Bioresource and Agricultural Engineering Commons^™

Towards 2035: Future Forms And Strategic Path Of Chinese Agriculture, Liu Tao, Zeyu Yang, Zhaohui Dong

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Agricultural modernization is an integral component of the national modernization. Toward 2035, China’s agricultural system confronts multiple challenges, including increasing resource and environmental pressures, rapid upgrading of residents’ consumption structure, and in-depth adjustments in the international supply chain pattern. Meanwhile, it also embraces a series of opportunities brought by transformations in agricultural production technologies and models driven by artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and engineering technology. Based on the perspective of national medium and long-term development strategy, this study sorts out the internal constraints, external opportunities, and development drivers faced by China’s agriculture. It explores six major strategic trends—ecological, intelligent, customized, facility-based, …

Nebraska And The Midwest Agtech Ecosystem: Benchmarking Innovation Investment And Translation Gaps, Ankit Chandra, Ishani Lal, Brennan Costello

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Presentations and White Papers

Agricultural innovation is central to the sustainable transformation of food systems, yet the capital that finances it is unevenly distributed relative to where food is produced. This paper develops a diagnostic framework for measuring this mismatch and applies it across the U.S. Midwest from 2021 to 2025, with particular emphasis on Nebraska's structural position within this landscape. Drawing on venture capital deal-flow data, 17 stakeholder interviews, and a novel strength-weakness-opportunity-gap (SWOG) ecosystem mapping methodology, we document $736 million in tracked Midwest AgTech funding across eight states (Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, North Dakota, and South Dakota). We introduce three …

Can Generative Ai Make Farming Decisions? Current Status And Future Pathways: A Case Study In Row Crop Production With Chatgpt, Nipuna Chamara, Yufeng Ge, Joe Luck, Yu Pan, Saleh Taghvaeian, Cory Walters, Christopher Proctor, Daran Rudnick, Daren Redfearn

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

The agricultural decision-making process is experience-based, knowledge-dependent, time-sensitive, complex, and driven by historical data. Planting, fertilization, irrigation, and chemigation are key categories in farm decision-making, and currently there is no one-shot decision-support tool that covers all these activities. Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) models are more advanced than traditional machine learning and deep learning models. These models have been trained on vast amounts of data from the internet, allowing them to accept unstructured data in various forms and generate human-like text, solutions to problems, and scenario predictions. Given this capability, we became interested in exploring the potential of generative AI in …

Why Agtech Startups Fail? Evidence From Global Shutdown Patterns In 2025 And The Cost-Adoption Mismatch Effect, Ankit Chandra, Ishani Lal

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Presentations and White Papers

Agricultural technologies are widely seen as a driver for sustainability, resilience, and food-system transformation. Yet in 2025, agtech startup across North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa experienced multiple shutdowns. Although each company closed for its own reasons, the failures highlight consistent underlying patterns. We analyze 18 publicly reported shutdowns across controlled-environment agriculture (CEA), robotics, insect protein, digital platforms, sensors, and ag-biotechnology. We find that most ventures struggled not with scientific feasibility but with economic and adoption dynamics at the farm level. We identify a Cost-Adoption Mismatch Effect, in which the capital and operational burden of a technology exceeds farmers’ capacity …

Feasibility Of Corn Stover For Biogas Production In Northwestern Illinois: A Case Study Of Jo Daviess And Carroll Counties, Anthony Amotoe-Bondzie

Masters Theses

The growing demand for renewable energy and sustainable waste management has intensified interest in agricultural residues such as bioenergy feedstocks. This study evaluated the feasibility of converting corn stover into biogas through anaerobic digestion (AD) in Jo Daviess and Carroll Counties, Illinois, with consideration of the Savanna Industrial Park as a potential centralized processing hub. Although corn stover represents one of the largest biomass resources in the United States, this research identifies a critical gap between theoretical availability and practically recoverable feedstock. Using a mixed-methods framework, the study integrates biomass quantification, methane yield modeling, economic analysis, and policy assessment. Results …

Applied Research In Field Crop Pathology For Indiana, 2024, Darcy E. P. Telenko, Sujoung Shim

