Effects of NIR Reflective Film as a High Tunnel-Covering Material on Fruit Cracking and Biomass Production of Tomatoes

Tomatoes require higher irradiance, although the incidence of physiological disorders in fruit increases at high temperatures. Near-infrared (800–2500 nm) (NIR) reflective materials are effective tools to suppress rising air temperatures in greenhouses. We examined the physiological and morphological changes in tomato growth and fruit quality when grown in a high tunnel covered with NIR reflective film (NR) and in another covered with polyolefin film (PO; control). There was no relationship between the fruit cracking rate and mean daytime temperature under NR. The fruit temperature at the same truss was lower and the increase in air temperature was slow under NR. Fruit dry matter (DM) content under NR was also significantly decreased. These findings suggest that the reduction in fruit cracking under NR results from a decrease in fruit DM content as a consequence of lower fruit temperature and a decrease in total DM (TDM). Total fruit yield did not differ, whereas TDM was significantly decreased under NR. This was considered to result from a lower transmitted photosynthetic photon flux density (400–700 nm) (PPFD) and LAI, and lower photosynthetic capacity in single leaves because of a decrease in both total nitrogen and chlorophyll content. We conclude that NR film reduces fruit cracking in exchange for a slight reduction in TDM.

Response of Quality Attributes of Banana (Musa paradisiaca L.) cv. Williumto Post Shooting Spray and Bunch Covering Material

Aims: To study the post harvest shooting namely; control, humic acid 2%, 2, 4-D 30 mg/l, gibberellic acid (GA3) 100 mg/l, CPPU 4 mg/l and sulphate of potash (SOP) 2% and covering materials viz., non- woven material bag and blue colour polyethylene sleeve (6% perforated) bag on bunch of banana cv. Willium Study Design: Experiment was laid out in a Completely Randomized Design (Factorial) with three repetitions. Place and Duration of Study: Experiment was carried out at the Horticultural Research Farm,Department of Horticulture, B. A. College of Agriculture, AAU, Anand during the year 2017-18 and 2018-19 Methodology: The experimental plot was prepared by deep ploughing, harrowing and levelling. The pits of 30 x 30 x 30 cm were dug out at a spacing of 1.8 x 1.8 m2 and well decomposed fine textured Farm Yard Manure (FYM) at the rate of 10 kg per pit was applied at planting. Well hardened, healthy, uniform tissue cultured tissue culture plants of willium banana having 5-6 leaves were used for planting. Post shooting sprays were given twice i.e. 1st spray after complete opening of inflorescence and 2nd spray after 30 days of first spray with covering the bunch immediately after second spray.The fruits which were used for recording the weight loss during ripening, were used to calculating pulp: peel ratio. Pulp to peel ratio was calculated by dividing respective pulp weight by respective peel weight. The TSS value of the fruit was recorded by using hand refractometer having range of 0-32 ⁰Brix. Acidity (%) was calculated by the method described by Rangana (1977) was adopted for estimation of titrable acidity. Results: The results revealed that the banana bunches sprayingof CPPU 4 mg/lwith bunch covering with non woven materials were recorded significantly lower physiological loss in weight (12.80, 13.60 and 13.20%) and (13.26, 14.14 and 13.70%), respectively. Whereas, post shooting spray of SOP 2% with non-woven material bag coveringwere recorded significantly maximum TSS (21.42, 21.05 and 21.17 ºBrix; 21.39, 20.93 and 21.16 ºBrix), reducing sugar (12.55, 12.34 and 12.45%; 12.21, 12.16 and 12.18%) and total sugar (21.42, 20.82 and 21.12%; 20.84, 20.50 and 20.67%) as compared to rest of the treatments of post shooting sprays and bunch covering materials on banana quality. Conclusion: From the two years of field study, it can be concluded that the post shooting spraying of CPPU 4 mg/l and SOP 2% with non woven bunch covering bags were improve fruit quality of banana.

