUYOTA
  Abstract: Food security has become a global major problem, due to the rapid increase in population growth. This has necessity the development of an effective agricultural products’ storage system, to alleviate the problem of food wastage. This study was embarked upon to develop a prototype of universal smart storage system for farm products, by using the internet of thing (IoT). The storage structure consists of four principal constituents which were; the power source, storage chamber, central processing system, and peripheral component interconnect (PCI) heater and PCI fan. The developed model was tested at a pre-set temperature and relative humidity of 32C and 62% RH respectively. The results revealed that the developed system had an efficiency of 85%. Though, the smart model had a failure rate of 15%, this smart prototype is a major breakthrough in the production of automated storage system for agricultural products.
  PubDate: Fri, 30 Jun 2023 00:00:00 +030
Development and Performance Evaluation of a Hand Operated Maize Sheller
- Authors: Muyıwa OKUSANYA; Francis AGBONGİABAN
  Abstract: Maize is a popular food crop of the world. After harvest, maize is shelled traditionally by small holders of farms. This method has not proved to be effective due to drudgery attached, kernel breakage and poor shelling capacity. Over time, motorized shellers have been introduced to address the challenges faced by processors; they have not gained widely adoption due to unaffordable cost of owning one. There is the need to design a cost effective and eco-friendly solution that will suit the need of subsistence farmers in the industry. This work focuses on development of a hand-operated maize sheller. A major component is the lever arm fitted to a ball bearing to transfer rotational motion to stripping chute. The machine uses the principle of abrasion to shell maize. Model (Y=54.92+ 0.248 X1-2.68 X2 ± 1.187) obtained from evaluation reveals that shelling capacity is a function of two predictors, speed (X1) and moisture content (X2). For every unit increase in cranking speed at a particular moisture content (23.2%, 18.5% or 14%) shelling capacity increases considerably. When the experiment is run at much lower moisture content (18.5%) shelling capacity increases significantly. The machine reached highest shelling capacity (60 kg h-1.) at lowest moisture content (14%) and highest speed (120 rpm). The machine was developed at affordable cost of $61. Shelling efficiency is also a function of speed and moisture content at which it is processed. For this condition, maximum shelling efficiency is achieved at lowest moisture content possible (14%) and terminal speed of 80 rpm. Mechanical damage resulted when the speed and moisture content are inconsiderably high. The machine is suitable for use by small and medium scale processors; it can efficiently replace the manual shelling methods as it is affordable, less stressful and easy to maintain.
  PubDate: Fri, 30 Jun 2023 00:00:00 +030
Simulation-Optimization Modelling of Yield and Yield Components of Tomato
Crop
- Authors: Nura Jafar SHANONO; Lawal AHMAD, Nuraddeen Mukhtar NASİDİ, Abdul'aziz Nuhu JİBRİL, Mukhtar Nuhu YAHYA
  Abstract: This study simulate and optimize the yield and yield parameters of tomato using AquaCrop model and genetic algorthm (GA) respectively. The AquaCrop model was firstly calibrated using the data obtained from the field and was later used to simulate the observed yield, water productivity and biomass of tomato. The Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), Coefficient of Residual Mass (CRM) Normalized Root Mean Square Error (NRMSE) and Modelling efficiency (EF) were used to compare the observed and simulated values. The governing equation of AquaCrop simulation software was then optimized using the evolutionary optimization method of GA with MATLAB programming software. All the statistical indices except CRM used in comparing the simulated and observed values indicated good agreement. The CRM values of -0.11, -0.06 and -0.20 were obtained for the yield, biomass and water productivity of tomato which indicated a very slight over-estimation of the observed results by the AquaCrop model. The optimization algorithm terminated when the optimal values of yield and biomass were 4.496 〖ton ha〗^(-1) and 4.90 〖ton ha〗^(-1) respectively. The GA revealed that the yield and biomass of tomato can be increased by 57% and 23% respectively if the optimized parameters were either attained on the field experiment or used during simulation. Thus, the study ascertained that crop simulation models such as AquaCrop and optimization algorithms can be used to identify optimal parameters that if maintained on the field could improve the yield of crops such as tomato.
  PubDate: Fri, 30 Jun 2023 00:00:00 +030
A microcontroller - Based Irrigation Scheduling Using FAO Penman-Monteith
Equation
- Authors: Olugbenga Kayode OGİDAN; Samuel Dare OLUWAGBAYIDE, Thomas ALE
  Abstract: This study uses the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) Penman-Monteith equation to develop a crop water algorithm needed to automate the supply of specific amount of water to crops, depending on their different crop water requirements. This was done to deviate from the practice of supplying the same amount of water to different crops during irrigation practices which could lead to over-irrigation or under-irrigation resulting in pest infestation and eventually low yield. The crop water requirement for cocoyam, spinach and tomatoes were estimated using data from FAO. A microcontroller-based smart irrigation device incorporated with real-time clock was developed to supply the right amount of water to crops at the right time and duration daily. The implementation was done using a laboratory-scale irrigation test bed and experimental results reveal the effectiveness of the developed system in the automation of crop-specific irrigation systems and in line with their Crop Water Requirement (CWR). Possible applications include greenhouses where researchers have to apply a specific amount of water to crops for experiments; horticultural gardens and nurseries to mention a few.
