scholarly journals Field Capacity and Harvest Efficiency Evaluation of Traditional Small Box and Semi-Automated Bin Handling Systems for Wild Blueberries

Agriculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 957
Author(s):  
Ahmad H. Khan ◽  
Emmanuel K. Yiridoe ◽  
Travis J. Esau ◽  
Aitazaz A. Farooque ◽  
Qamar U. Zaman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Handling Time ◽  
Field Capacity ◽  
Field Trials ◽  
Harvest Time ◽  
Eastern Canada ◽  
Wild Blueberries ◽  
Harvest Efficiency ◽  
And Performance ◽  
On Farm ◽  
Wild Blueberry

Mechanical harvesters with small box and semi-automated bin handling systems are increasingly being used for harvesting wild blueberries in Eastern Canada, and Northeastern, USA. However, their field capacity and performance have not been quantified and compared. Important measures of field capacity and efficiency for a traditional mechanical harvester were compared with a novel semi-automatic bin handling harvester. Data were obtained from on-farm field trials conducted at four sites in Nova Scotia, Canada in 2017 and 2018. Both harvesters had double head configurations, along with other similar engineering configurations: (i) 0.66 m picking reels; (ii) 16 picker bars per head and 65 teeth per bar; (iii) 1.72 m picking width; (iv) 21 rpm head speed; and (v) 0.31 ms−1 ground speed. Each harvester was operated for 120 min and data such as berry harvesting time and box handling time were recorded, with six replications during each year. Statistical methods were used to compare the harvest efficiency of the two mechanical harvesters. Harvest time efficiency was significantly higher for the semi-automatic bin handling technology than for the small box handling technology both in 2017 (p < 0.001), and 2018 (p < 0.001). Weed coverage did not have a significant effect of harvest time in either 2017 (p = 0.694) or 2018 (p = 0.765), though it did significantly affect yield in both 2017 (p = 0.011) and 2018 (p = 0.045). The findings provide useful insights for decision-makers contemplating the choice of harvesting technology to sustain profits from wild blueberry production.

Carabidae (Coleoptera) in Nova Scotia, Canada wild blueberry fields: prospects for biological control

2012 ◽  
Vol 144 (6) ◽  
pp. 779-791 ◽  
Author(s):  
G.C. Cutler ◽  
J.M. Renkema ◽  
C.G. Majka ◽  
J.M. Sproule
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Nova Scotia ◽  
Species Diversity ◽  
Insect Pests ◽  
Abundant Species ◽  
Conservation Biological Control ◽  
Carabid Beetles ◽  
Eastern Canada ◽  
Wild Blueberries ◽  
Wild Blueberry

AbstractThe Carabidae (Coleoptera) are a diverse family of beetles with almost 300 species identified in Nova Scotia, Canada. Carabid beetle communities have been studied in several agricultural systems, but not wild blueberries, an important crop in eastern Canada. In the interest of potentially developing conservation biological control programs in wild blueberry, we collected Carabidae in crop (fruit-bearing) and sprout (vegetative) blueberry fields in Nova Scotia in order to assess species diversity and abundance over space and time. Over 3200 specimens were collected, representing 51 species. A large portion of collected specimens (39%) were nonnative, and the most abundant species were generally predacious and synanthropic. Species diversity tended to be higher near forest edges than further into fields, but not for all abundant species. Several of the most prominent predators showed significant differences in preference of crop versus sprout fields, distribution throughout fields, and seasonable abundance. These findings have implications for conservation biological control efforts with carabid beetles against several insect pests in wild blueberry.

Increasing revenue and attendance in Canadian Baptist churches

2015 ◽  
Vol 42 (12) ◽  
pp. 1071-1089
Author(s):  
Alan Chan ◽  
Bruce G. Fawcett ◽  
Shu-Kam Lee
Keyword(s):  
Church Health ◽  
Eastern Canada ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Scarce Resources ◽  
Baptist Churches ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Simulation Exercises

