Bioresource and Agricultural Engineering Commons^™

Elliptical Combing Motion For Harvesting Bell Peppers, J. H. Wilhoit, George A. Duncan, Larry G. Wells

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

A new concept for mechanically harvesting bell peppers, intended specifically for multiple-pass harvesting, utilized spaced horizontal fingers combing vertically upward through plant foliage in an elliptical path alternating from both sides of the row. An apparatus based on this concept was designed and built, and harvest tests were conducted to determine the effect of two main machine operating parameters, vertical picking speed and disk angle. Harvesting performance was evaluated in terms of harvest efficiency, fruit damage, and plant damage as it related to multiple-pass harvesting. Fruit removal, both harvestable size and immature, increased significantly as vertical picking speed increased. Branch …

Automated Harvesting Of Burley Tobacco I. System Development, Larry G. Wells, George B. Day V, Timothy D. Smith

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

A fully automated system for harvesting and handling mature buriey tobacco has been developed. This article identifies the operations essential to this harvesting concept and describes the development of the mechanisms by which they were accomplished. The system detaches, inverts and places mature plants into portable holders for air curing under waterproof covering without requiring any manual handling of the crop. Manual labor currently required to harvest buriey tobacco would be reduced by 80-85% and the system would eliminate the drudgery associated with manual handling. The harvesting system has an approximate capacity of 1.4 to 2.0 ha/day (3.5 to 5.0 …

Automated Harvesting Of Burley Tobacco Ii. Evaluation Of System Performance, Larry G. Wells, George B. Day V, Timothy D. Smith

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

A prototype system for fully automated harvesting of burley tobacco has been developed and tested. Three years of field testing has shown that mechanical losses associated with the system were only slightly higher than via conventional methods. The system performed reliably at a sustained harvesting rate of approximately 1.4 ha/day (3.4 acre/day), while indicating that a rate of 2 ha/day (5 acre/day) should be easily achievable. The system is operated by two workers and reduces conventional labor requirement by approximately 80-85%.

Pneumatic Metering Of Hardwood Tree Seeds, Larry G. Wells, T. W. Richards, Timothy D. Smith, George B. Day

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

A commercial, no-till row planter was extensively modified for use in direct seeding of hardwood tree species in surface mine reclamation. A pneumatic seed metering system was designed, fabricated, and mounted on the planter frame.

The metering device was tested under laboratory conditions which simulated varying terrain slope and field speed with seeds of various hardwood tree species. Metering efficiencies of 97% were achieved for pin oak seeds at 3.2 km/hr (2.0 m/h) and 50% slope. For red oak, 97% efficiency was achieved for 50% slope at 4.0 km/h (2.5 mph). Unsatisfactory metering was noted during tests of larger seeds, …

Automated Sorting Of Oriented Tobacco Leaves, Larry G. Wells, M. J. Bader

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

A mechanism has been developed which removes cured burley tobacco leaves from plants so that midribs are oriented parallel. A photosensor was utilized to count leaves as they were removed and a microprocessor determined the number of leaves allocated to each of three grades. Experiments indicated that 84% of leaves removed could be correctly sorted with a 2.4% material loss at an effective rate of approximately 2.4 times that of conventional methods.

Multi-Isfet Sensors For Soil Nitrate Analysis, Stuart J. Birrell, John W. Hummel

Stuart J. Birrell

The management of a field as a heterogeneous area is now being investigated by many researchers in universities, companies, and research institutions. However, for site-specific application of inputs, it is necessary to develop systems to sense the variation of important properties in real time. Several studies have shown that ion selective electrodes can be used to measure soil nitrates. This work involves an investigation in the use of Ion Selective Field Effect Transistors (ISFETs), to measure soil nitrate levels.