Purdue University Press Books

Applied Research in Field Crop Pathology for Indiana, 2024 serves as a summary of the applied field crop pathology research trials conducted in 2024 under the direction of the Purdue Field Crop Pathology program in the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology at Purdue University. In Indiana, there are more than 57,600 farms, 16,000 crop producers, and 900 certified crop advisers, Extension educators, and crop-protection industry representatives who manage more than 11.4 million crop-production acres with a total value of $6.3 billion annually. There are more than twenty diseases affecting corn, soybeans, and wheat that may decrease crop production and …

Development Of A Machine Learning Framework For An Irrigation Decision Support System, Eric Wilkening, Derek M. Heeren, Yeyin Shi, Laila A. Puntel, Guillermo R. Balboa, Abia Katimbo, Kuan Zhang, Precious Nneka Amori, Bruno Lena

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Currently used irrigation scheduling techniques often require significant human intervention and are time consuming, particularly for variable rate irrigation. This research aimed to develop a conceptual framework that incorporates disparate data sources leveraging both mechanistic and machine learning (ML) approaches. The overarching objective is to utilize the growing availability of data and technology to manage irrigation more precisely, which will minimize negative impacts of irrigation on our water resources. An initial irrigation machine learning model was proposed and tested in this study as a key component of an edge-cloud computing and federated learning decision-making framework. The specific objectives were (1) …

Evaluating Nanobubble-Enriched Water Treatments For Cleaning Stainless Steel Winery Tanks At The Gallo Winery Research Station In Livingston, California, Edgar Godoy-Garcia

Master's Theses

ABSTRACT

Evaluating nanobubble-enriched water treatments for cleaning stainless steel winery tanks at the Gallo winery research station in Livingston, California.

Edgar A. Godoy-Garcia

Sanitation of stainless steel wine storage tanks is a critical component of quality control in commercial winemaking operations. Ineffective cleaning can lead to microbial contamination, product spoilage, and safety concerns. Traditionally, wineries rely on manual scrubbing, chemical cleaning agents, and extensive water rinsing cycles to maintain sanitary tank conditions. However, these methods are resource-intensive and may pose risks to both workers and the environment due to chemical exposure and wastewater generation. In response to growing industry interest …

The Effect Of Boom Leveling On Spray Dispersion, Miguel Bustamante, Juan F. Vivanco, Travis A. Burgers

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

Automatic boom height systems reduce the variability of agricultural sprayer boom height. When a boom is not at its target height, this can lead to uneven spray dispersion from the nozzles. Boom heights and sprayer position were previously measured in time for three commercially-available boom leveling systems for three test runs for at least three speeds over each of a mild, medium and rough terrain course. A computational model was created to use measured spray dispersion from a nozzle, measured boom heights in time, and measured sprayer position in time to calculate a spray coverage map. The model was used …

Autonomous Agricultural Equipment Evaluation For Broad-Acre Crop Production, Sofia Bahmutsky, Ashutosh Singh, Travis A. Burgers, Roy Maki

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

A Case Study On Readiness Of Engineers In Agricultural Technology Start-Ups, Katie Marie Mowat

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

This dissertation explores the perceptions of practicing engineers regarding the skills necessary to be workforce-ready at agricultural technology (ag-tech) start-ups in the Midwestern United States. A qualitative case study methodology is leveraged, combining both interview and job description data. Given their uniqueness, the study divides the ag-tech start-up industry into two subcases: livestock and cropping systems. The Work Readiness Integrated Competence Model (WRICM) is used as the theoretical framework for this study and informs the conceptual framework and analysis processes. The study identified skills that fit into thirteen distinct categories, which are further grouped into four overarching resource groups. Skills …

Sustainable Agriculture Through Data-Driven Land And Soil Management For Rural Farming Communities, Peggy Clareece Discenza

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This thesis aims to investigate sustainable farming practices by utilizing a database containing soil, weather, and water data. Additionally, it evaluates cropping strategies using a system that incorporates nutrient dynamics and environmental values. The objective is to monitor, develop predictive models, and assess the impact of both controlled and uncontrolled nutrient variables. This is achieved through the development of an algorithm that provides information on soil health based on datasets and land use, with a particular focus on residual values after harvesting for deeper analytical insights and interpretation. This study focuses on key nutrients, including pH levels, water availability, and …

Berm-Leveling Machine For Peach Orchards: Incorporation Of Tree-Sensing Feature And Profitability Study, Shubham Singh