Purpose – Church giving and attendance are two important indicators of church health and performance. In the literature, they are usually understood to be simultaneously determined. The purpose of this paper is to estimate if there a sustainable church congregation size using Wintrobe’s (1998) dictatorship model. The authors want to examine the impact of youth and adult ministry as well. Design/methodology/approach – Using the data collected from among Canadian Baptist churches in Eastern Canada, this study investigates the factors affecting the level of the two indicators by the panel-instrumental variable technique. Applying Wintrobe’s (1998) political economy model on dictatorship, the equilibrium level of worship attendance and giving is predicted. Findings – Through various simulation exercises, the actual church congregation sizes is approximately 50 percent of the predicted value, implying inefficiency and misallocation of church resources. The paper concludes with insights on effective ways church leaders can allocate scarce resources to promote growth within churches. Originality/value – The authors are the only researchers getting the permission from the Atlantic Canada Baptist Convention to use their mega data set on church giving and congregation sizes as per the authors’ knowledge. The authors are also applying a theoretical model on dictatorship to religious/not for profits organizations.

scholarly journals Modified Humic Substances as Soil Conditioners: Laboratory and Field Trials

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 150
Author(s):  
Natalia A. Kulikova ◽  
Alexander B. Volikov ◽  
Olga I. Filippova ◽  
Vladimir A. Kholodov ◽  
Nadezhda V. Yaroslavtseva ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Humic Substances ◽  
Soil Aggregates ◽  
Field Tests ◽  
Performance Testing ◽  
Field Trials ◽  
Soil Conditioner ◽  
Model Soil ◽  
Substrate Induced Respiration ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Survival Of Seedlings

The paper is devoted to the development and performance testing of a soil conditioner based on leonardite humic substances (LHS) modified with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES). The modified HS were obtained by adding APTES to LHS solution at different mass ratios of LHS and APTES, followed by the investigation of siloxane structures using 31Si NMR spectroscopy. The Urbic Technosol was used as a model soil. The size and amount of water-stable soil aggregates were estimated using wet sieving and laser diffraction, respectively. Toxicity was evaluated by monitoring microbial substrate-induced respiration (SIR) and seedling bioassay. Laboratory column experiments demonstrated an increase in water-stability of the 3–5 mm soil aggregates after LHS-APTES application. Field tests showed an increase in the average weighted diameter of micro aggregates (from 59 to 73 μm) and water-stable macroaggregates (from 1.6 to 2.9 mm) due to the LHS-APTES amendment. A substantial increase in SIR from 5 to 9 mg CO2 (kg h)−1 was detected. Better survival of seedlings was observed. The obtained beneficial results indicate that APTES-modified HS can be successfully used as a soil conditioner. The formation of extended siloxane networks was suggested as the main mechanism of the observed improvement in the structure of the amended soils.

Pasture renewal in the Waikato and Bay of Plenty regions: An overview of farmer practice, experience and attitudes

2011 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
pp. 21-24
Author(s):  
Kelly Smith ◽  
R. Brazendale
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Information Sources ◽  
Farm Management ◽  
Dairy Farmers ◽  
Practice Experience ◽  
Rate Information ◽  
And Performance ◽  
On Farm ◽  
Over Time

Pasture persistence and performance, and associated issues such as black beetle, are of central concern to dairy farmers. The Pasture Renewal Survey 2010 aimed to better understand farmers' confidence in their ability to make informed decisions on their pasture renewal practices, their satisfaction with the success of this decision-making and the performance of their renewed pastures over time. In addition, the survey investigated their attitudes to information sources and what barriers they saw to improving pasture performance on farm. A postal and online survey elicited responses from 776 dairy farmers in the Waikato and Bay of Plenty regions. The four main findings of the work were: 1. Farmers are more confident of their ability to make appropriate on-farm management decisions for renewed pasture than they are of their ability to choose appropriate cultivars and endophyte. 2. Farmers, while generally satisfied with their own success in renewing pasture, reported decreasing levels of satisfaction with renewed pastures over the 3 successive years following renewal. 3. Farmers do not rate information sources very highly in terms of their usefulness in relation to pasture renewal. 4. Weather-related issues and pest-related issues (particularly black beetle) were the most commonly identified barriers to improving pasture performance. Keywords: farmer confidence, farmer satisfaction, information sources, pasture renewal.

scholarly journals DUNE STABILIZATION WITH A SAND/GEL COMPOSITE SYSTEM

1988 ◽  
Vol 1 (21) ◽  
pp. 118
Author(s):  
M.H. Auerbach ◽  
G.W. Borden ◽  
B.L. Edge
Keyword(s):  
Composite System ◽  
Coastal Dunes ◽  
Field Testing ◽  
Field Trials ◽  
Beach Sand ◽  
Front Face ◽  
Initial Development ◽  
Wave Research ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Temporary Stabilization