Modeling Environmental Response To Power Interruptions In Swine Nurseries, Jay D. Harmon, E. R. Collins Jr., E. T. Kornegay

Jay D. Harmon

A deterministic simulation model was developed to help assess emergency environmental needs of swine nurseries by modeling short term power interruptions. The model accounts for heat exchange by conduction, convection, radiation and air infiltration. A sub-model, developed by the North Central Region Committee 179, was used to predict swine heat and moisture loss. The model was validated using a nursery constructed of concrete block. The model performed well for cases with a constant solar load but tended to overpredict temperature changes during periods of no solar load. Validation indicated that wind velocity had the most effect upon model error. Sensitivity …

Pig Vocalizations Under Selected Husbandry Practices, Hongwei Xin, James A. Deshazer, D. W. Leger

Hongwei Xin

Acoustical characteristics of vocalizations of sows, piglets, and nursery pigs under selected husbandry practices were analyzed with a digital signal processing system. The duration (D) and major energy-resonance frequency (P) for each call were determined as follows: a) processing of piglets (D = 0.81 s and f* = 3 700 Hz); b) food anticipation of breeding-gestation sows (2.50 s and 3 000 Hz); c) isolation of piglet (0.34 s and 500, 3 500 Hz); d) startling of nursery pigs (0.29 s and 900 Hz); e) sows in heat (3.07 s and 1 375 Hz); f) farrowing (0.10 s and 3 …

Soil Conservation Earthworks Design Manual, K J. Bligh

All other publications

In view of the great diversity of hydrological conditions encountered in the field, and the relative paucity of information with which to design soil conservation earthworks, it is frequently not possible to quantify all aspects of hydrologic design. It remains for the practising soil conservationist to search for a reasonable solution to a problem which is most appropriate to the situation, location, information and skills. The equations in this Manual provide the best available estimates of flow rates and volumes for carrying out design but it must be recognised that the information has come from a relatively limited data set, …

An Expert System For Tractor Selection, Steven A. Freeman, P. D. Ayers

Steven A. Freeman

A user friendly expert system to assist the farmer in tractor selection was developed based on the evaluation procedure developed by Rider et al. (1979). This evaluation procedure utilizes Nebraska Tractor Test data from 1980 to 1986 along with information provided by the farmer to make selection decisions. The expert system provides the farmer with a list of tractors that are best suited for a specific operation. However, it is only designed to aid the farmer in the tractor selection process, not to provide a definite solution.

An Aeration Duct Design Model For Flat Grain Storage, Thomas C. Bridges, Douglas G. Overhults, Samuel G. Mcneill, G. M. White

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Traditionally most grain is stored in circular type bins which provide a convenient means for handling and management. With the excess grain production and government loan programs of the past few years, some producers have used rectangular structures and covered piles to complement their round storages. The recommended management practices used with round bins are still required in those alternative storages and may be more critical in obtaining a quality end product.

One such recommended practice used with round bins is aeration. This practice is used to maintain a uniform temperature in the grain mass, preventing condensation and "hot" spots …

Can We Guarantee The Safety Of Genetically Engineered Organisms In The Environment?, Kathleen H. Keeler, Frances E. Sharples

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Can we guarantee the safety of genetically engineered organisms in the environment? To anticipate my remarks, the answer to the title question is “No, we cannot guarantee the safety of genetically engineered organisms released into the environment.” Indeed, it is a tenet of the scientific method that nothing can be proved, only disproved. Thus, we can never show that a release will be safe. We could only show that it would be unsafe, if that were the case. However, if the question is posed differently, for example, can we safely release genetically engineered organisms into the environment?, the answer is …

The Effect Of Small Earth Structures And Channel Improvements On The Flooding Of Agricultural Land In South-Western Australia, J R. Davies, D J. Mcfarlane, R Ferdowsian

Resource management technical reports

No abstract provided.

Post-Effect Of Ammonia On Energetics Of Laying Hens At High Temperatures, Hongwei Xin, James A. Deshazer, M. M. Beck

Hongwei Xin

Leghorn layers were monitored for heat loss, feed intake, egg production and respiratory rate at various environmental temperatures (TJ after first being exposed to aerial ammonia (NH3). The initial exposure was to 10 or 60 ppm NH3 at a T, of 25 °C for 30 days to simulate a winter environmental condition in a poultry facility. Hens were then allowed to recover in an environment of 5 ppm of NH3 at a T^ of 22 °C for seven days to simulate a spring environmental condition. Birds were then placed individually in a partitional calorimeter free of NH3 at 25, 29, …

