The goal of this work was to evaluate the potential of reduced application rates in apple trees as well as the potential of selective spray applications by using sensor-based tree detection techniques in Serbian fruit production. Their economical and biological effect was evaluated based on the quality and efficiency of the crop protection and technoeconomic analysis. Results showed that during suitable weather conditions and with properly adjusted sprayer settings, a reduced application rate of 381 L ha -1 gave same quality of crop protection as a medium application rate of 759 L ha -1 . A two-year efficiency trial on Venturia inaequalis and Podosphaera leucitricha infecting apple also showed that there was no significant difference in crop protection results for different types of orchard application techniques and application rates. The techno-economic analysis showed that selective application should be introduced in practice in areas > 3 ha given that the cost of their introduction pays off after 2-3 seasons. Every subsequent season would give a clear economic profit. Besides the economic benefits, selective application technique also has a significant positive ecological effect due to reduction of spray losses and the amount of plant protection products used.
This study aimed to determine the effects of osmotic dehydration on the kinetics of hot air drying of apricot halves under conditions that were similar to the industrial ones. The osmotic process was performed in a sucrose solution at 40 and 60 °C and concentrations of 50% and 65%. As expected increased temperatures and concentrations of the solution resulted in increased water loss, solid gain and shrinkage. The kinetics of osmotic dehydration were well described by the Peleg model. The effective diffusivity of water 5.50–7.387 × 10−9 m2/s and solute 8.315 × 10−10–1.113 × 10−9 m2/s was calculated for osmotic dehydration. Hot air drying was carried out at 40, 50, and 60 °C with air flow velocities of 1.0 m/s and 1.5 m/s. The drying time shortened with higher temperature and air velocity. The calculated effective diffusion of water was from 3.002 × 10−10 m2/s to 1.970 × 10−9 m2/s. The activation energy was sensitive to selected air temperatures, so greater air velocity resulted in greater activation energy: 46.379–51.514 kJ/mol, and with the osmotic pretreatment, it decreased to 35.216–46.469 kJ/mol. Osmotic dehydration reduced the effective diffusivity of water during the hot air drying process. It also resulted in smaller shrinkage of apricot halves in the hot air drying process.
The main goal of sowing is the distribution of seeds at an optimal depth with adequate seed spacings. The results of the optimal sowing, in both horizontal and vertical directions, are better germination and sprouting, as well as increased yield and reduced infl uence of plants on each other's space for growing, regarding the available light, nutrients and moisture. Quality of horizontal and vertical seed distribution is infl uenced by the distance between rows, sowing depth, pre-sowing preparation, seed drill, seeding mechanism, sowing density, and operator's skills. The arithmetic mean of spacing (Am), standard deviation for spacings between the plants (SD) and coeffi cient of variation (CV) are usually used for representation of sowing evenness. Assuming that the seeds are of good germination quality, the yield is directly dependent on the sowing quality and organization of plants per unit of surface area. A well prepared plot was sown with 20 corn seed hybrids from diff erent FAO maturity groups. The sowing was performed with precision pneumatic seed drill INO Becker Aeromat 2, which ejects individual seeds by using the overpressure.A er sprouting, no statistically signifi cant diff erences were found between the sowing of hybrids from diff erent FAO maturity groups and their characteristics. When the yield is concerned, biological characteristics of hybrids are much more infl uential than the quality of sowing. This is true only if the tractor implement for wide row planting is properly adjusted.
Precision sowing trend is development of technology of sowing maize. The advantage of planting corn with precision seeder includes saving seeds, fewer working hours, achieves more uniform spacing in the row and depth of planting, and for these reasons it follows that the crop will be uniform in height and strength, which is a prerequisite for high yields. It was performed a fi eld testing of three seed in sowing maize at three diff erent speeds of sowing. Tests were carried out to determine and compare the quality of three planters with under pressure. Seeders worked in similar conditions but third seeder noted presence of crust on the soil surface. They were tested at a speed of 6, 8 and 10 km/h. At a speed of 6 km/h all three planters worked with a coeffi cient of variation less than 25% and with values from 19.25 to 22.72%, which meets the criteria of quality planting. The percentage of pairwise from 1.66 to 2.64%. The percentage of empty spaces were from 4.24 to 4.93%. Proportion of seeds sown at a given space were from 92.5 to 94.09%, which is an indicator that sowing was successfully. No records are examined quality diff erences in sowing seed.
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