Uptake and assimilation of nutrient resources.

Fruit trees require six macronutrients (N, P, K, calcium, Mg and sulfur) and eight micronutrients (Zn, Fe, B, Mn, Cu, chlorine, nickel and molybdenum) that are taken up through the roots. Many of these occur naturally in the soil as cations bound to negatively charged soil particles, while others are dissolved in the liquid surrounding the soil particles in the form of anions. This chapter discusses the uptake and assimilation of nutrient resources in fruit trees. Tabulated data are given on mean annual N, P and K storage (kg/ha) in perennial organs of mature almond trees that received N fertilizer at 309 kg/ha.

Physical-mathematical model of ground adhesion on the surface of the excavating parts of earthmoving machines

A large number of domestic and foreign scientists were engaged in the wear of the surfaces of the excavating parts of earthmoving machines during their interaction with the ground, as well as the problem of the adhesion of soils on the surface of the working excavating parts of machines and methods of struggle. It is known that the classical theory of digging is based on empirical dependencies obtained experimentally. They allow, basically, to reveal the essence of the process of dredging, but they differ from each other, both in their description and in the number of results. In this article, the authors propose, on the basis of probability theory, theoretical studies of the process of dredging and the interaction of the excavating part with the soil. The authors of previous studies confirm the obtained results. The developed physical model of the interaction of soil particles with the surface of the excavating part during adhesion allows us to reveal the physical cause of the process of wear of the surface of the excavating parts.

Study on Soil Throwing Performance and Ditch Depth Stability of Ditching Device in Sandy Orchards in Southern Xinjiang

In order to solve the problems of serious soil reflux and poor stability of ditch depth in the existing ditching organic fertilizer fertilization device in grey desert and loess orchards, rotary tillage theory and software simulation were used to conduct kinematic analysis of soil particles and ditching blade in the ditching process, and meanwhile, modeling and simulation are carried out for sand soil particles by using EDEM software, so as to determine the action mechanism of soil, blade and fairing in ditching process of grey desert and loess. The abstract on this basis, the quadratic orthogonal regression-rotation combination experiment was designed. The soil bin test was carried out by taking the cutter wheel speed, ditching depth and inclination of curved surface as the influencing factors, and the throwing distance and the stability of ditch depth as the test indexes. And it was concluded that the order of the influence of the operating parameters of the ditching device on the soil throwing distance is ditching depth > inclination of curved surface > cutter speed, and the order of the influence on the stability of the ditch depth is ditching depth > cutter speed > Inclination of curved surface. Finally, the optimized operating parameters of the ditching device are as follows: the cutter wheel speed is 119.61 r·min−1, the inclination of curved surface is 30.07°, the ditching depth is 35.52 mm, the soil throwing distance is 57.31, and the stability of ditch depth is 87.43. With these parameters as test objects, 10 groups of single factor tests were carried out to obtain that the soil throwing distance is 58.33, and the stability of ditch depth is 86.51, which were basically consistent with the expected results of the optimization test, and also in line with the relevant agronomic standards.

Molecular Dynamics Simulation of the Effects of Methane Hydrate Phase Transition on Mechanical Properties of Deep-Sea Methane Hydrate-Bearing Soil

In this paper, the methane hydrate phase transition process in deep-sea methane hydrate-bearing soil under heating and compression was simulated by the molecular dynamics method. The evolution of deep-sea methane hydrate-bearing soil’s microstructure, system energy, intermolecular interaction energy, and radial distribution function during heating and compression was investigated. The micromechanism of the influence of the methane hydrate phase transition on the mechanical properties of deep-sea methane hydrate-bearing soil was analyzed. The results demonstrated that the methane hydrate dissociation starts from both sides to the middle and the void spaces between the soil particles had nearly no change during the heating process. For the compression process, the methane hydrate on both sides and the middle dissociated at the same time, and the void spaces became smaller. The methane hydrate phase transition on the effects of mechanical properties of the deep-sea methane hydrate-bearing soil is mainly caused by three aspects. (1) the dissociation of methane hydrate incurs the decrease of methane hydrate saturation. The free water and methane molecules generated cannot migrate in time and thus lead to the increase of excess pore water press and excess pore gas press. (2) The dissipated energy causes the decrease of the effective stress between the soil particles. (3) Due to the methane hydrate decomposition, the free water molecules increase, which reduces the friction of soil particles.

Determination of the installation parameters for additional attachments on the plowing unit for soil tillage

Summary. This article is dedicated to the subject of designing additional tools for use with reversible ploughs that cuts and loosens topsoil. The aim is to reduce power consumption spent for soil tillage by using reversible ploughs with roller cultivators. Methods. Theoretical and experimental studies of the topsoil movement on the plough’s wing, the mouldboard and beyond. Results. Analysis of the movement of soil particles falling from the top edge of the plough’s moulboard has allowed to obtain analytical dependence for determining the size range of soil particles based on the geometry of the working surface of the plough’s body (distance from the soil surface to the top edge of the mouldboard, the angles of the edge of the mouldboard) and the kinematic parameters of the soil (speed of the plough and roller cultivator, soil particles speed on the edge of mouldboard, soil particles descent time). A research, on the movement of the soil particles, on the mouldboard surface of the plough's body is presented. The section through the mouldboard perpendicular to the wing of the plough is described by the equation of the "inverted" cycloid and based on it the dependences have been obtained to determine the kinematic parameters of the movement of the soil particles on the surface of the plough’s body, depending on the mouldboard type and properties of the soil. Results obtained in this article allow to design the roller cultivators for reversible ploughs with determined parameters of installation, in which the power consumption costs of the plowing process will be minimal. Conclusions. Obtained analytical dependences, that determine kinematic and technological parameters of the soil movement on the working surface of the plow, the section through the orthogonal wing that has the form of an "inverted"cycloid, the variable design and technological parameters of the plough and the conditions of its operation, allowing to justify the installation parameters of the roller cultivator relative to the plough, taking into account the proposed correction ratio, which depends on the mechanical properties of the soil and its structure.

Study on Micro-Characteristics of Microbe-Induced Calcium Carbonate Solidified Loess

Microbial-induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) has outstanding characteristics in solidifying soil, such as good fluidity, ecological environmental protection, adjustable reaction, etc., making it have a good application prospect. As a typical silty clay, the composition of loess is fine, and the microstructure is quite different from that of sand. Previous research has found that the unconfined compressive strength of loess cured by MICP can be increased by nearly four times. In this paper, by comparing the changes of structural characteristics of undisturbed loess before and after MICP solidification, the mechanism of strength improvement of loess after MICP solidification is revealed from the microscopic level. Firstly, the microstructure of loess before and after solidification is tested by scanning electron microscope, and it is found that the skeleton particles of undisturbed loess are granular, and the soil particles coexist in direct contact and indirect contact, and the pores in soil are mainly overhead pores compared with the microstructure of solidified loess, it is found that the surface contact between aggregates increases obviously, and calcium carbonate generated by MICP is adsorbed around the point contact between aggregates, which makes the contact between soil particles change from point contact to surface contact. Then, Pores (Particles) and Cracks Analysis System (PCAS) is used to quantitatively analyze the pores of loess before and after solidification. The results show that the total pore area, the maximum total pore area and porosity of soil samples decrease, and the total number of pores decreases by 13.2% compared with that before MICP solidification, indicating that a part of calcium carbonate produced by MICP reaction accumulates in tiny pores, thus reducing the number of pores. One part is cemented between soil particles, which increases the contact area of particles. Therefore, some pores of loess solidified by MICP are filled and densified, the contact area between soil particles is increased, and the strength of loess under load is obviously improved.