Production Of Aflatoxin On Damaged Corn Under Controlled Environmental Conditions, D. M. Wieman, G. M. White, Joseph L. Taraba, I. J. Ross, Clair L. Hicks, Bruce E. Langlois

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Aflatoxin B₁ production by Aspergillus flavus (NRRL 6432) was determined on physically damaged corn stored at 35,25 and 20°C and at relative humidities of 97 and 92%. Production at lower relative humidities of 80 and 85% were also tested at 25°C. Production lag times were significantly different for all test conditions. Lag times ranged from 46 h at 97% relative humidity and 35°C to 173. 8 h at 20°C and 92% relative humidity. Aflatoxin B, concentration doubled every 6 to 10 hours after a level of 10 ppb had been reached. Production rate constants were not significantly different between …

Storage Of Burley Tobacco In Bales And Bundles, Linus R. Walton, M. E. Casada, Joseph L. Taraba, James H. Casada, W. H. Henson Jr., Larry D. Swetnam

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Bales and bundles of burley tobacco were stored for seven months from spring to fall. Leaves darkened during storage at all moisture levels and stalk positions with the exception of the bottom stalk position, which darkened only slightly. There was no difference in color change and dry weight loss between burley tobacco in bales and bundles. Normal and high moisture bales and bundles were often graded as unsound because of a deviant odor caused by bacterial activity. A bale weight loss of about 8% occurred at normal moisture with the loss being divided evenly between moisture and dry weight losse.

Equilibrium Moisture Properties Of Corn Cobs, G. M. White, Thomas C. Bridges, Samuel G. Mcneill, Douglas G. Overhults

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Equilibrium moisture content-equilibrium relative humidity data for broken corn cobs have been determined for both desorption and adsorption conditions for three temperature levels and five moisture levels. The Modified Henderson and Chung equilibrium moisture equations have been fitted to these data by using non-linear regression procedures to estimate equation parameters. Both equations adequately represented the experimental data. A test of varietal differences indicated no significant difference in cob desorption ERH values for three selected corn varieties.

Limiting Swine Stress With Evaporative Cooling In The Southeast, Robert L. Fehr, K. T. Priddy, Samuel G. Mcneill, Douglas G. Overhults

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Three-hourly weather data for 7 locations in the Southeast and Central United States were used to evaluate the feasibility of evaporative cooling for reducing swine stress. Stress was defined as a relationship between dry and wet bulb temperatures which exceeded a stress index of 85. This analysis indicates that properly installed evaporative coolers could reduce the number of hours that stress would occur in swine facilities from 89.6 to 96.4% depending on location.

Effect Of Herbicides On Performance Of Aerobic Dairy Lagoons, John D. Bottom, Joseph L. Taraba

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

The herbicides glyphosate, bromacil, and dalapon were assessed for their affect on the oxygen uptake of microorganisms from an aerated dairy lagoon at 20 °C. The maximum recommended addition of herbicide active ingerdient to a lagoon is: glyphosate (isopropyl amino salt)—0.42 mg/L; bromacil—3.70 mg/L; and dalapon (85.8 percent Na salt and 14.2 percent Mg salt)—1.95 mg/L. In addition, microorganism isolates from the aerobic dairy lagoon were incubated under aerobic and anerobic conditions at room temperature to assess the effects of the herbicides. Under aerobic incubation, it was found that neither herbicide type nor herbicide concentration affected isolate growth. Under anaerobic …

Vertical Wall Loads In A Model Grain Bin, S. A. Thompson, I. J. Ross, John N. Walker, Larry G. Wells

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Simulation Of Burley Tobacco Harvesting-Housing Systems, Ronald L. Bingner, Larry G. Wells, Thomas C. Bridges, George A. Duncan

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

A computer model has been developed using systems analysis techniques to simulate the labor and equipment aspects of harvesting burley tobacco. By varying the parameters of the model the user can determine a harvesting and housing strategy based on labor and equipment availability.