All Theses

Root collar excavation extends the productive life of peach trees in Armillaria root rot-infested soil, but the process requires trees to be planted on berms. Berm-planted peach orchards restrict the mobility of workers and machinery and can lead to increased erosion in furrows on either side of the berms. The current inter-tree berm-leveling machine depends on the driver's command to dodge the peach trees. The objectives of this thesis were to (1) integrate the feeler, infrared, and LiDAR-based tree sensing systems in the berm-leveling machine to make the soil excavating head's movement independent, (2) measure the impact of finger weeder-based …

Forecasting And Assessment Of Air Quality Dynamics In Northeast India Using Machine Learning Models, Kumar Shubham, Gopikrishnan T, Anshuman Singh

The Philippine Agricultural Scientist

This study investigated air quality dynamics in Northeast India, a region with unique terrestrial features, including the Eastern Himalayas. While air quality varies across districts, pollution impacts the entire area. Northeast India’s rich ecology is crucial for Himalayan climate regulation. Robust air quality monitoring and pollution control are essential to preserve environmental balance. This work focused on forecasting emissions of aerosols, SO₂, NO₂, CO, HCHO, O₃, and CH₄ primarily associated with human activities. Utilizing data from the Tropospheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) satellite instrument from 2019 to 2023, a 9-mo forecast was conducted using …

Treating Ground Water For Agricultural And Individual Consumption, Gabby Miller, Bronson Scott, Michael Clawson

Biomedical Engineering

This project, conducted in collaboration with Cal Poly seniors and Da Vinci High School students, aims to develop a solar-powered groundwater purification system. This system is designed to provide clean water for agricultural use and individual consumption, addressing the growing concerns of groundwater contamination and accessibility needs. The final prototype integrates a gravity filtration system combined with chemical purification, utilizing aluminum sulfate and chlorine to remove particulates, bacteria, and organic compounds.

The research phase involved an extensive review of groundwater contamination issues, existing filtration technologies, and market analysis. Key design constraints included cost-effectiveness, ease of maintenance, and minimal energy consumption, …

Enhancing The Mechanical Properties Of Sla 3d-Printed Bio-Resin From Linseed Oil Using Cellulose And Lignin Biopolymers, Chukwunonso A. Ikedionu

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Abstract

This research explores the development of bio resin from linseed oil by the process of epoxidation and acrylation to produce acrylated epoxidized linseed oil (AELO). Lignin and cellulose biopolymers were added as reinforcement at varying weight fractions of 1 wt.%, 2.5 wt.%, and 5 wt.%, and their mechanical performance was compared against pure AELO. The formulations were printed using an Elegoo SLA 3D printer to create standardized test specimens like tensile bars, compression cylinders, and hardness blocks, which were all prepared according to the ASTM testing standard.

The results indicate that reinforcement effects depend on both filler type and …

Adaptation For Whom? Understanding The Impacts Of Dyke Policies On Small-Scale Farmers In Ca Mau Province Of Vietnam, Nguyen Minh Quang, Nguyen Van Minh, Nguyen Vo Chau Ngan, Martha B. Lerski

Publications and Research

Low-lying deltas worldwide are extremely vulnerable to sea-level rise. As the risks of climate-induced flooding become increasingly clear, the thirst for infrastructure-driven adaptation increases. This highlights a patent need to understand the impacts of engineering adaptation solutions, especially those targeting built structures such as dykes and sluices, on farmers from a bottom-up, farmer-centred perspective. The study addresses this call by examining cases where dyke policies, while successful in some dimensions, have undermined small-scale farmer livelihoods in Ca Mau ― Vietnam’s southernmost rural province. It identifies areas in need of attention and adds empirical data related to this group of farmers. …

In-Season Nitrogen Mmanagement: Leveraging Data Visualization For Precision Agriculture, Chathurika Harshani Narayana

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Effective nitrogen management is vital for sustainable agriculture, impacting both crop yield and environmental health. Traditional methods often use fixed application rates set before planting, which do not adapt to changing crop needs during the season. This can lead to over- or under-application, reducing efficiency and sustainability. While modern tools like sensors, satellites, and UAVs provide valuable real-time data on crop and field conditions, integrating and using this data to guide timely nitrogen decisions remains a major challenge. In-season nitrogen management offers a solution by allowing for dynamic adjustments to nitrogen applications, addressing crop needs as they arise. This approach …