JOINT MEASURES OF RUSSIA AND USA TO INTRODUCE POSTINDUSTRIAL TECHONOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENTS

Considered joint political and military-political decisions of Russian and American governments led to massive integration of new technological environments in Russia based on covering material technologies. Showed that for solving of the whole system of integrated tasks there was made a synthesis of results of engineering and system designing of productions with irrational religious myths and symbols of apocalypse.

The influence of agrotechnical methods on the formation of the harvest of potatoes of the early variety

The article presents the results of research on agrotechnical methods of growing potatoes of the early Meteor variety in the conditions of the Non-Chernozem zone. To obtain products in the early stages, the following were used: covering materials of various density and light transmission (white and black) 17 g-m-2 and 30 g-m-2, germination of tubers, the influence of the fraction of the planting material on the formation of the crop. The Moscow region is characterized by extreme weather conditions in the early spring period, which often leads to a delay in the development and formation of the harvest of early potato production. For the implementation of research tasks, an early potato variety “Meteor” for table use was used - with good taste and recommended for obtaining ultra-early products. The variety has a high declared yield, resistance to diseases widespread in research conditions. The aim of the research was to obtain an increase in yields without the use of growth stimulants and chemical fertilizers, which is important for the modern buyer. According to the research results, we noted the effect of the covering material in combination with the germination of tubers on the early emergence of seedlings and a long growing season before the first and second harvesting. The maximum difference in yield was noted at 15.07 in relation to the control in variants with a covering material of 17 g-m-2 and 30 g-m -2 in combination with germination, as well as in the variant: tubers of a large fraction in combination with germination that amounted to 27 … 25%. The average increase for the first harvest was noted in variants with a covering material without germination of tubers that amounted to 8 … 11% in relation to the control. When cleaning, the gap between control and options decreased by 2 … 3% compared to the first harvest, and the total yield increased by 5 … 8% in all variants of the experiment in relation to the first harvest.

Simulation Analysis of Daylight Characteristics and Cooling Load Based on Performance Test of Covering Materials Used in Smart Farms

In this study, seven of the most commonly applied covering materials in smart farms are selected as the representative samples for analysis, namely, glass, soft film (polyethylene, PE), soft film (polyolefin, PO), rigid plastic film (ethylene tetra fluoro ethylene, ETFE), rigid plastic sheet (poly methyl methacrylate, PMMA), rigid plastic sheet (polycarbonate, PC double layer), and woven film. For each covering material, visible light transmittance and reflectivity, solar radiation transmittance and reflectivity, thickness, solar heat gain coefficient, and the coefficient of heat transmission are measured according to the test methods in the Korean Industrial Standards (KS) to derive input data for the respective materials. In addition, using the optical and thermal input data as derived above, simulations are performed on the cooling load and daylight characteristics of smart farms to derive basic reference data for the selection of adequate covering materials for the design. Based on the analysis result of the daylight characteristics for each covering material, for a shading rate of 60%, the average values of indoor illuminance were 19,879 lux, 20,012 lux, 19,393 lux, 19,555 lux, 16,560 lux, 16,228 lux, and 11,173 lux for glass, PE film, PO film, ETFE, woven film, PMMA, and PC double layer, respectively, between 6 am and 8 pm, which correspond to the hours when daylight enters indoor spaces. Considering the target light intensity for strawberry growth at 10,000–40,000 lux, the above results confirm that all the sample covering materials had an indoor illuminance level above the lower limit range of the target light intensity. For the cooling load evaluation, the PC double layer had the lowest value of 482.8 W/m2, and PO film had the highest value of 633.8 W/m2. The difference between the cooling loads of the PC double layer and the PO film is 151 W/㎡, which amounts to 23.8%, thus indicating that the selected covering material significantly impacts the cooling load. The cooling load exhibited a pattern similar to that of the coefficient of heat transmission and solar heat gain coefficient, which are key influencing factors for most of the sample materials. However, for PMMA, the cooling load was low because it had a higher coefficient of heat transmission than other materials, but its solar heat gain coefficient was relatively low. Another possible reason for the difference is that the solar heat gain coefficient impacts the cooling load. When the cooling set temperature was controlled from Case 1-1 to Case 1-2, the cooling load decreased by 10.7% on average. In addition, when the cooling set temperature changed from Case 1-1 to Case 1-3, the cooling load decreased by 26.1% on average. For cooling set temperature control, maintaining the temperature around the lower temperature range of the optimal growth temperature of the plants increases the yield, but it also incurs increased cooling load and cost. In terms of cost only, while maintaining the cooling temperature for 24 h at 30 °C, which is the upper limit of the optimal growth temperature, would be advantageous, it will lead to a deterioration of the quality and reductions in yield. Therefore, as follow-up studies for further investigation of the findings of this research, there is the need for an evaluation of the yield and quality with respect to the range of cooling set temperatures. When the internal shading rate was increased to 40% (Case 2-2) with reference to Case 2-1, which was a greenhouse without the application of internal shading, the cooling load decreased by 27.4% on average. Furthermore, when the internal shading rate increased to 50% (Case 2-3) with reference to Case 2-1, the cooling load decreased by 29.3% on average. When the internal shading rate increased to 60% (Case 2-4), the cooling load decreased by 31.5% on average.