Temperature And Humidity Prediction In A Burley Curing Facility, Thomas C. Bridges, Linus R. Walton, Larry G. Wells, I. J. Ross

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

A Simulation Model For Assessing Alternate Strategies For Beef Production With Land, Energy And Economic Constraints, Otto J. Loewer, E. M. Smith, G. Benock, Thomas C. Bridges, Larry G. Wells, Nelson Gay, S. Burgess, L. Springate, David L. Debertin

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

A computer model has been developed to analyze alternate management strategies and energy and economic constraints. Daily production of beef animals and growing crops is simulated in response to prevailing conditions and system interactions using the GASP IV simulation language. Complete inventories of plant dry matter, animal status, production resources and economic net worth are maintained over the simulation period.

Wind Drag On Burley Tobacco Plants, James H. Casada, Linus R. Walton, Larry G. Wells

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Drag coefficient and center of resistance to wind forces were determined for four varieties of burley tobacco at three stages of growth and using wind velocities ranging from about 3 to 17 m/s. Drag coefficients determined ranged from about 0.024 at the highest velocity to about 0.081 at the lowest velocity. Stage of growth and wind velocity had significant effects on drag coefficient. Variety did not have a significant effect on drag coefficient. Mean center of resistance varied from 42.3 percent of the distance from bottom leaf to top leaf at the early stage of growth to 71.2 percent at …

The Influence Of Harvesting Strategies And Economic Constraints On The Feasibility Of Farm Grain Drying And Storage Facilities, Otto J. Loewer Jr., Thomas C. Bridges, G. M. White, Douglas G. Overhults

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

The economic return to on-the-farm grain drying and storage facilities is influenced by many factors including harvesting strategies, facility management, market conditions, energy considerations, and facility design. This study evaluates the influence of these factors on expected net return.

Ground Driven Powered Tillage, Larry G. Wells, E. M. Smith, D. E. Hammett, H. J. Thompson Jr.

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

A ground driven powered tillage device is described which utilizes a passive rolling coulter propelled through the soil by a prime mover. The reaction torque imparted by the soil to the coulter is delivered via a torque transfer unit to a powered tillage blade. The tillage blade rotates counter to the direction of the passive rolling coulter and prepares a tilled furrow of some predetermined depth for seed placement and coverage.

Analysis is presented in which the torque developed by a passive rolling coulter engaging the soil is predicted. A relationship is presented for determining the velocity ratio between the …

Analysis And Testing Of Powered Tillage Blades, Larry G. Wells, E. M. Smith, D. E. Hammett

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Fundamental design considerations for powered rotary tillage blades are presented and discussed. The relationship between blade angular velocity and the geometric dimensions of cutting edges is specified for tillage blades rotating counter to the direction of travel and assuming a typical forward speed for tillage.

Analyses showed that a powered blade rotated opposite to the direction of travel can be operated at relatively lower angular velocities than can one rotated in the direction of travel to achieve equivalent blade velocity and acceleration relative to the soil. Furthermore, a blade rotated opposite to the direction of travel requires relatively lower power …

Economic Comparison Of Alternative Burley Tobacco Harvesting Practices By Computer, Thomas C. Bridges, Larry G. Wells, George A. Duncan, John N. Walker

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

The computer model CATCH (Computer Analysis of Tobacco Cutting and Housing) was developed to provide the individual tobacco producer with management information concerning alternative methods of harvesting burley tobacco. CATCH utilizes specific producer in-puts to analyze 24 alternative burley production systems and presents up to four economic rankings containing costs, equipment and labor for each system. The economic rankings aid the producer in decision making with regard to his own operation.

Dynamic Simulation Of Animal Growth And Reproduction, Otto J. Loewer Jr., Edward M. Smith, Gerald Benock, Nelson Gay, Thomas C. Bridges, Larry G. Wells

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

A rather unique systems analysis approach has been made to simulate the utilization of dry matter by ruminant animals, and the natural breeding and reproduction process within a herd. Physiological factors occurring over time and the time related effects of these factors are simulated.

A Computer Model For Evaluating Corn Harvesting, Handling, Drying And Storage Systems, Thomas C. Bridges, Otto J. Loewer Jr., John N. Walker, Douglas G. Overhults

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.