  PubDate: Fri, 30 Jun 2023 00:00:00 +030
AquaCrop Model Validation for Simulating Biomass and Water Productivity
Under Climate Change for Potatoes
- Authors: Abdelgawad SAAD; Hani MANSOUR, Elsayed ALİ, Mostafa AZAM
  Abstract: Effective crop development modelling is essential for crop management, water resource planning, assessing climate change's influence on agricultural production, and yield prediction. Validation and simulation of the measured data indicated that AquaCrop software is an effective and reliable program for designing pressurized irrigation systems to increase water application efficiency, system performance and the future prediction. The AquaCrop model was evaluated through a solid-set sprinkler and surface drip irrigation systems at 100%, 80%, and 60% of evapotranspiration (ETo) for the potato crop. The AquaCrop model has shown better performance to simulate potato growth and predicting crop variables under various water systems. The surface drip-irrigation system's at 80% of ETo (48.00, 8.05 ton ha-1) Yield had a substantial impact on the yield of potato and water productivity (WP), matching the yield of potatoes that was irrigated with solid-set sprinklers at 100% of ETo (37.39, 7.19 ton ha-1), with 20% water savings. Attributes of potatoes (canopy cover, biomass, potato crop factor (Kc), and water productivity) were affected by increasing water deficit. The simulated of AquaCrop model was a little higher than observed at 80% of ETo treatment, but still has a similar deviation, and it was slightly lower than seen for 60% of ETo treatment at the mid-season. The AquaCrop model predicted the yield of potatoes and biomass correctly when irrigation is adequate. The results indicated that there may be some changes in AquaCrop model simulation operations over future years based on the climate and irrigation method.
  PubDate: Fri, 30 Jun 2023 00:00:00 +030
Development and Performance Evaluation of Hand Operated Screw Juicer for
Small Scale Application
- Authors: Muyıwa OKUSANYA; Francis AGBONGİABAN
  Abstract: Nutrients from fruits are lacking in most African diets despite their importance. This results in malnutrition and diseases. Some of the factors responsible for these dietary deficiencies are income level and technologies to address postharvest losses. A hand-operated screw juicer was developed in this technical brief to address some of the problems. The machine developed uses screw principle for fruits mastication and juice extraction. The screw juicer performance was tested based on extraction capacity, efficiency and number of runs. Bivariate linear regression was the statistical model used to understand the relationship between the explanatory variable, x (number of pass/runs) and the response variable, y (extraction capacity/efficiency). For orange, cucumber, pineapple, golden melon and watermelon, the efficiencies (%) are respectively 79.30, 48.68, 68.96, 56.41 and 56.52 at single pass. Also, the extraction capacities of the machine (L h-1) are respectively 6.38, 5.08, 9.16, 7.84 and 10.48 for the fruits. The efficiencies are higher with orange and pineapple due to fibrous nature of the fruits. Pineapple and watermelon gave higher extraction capacity due to higher water content and juicy nature, at 5 and 7 runs respectively. The model (Y = -49.29X1 + 295.71 ± 89.75) from the analysis using watermelon reveals machine extraction capacity in volume is a function of number of runs. The machine reached its highest extraction capacity of 10.48 liters in 1 hour at 7 runs. This extraction capacity makes the machine fit to meet daily dietary requirements (400 g per person, an equivalence of 380 ml) of more than 4 households if operated for one hour. The machine can be adopted for use by small scale processors as it is affordable, less stressful and easy to maintain.
  PubDate: Fri, 30 Jun 2023 00:00:00 +030
Mathematically Predicting the Performance Rate of Plow-Type Trenchless
Machine
- Authors: Mohamed GHONİMY
  Abstract: This research was aimed to identify the main factors that influence the performance rate of plow-type trenchless machine and mathematically correlate these variables to predict performance rate. The mathematical analysis ended with an equation correlating the performance rate with the factors affecting it. The derived relationship was checked in various operational circumstances. The performance rate's practical experiments revealed that only for the 0.92 and 0.76 m disturbed soil depths, respectively, did the theoretical performance rate variation from the actual performance rate range from -3.0 to -0.7%. Also, for the 0.92 and 0.76 m disturbed soil depth, respectively, the field efficiency of plow type trenchless machine ranged from 49.7 to 45.4%. The novelty and innovativeness of this article is in the use of an analytical method to deduce a mathematical equation that can predict the performance rate; in determining the actual factors affecting the performance rate of plow type trenchless machine.