Experimental and CFD Investigation of a Modified Uneven-Span Greenhouse Solar Dryer in No-Load Conditions under Natural Convection Mode

An uneven-span modified greenhouse dryer was constructed and tested in no-load conditions under natural convection mode under the weather conditions of Marrakech, Morocco, for two distinct days. Moreover, a CFD evaluation of the uneven-span greenhouse dryer was performed as tool to visualize the air temperature distribution inside the dryer. For validating the CFD model, the temperature variations along the hours of the day were compared to the experimental results. A good agreement is obtained between the computed and measured inside air temperature with a difference not exceeding 8.46°C, with a correlation coefficient ( r ) and root mean square percentage deviations ( e ) 0.94 and 8.17, respectively. Furthermore, the maximum inside air temperature was measured to be 56°C and 52°C while the minimum inside relative humidity was measured to be 17% and 12%, for day-1 and day-2, respectively. The benefice of using asphalt as a floor covering material was revealed as an efficient way to heat the inside air at low solar radiations. The performances of the dryer were evaluated by the percentage of net heat gain variation as a way to validate the effectiveness of the dryer. This latter is found to be equal to 46% and 48% for the two days, respectively.

Improvement of the calculation methodology for covering constructions of the covered field fortifications to ensure the survivability of troops in a modern armed conflict

The task of improvement of the calculation methodology for covering constructions of the covered field fortifications against shell-hole, penetration, ricochet and high-explosive action is solved to ensure the survivability of troops in a modern armed conflict. An analysis of the 2014-2018 anti-terrorist operation and the ongoing Joint Forces operation proves that artillery, mortar and aircraft high-destructive munitions are currently the main means of firing the enemy. Under such conditions, the survival of our troops directly depends on their effective shelter in covered field fortifications. An important element of the arrangement of such fortifications is the calculation of the structures of their covering against penetration, shell-holing, ricocheting and high-explosive action, which are performed to determine the structure of the covering, its material and thickness. The novelty of the improved technique, unlike the existing ones, is that the calculations of the covering structures take into account the shape of the warhead of artillery, mortar and aircraft ammunition, the angle of encounter and the final speed of these munitions at the moment of their impact on the covered fortification and the pliability of the covering material. Here are given the examples of calculation for the closed field fortifications structures against penetration of the warhead into the covering material, cases of punching the covering material enclosed with brittle material, ricochet of the warhead from the covering and destruction of the covering as a result of high explosive action. The obtained results will be used to calculate the protective structures of long-term fortifications for command and control centres and field hospitals.