The effectiveness of a novel sand/gel composite system for the temporary stabilization of coastal dunes was demonstrated in wavetank and field testing. The composite consists of 97% beach sand and water, with a few percent of a biodegradable aqueous polymeric gel made from nontoxic ingredients. The gel binds the sand into a firm but resilient composite that is natural in appearance and resists erosion from waves and tides. The composite is applied by pneumatic gun to the front face of a dune to a few feet below the berm level for toe protection. This paper describes the initial development and performance of the composite system in wavetank tests at the Oregon State University Wave Research Facility and field trials at Anastasia State Park, St. Augustine, Florida; Chuck's Steak House, Melbourne Beach, Florida; and Ocean Dunes Condominiums, Fort Fisher, North Carolina.

scholarly journals Yield and performance of sugarcane in on-farm interface with rubber in Brazil

2006 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 251-255
Author(s):  
Luís Fernando Guedes Pinto ◽  
Marcos Silveira Bernardes ◽  
Antônio Roberto Pereira
Keyword(s):  
Crop Yield ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Field Experiments ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Saccharum Officinarum ◽  
Agroforestry Systems ◽  
Plant Performance ◽  
Matter Production ◽  
And Performance ◽  
On Farm

Agroforestry systems are indicated as an alternative for sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) cultivation in Piracicaba, SP, Brazil, however there are not many field experiments on plant performance under these conditions in the world. The objective of this work was to assess crop yield and partitioning in a sugarcane-rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) interface in on-farm conditions. The availability of irradiance for the crop along the interface was simulated and its effe ct over sugarcane dry matter production was tested. Crop yield was negatively affected by distance of the trees, but development and sucrose were not affected. Above ground dry matter increased from 16.6 to 51.5 t ha-1 from trees. Partitioning did not have a defined standard, as harvest index increased from 0.85 to 0.93, but specific leaf area was not significant along the transect, ranging from 13.48 to 15.73 m² kg-1. Light is the main factor of competition between the trees and the crop, but the relative importance of below ground interactions increases closer to the trees. Feasibility of the system depends on maturity of the trees and management strategies.

scholarly journals EXPERIMENTAL STUDY AND PERFORMANCE OF FLAT BELT CONVEYER SYSTEM WITH DIFFERENT SPEED

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (12) ◽  
pp. 147-150
Author(s):  
Aiman Beg ◽  
Narendra Jaiswal
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Study ◽  
Industrial Application ◽  
Material Handling ◽  
Handling Time ◽  
Belt Conveyer ◽  
Conveyer System ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Proper Performance

we are studying about the flat belt conveyer system with different speed, in this way we are many component used for proper performance. The flat belt conveyer system is most important device for reduce the material handling time which is very necessary in industrial application, for this purpose we are construct the highly efficiently flat belt conveyer system using of different distance between two axis of shafts.

scholarly journals Closing the Phenotyping Gap: High Resolution UAV Time Series for Soybean Growth Analysis Provides Objective Data from Field Trials

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 1644 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irene Borra-Serrano ◽  
Tom De Swaef ◽  
Paul Quataert ◽  
Jonas Aper ◽  
Aamir Saleem ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Growth Curves ◽  
Canopy Cover ◽  
Field Trials ◽  
Biological Research ◽  
Integrative Approach ◽  
Maximum Height ◽  
Soybean Genotypes ◽  
Multi Temporal ◽  
Field Phenotyping ◽  
And Performance

Close remote sensing approaches can be used for high throughput on-field phenotyping in the context of plant breeding and biological research. Data on canopy cover (CC) and canopy height (CH) and their temporal changes throughout the growing season can yield information about crop growth and performance. In the present study, sigmoid models were fitted to multi-temporal CC and CH data obtained using RGB imagery captured with a drone for a broad set of soybean genotypes. The Gompertz and Beta functions were used to fit CC and CH data, respectively. Overall, 90.4% fits for CC and 99.4% fits for CH reached an adjusted R2 > 0.70, demonstrating good performance of the models chosen. Using these growth curves, parameters including maximum absolute growth rate, early vigor, maximum height, and senescence were calculated for a collection of soybean genotypes. This information was also used to estimate seed yield and maturity (R8 stage) (adjusted R2 = 0.51 and 0.82). Combinations of parameter values were tested to identify genotypes with interesting traits. An integrative approach of fitting a curve to a multi-temporal dataset resulted in biologically interpretable parameters that were informative for relevant traits.

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