Impact Of Automated Controlled Tile Drainage On Field Discharge Water, Soil Moisture, And Crop Yield In Southeastern South Dakota, Joshua Becker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Automated controlled tile drainage is an innovative approach to water management, using dynamic weir settings programmed to drain water out of the tile system if it encroaches into the root zone at pre-programmed depths and duration. While past studies have indicated potential yield and water quality benefits of controlled drainage, there has been very little research into the performance of automated controlled drainage. In addition to overall performance, there is a gap in knowledge of management settings to optimize yield and water quality benefits. Two experiments, one plot-scale and one modeling, were conducted to assess the impact of automated controlled …

Cropsync: Ai-Powered Sustainable Crop Management, Ziad Doughan, Ibrahim Mneimneh, Zouheir Nakouzi, Noor Al Khaib, Samer Damaj, Jamal Chaaban, Hamza Mrad, Sari Itani

BAU Journal - Science and Technology

CropSync is a smart agriculture system that uses AI and IoT technologies to enable sustain- able crop management and precision farming. The system aims to address the challenges faced by the agriculture sector, such as increasing food production to meet global population demands while minimizing environmental impact. CropSync integrates sensors, cameras, and cloud-based analytics to provide farmers with real-time insights and recommendations for optimizing crop cul- tivation. The system upholds engineering professional and ethical standards, considering broader social, environmental, and economic implications. From a social perspective, CropSync improves food security and enhances farmers’ livelihoods through increased productivity and efficient re- …

Jovial Family Farm Facilitates Intergenerational Learning Opportunities Through Urban Farming, Maera Williams

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

Maera Williams is a sophomore in Environmental and Ecological Engineering at Purdue University. She joined the Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS) Urban Farming team as a freshman and now serves as project manager of ten undergraduate students collaborating with Jovial Family Farm to design and develop three indoor hydroponics systems for a laboratory space on their property in Broad Ripple, IN. Jovial Family Farm is a nonprofit organization founded by Drs. Bobbie and Brian Jellison with the mission to provide senior citizens, their families, and their communities with meaningful engagement opportunities on an intergenerational scale through urban agricultural activities. …

Compact Solar-Powered Plasma Water Generator: Enhanced Germination Of Aged Seed With The Corona Dielectric Barrier Discharger, Yiting Xiao, Yang Tian, Haizheng Xiong, Ainong Shi, Jun Zhu

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Seed aging adversely affects agricultural productivity by reducing germination rates and seedling vigor, leading to significant costs for seed banks and companies due to the need for frequent seed renewals. This study demonstrated the use of plasma-activated water (PAW), generated by a solar-powered corona dielectric barrier discharger, to enhance germination rates of spinach seeds that had been stored at 4 °C for 23 years. Treating seeds with PAW at 17 kV for 15 min improved germination (by 135%) and seedling growth compared to untreated seeds. Through detailed analysis, beneficial PAW properties for seed development were identified, and a molecular mechanism …

Excavated Tanks (Farm Dams), Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Natural resources factsheets

Guidelines and information for planning, legal requirements, design, construction and management of excavated tanks for water storage on farm.

Excavated tanks (farm dams) provide effective water storage wherever surface water run-off can be harvested for livestock, crop spraying, irrigation and domestic use on rural properties.

Excavated tanks for rainfall storage are common in the southern agricultural areas of WA.

Well-designed and constructed dams are farm assets, safe and require little maintenance.

Poor design and construction can lead to poor water harvesting and storage, excessive costs, downstream erosion and risks to property and people.

DPIRD recommends that excavated tanks should be …

Blackberry Growth Monitoring And Feature Quantification With Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (Uav) Remote Sensing, Akwasi Tagoe, Alexander Silva, Cengiz Koparan, Aurelie Poncet, Dongyi Wang, Donald Johnson, Margaret Worthington

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Efficiently managing agricultural systems necessitates accurate data collection from crops to examine phenotypic characteristics and improve productivity. Traditional data collection processes for specialty horticultural crops are often subjective, labor-intensive, and may not provide accurate information for precise management decisions in phenotypic studies and crop production. Reliable and standardized techniques to record and evaluate crop features using agricultural technology are essential for improving agricultural systems. The objective of the research was to develop a methodology for accurate measurement of blackberry flowers and vegetation coverage using UAV remote sensing and image analysis. The UAV captured 20,812 images in the visible spectrum, and …