  PubDate: Fri, 30 Jun 2023 00:00:00 +030
Development of a Cowpea Threshing Machine
- Authors: Mohamed MANSOUR SHALABY REFAAAY; Ahmed SHAWKY EL-SAYED, Mokhtar COTTB AHMED AWAD
  Abstract: The transmission system of the thresher was developed to suit the process of threshing cowpea seeds. The developed thresher included substantial modifications to the threshing concaves, threshing fan, and threshing drum. The speed of the threshing sieve, suction, and fan were increased while the drum speed was decreased. Concave hole diameters of 20, 24, and 28 mm; drum speeds of 17, 23, and 29 m s-1; and feed rates of 360, 540, and 720 kg h-1 were studied. Threshing efficiency, seed damage, losses of seed, and power requirements were computed. The main findings revealed that increasing the diameter of the concave holes increased threshing efficiency and seed losses while decreasing seed damage and power requirements. Increasing drum speed increases threshing efficiency, reduced seed damage, and lower power requirements while decreasing seed losses. The maximum threshing efficiency reached was 96.75%, while the seed loss was 4.25%, with a minimum seed damage of 1.18%. The power requirement was 7.38 kWh ton-1 at a moisture content of 14.6%. The operating costs using the developed threshing machine were decreased to 71.33 USD ha-1 instead of the manually threshed cowpea, which costs about 111 USD ha-1.
  PubDate: Fri, 30 Jun 2023 00:00:00 +030
Influence of N fertilizing on Single-cut Sorgum × Sudangrass Hybrids’
Forage Yield and Nutritive Profile
- Authors: Uğur ÖZKAN; Nesim YILDIZ, Celal PEKER
  Abstract: The study aimed to observe the effects of two forage sorghum hybrids and different nitrogenous (N) fertilizer rates. The current study was set up in randomized complete block (RCB) as a split-plot design with triplicate at the Field Crops Department experimental area, University of Ankara in the 2022 summer season. This experiment included two treatments which had forage sorghum hybrids (Hay day and Super-graze) and nitrogen fertilization rates in the form of 18% ammonium sulfate [control group with no nitrogen (N0), 120 kg ha-1 N (N1), 180 kg ha-1 N (N2)]. N fertilizing rates positively influenced in agronomic profiles, yield components and nutritive profiles. The plant height (197.24-221.72 cm), green herbage yield (GHY) (60.42-70.89 ton ha-1), dry matter (DM) yield (17.77-23.98 ton ha-1), crude protein (CP) yield (0.97-1.90 ton ha-1), metabolic energy (ME) yield (33070.17-51840.85 Mcal ha-1), net energy production (NEp) yield (21164.91-33178.15 Mcal ha-1) increased with applied N rates. The maximum of DM (33.83%), CP (7.90%), TDN (58.63%), ME (2.16 Mcal kg-1 DM), NEp (1.80 Mcal kg-1 DM), and the minimum of ADF (33.09%), NDF (53.17%), ADL (5.14%) were obtained in N2 rates. In light of the results; “Hay-day” had more GHY. “Sugar-graze” had more DM yield and it was determined more digestible forage. It was inferred that the best yield components and nutritive profiles were obtained in N2 rate.
  PubDate: Fri, 30 Jun 2023 00:00:00 +030
Performance and Cost Comparison of Photovoltaic and Diesel Pumping
Systems: In Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia
- Authors: Maney Ayalew DESTA; Getachew Shunki TİBBA, Mubarek Mohammed ISSA, Wariso HEYİ
  Abstract: Diesel pumps have extensively used for irrigation water pumping. However, this causes challenges both in terms of economic factors (fuel costs) and environmental impacts (emits air pollution). An alternative solution is using renewable energy sources. In this regard, a battery less solar PV energy system was designed and evaluated was designed and evaluated for the geographic location and metrological data of Dugda woreda, representing the central rift valley of Ethiopia. Performance testing were conducted on sunny days of April month and with time intervals of from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, again the respective solar radiation ranges between 385.8 to 862.2 W m^(-2) h^(-1). The solar photovoltaic pumping has been evaluated with the head levels of 10, 12, 15, and 18 m. Accordingly the result showed that, PV system size can irrigate a tomato field of 0.33-0.75 ha with a mean daily water use of 8.7 and 17.4 m^3 〖day〗^(-1) at head levels of 10 and 18 meters, respectively. After evaluation, the maximum water flow rate has been at the midday day from 12:00 am to 1:00 pm. Comparative economic evaluation of the solar-powered water pump system and diesel pump devices were done using cycle cost breakdown and the cost of water per unit volume. Thus the long term economics of water pumping using solar photovoltaic and diesel pumping systems showed a cost of 1.33 〖ETB m〗^(-3) and 3 ETB m^(-3), respectively. The result demonstrated that photovoltaic water pump systems are more affordable for the long-term services of small to medium-scale farms than gasoline water pumps.
  PubDate: Fri, 30 Jun 2023 00:00:00 +030