Efficient Real-Time Droplet Tracking In Crop-Spraying Systems, Troung Nhut Huynh, Travis Burgers, Kim-Doang Nguyen

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

Spray systems in agriculture serve essential roles in the precision application of pesticides, fertilizers, and water, contributing to effective pest control, nutrient management, and irrigation. These systems enhance efficiency, reduce labor, and promote environmentally friendly practices by minimizing chemical waste and runoff. The efficacy of a spray is largely determined by the characteristics of its droplets, including their size and velocity. These parameters are not only pivotal in assessing spray retention, i.e., how much of the spray adheres to crops versus becoming environmental runoff, but also in understanding spray drift dynamics. This study introduces a real-time deep learning-based approach for …

Strategic Study On Leading Construction Of Modern Agricultural System By Technology Innovation, Yan Yan, Xurong Mei, Xiudong Wang

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Technology innovation is the fundamental solution to build a modern agricultural system, and it is also an important support for building the large base, large enterprise, and large industry of modern agriculture and achieving the modernization of material equipment, technology, management, agricultural informatization, and sustainable resource utilization of agriculture. This paper explains the scientific concepts and logical relationships of the agricultural production system, industrial system and management system, which are the main components of a modern agricultural system. It emphasizes that ensuring food security, promoting industrial integration and upgrading, and cultivating leading enterprises are current key tasks. Nevertheless, from the …

The Growth Of Ethanol In Brazil: Sugarcane, Corn, And A Few Other Things, Fabio Mattos

Cornhusker Economics

Although we can expect more ethanol produced from corn in the coming years, it is unclear whether it will keep expanding at the same pace as in recent years or how much it will contribute to total ethanol production.

One point to keep an eye on is the typical dynamics of markets. If supply and demand conditions and price movements make corn-ethanol more profitable, ethanol plants in Brazil will keep increasing their production. If it makes more economic sense to produce corn-ethanol (as it happened recently), they will use more corn to produce ethanol.

Supply and demand conditions for ethanol, …

Implementation And Efficiency Of Electric Motors In Lygus Bug Vacuums For Strawberries, Adam J. Rantz

Master's Theses

Further automation of the agricultural industry and an increase in organic fruit production are needed to address labor shortage and increased demand. The move to an autonomous bug vacuum is easier if the equipment is electric, and not powered by a tractor’s PTO (power take-off) shaft. The main objective of this project was to design a set of lygus bug vacuums to go on a robot that meets industry standards while using electric power instead of hydraulic. The frame of the vacuum was designed using the industry standard. While hydraulic systems have been a very effective power source for vacuums …

Fabrication Of A Low-Cost Drum Seeder For Paddy, Muhammad Rashed Al Mamun, Md Rejaul Karim, Md Towfiqur Rahman, Md Janibul Alam Soeb, Md Imranul Alam

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Rice is a staple food crop. Bangladesh produces it extensively which raised the nation into the fourth-largest rice-grower in the world. Transplanting or direct seeding is a major task in rice cultivation where the manual transplanting method requires a huge labor cost which is beyond control in a peak season. Although mechanical rice transplanters become popularization land preparation and seedling rising as a pre transplanting task is costly and labor-intensive. On the other hand, manual broadcasting and machine seeding direct method still exist due to the above method’s problem. Considering spacing accuracies for intercultural operation, drum seeders are an easy …

Next-Generation Crop Monitoring Technologies: Case Studies About Edge Image Processing For Crop Monitoring And Soil Water Property Modeling Via Above-Ground Sensors, Nipuna Chamara

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has advanced rapidly in the past two decades. Internet of Things (IoT) technology has advanced rapidly during the last decade. Merging these two technologies has immense potential in several industries, including agriculture.

We have identified several research gaps in utilizing IoT technology in agriculture. One problem was the digital divide between rural, unconnected, or limited connected areas and urban areas for utilizing images for decision-making, which has advanced with the growth of AI. Another area for improvement was the farmers' demotivation to use in-situ soil moisture sensors for irrigation decision-making due to inherited installation difficulties. As Nebraska …