For precise fertilization of blueberry plants, it is technologically the easiest and most suitable option to use a volumetric filling, for which it can be presumed that it is possible to precisely dose the fertilizer for each plant by grams. For setting up a volumetric filler, it is necessary to know parameters such as the size of the fertilizer particles and their bulk density. The aim of this research is to determine the granulometric parameters and their effect, which is done by measuring up three different fertilizers (SQM Qrop K, Memon Siforga, Substral): width, height, and length of 100 randomly selected fertilizer particles as well as the volumes and weights of 100 particles in 10 repetitions. According to the measurements, the average diameters of fertilizer particles were found as well as the average mass, volumes, and bulk density. A Mahr Digital Caliper 16EWRi 0–150 mm was used to measure the diameters of the fertilizer granules. A Yxlon FF35 computer tomograph was used to accurately scan particles. The analytical scale, Kern ABJ 220-4NM, was used to determine mass. The volumes were measured, using measuring glasses, with one having a maximum volume of 10 mL in 0.2 mL increments and another having a maximum volume of 100 mL in 1 mL increments. Descriptive statistics analysis was performed in Microsoft Excel. It turned out that the average diameters (3.68 vs. 3.64 vs. 4.29 mm) and bulk densities (0.928 vs. 0.631 vs. 0.824 g cm−3) of the three fertilizers differed far from each other, meaning that the given volume could be filled with different amounts of fertilizer. Equations between mass and weight were formed according to the measurements. As a result, it was found that a volumetric filler can be used for fertilizing blueberry plants precisely, but it demands adjusting the filler each time in the situation, which is defined by the variety of blueberry plants: their age, size, and health.
Automation is a solution, which can be used by modern farmers to aid them in reducing manpower requirements in the fields. There are currently a number of development teams, which are making strides towards the development of automated solutions for operations which are related to various agricultural tasks. When possible, electric drives are used as motors for automated field robots. Fields are usually located in remote areas with no easily-available power grid to which to connect. Instead, locally-produced electrical energy from a renewable source is used to charge the batteries of field robots. Automated equipment which is operating in fields could benefit from the addition of what, in essence, is a service station, which could take care of the following tasks: 1) transporting field robots and all the necessary accessories, goods, fertiliser, plant protection products, and so on into the field; 2) electrical energy generation and accumulation; 3) charging the batteries for the field robots; 4) filling the tanks of the field robots; 5) ensuring communications with the field robot or a swarm of such robots, and between the farmer and remote databases. The aim of this article was to study the suitability of existing cultivated berry fields in terms of being able to apply a solution, which involves automation and precision cultivation, with the continued operability of such automation being ensured by the presence of a service station. In order to be able to fulfil the aims of this article, the initial data that weere collected in relation to the berry plantation, plus the specific berry cultivar and field robot type, will all be presented here. A discussion will be held in terms of suitable solutions for the supply of electrical energy to automated berry fields and, as a result of processing the collected data, proposals will be made for the layout of the crops, the layout and location of the service station, and also the trajectory of the field robot in the field itself.
With depleting resources, it is essential to increase the application of Agriculture 4.0 principles and technologies. Blueberry cultivation includes various operations, one of them being fertilization. To precisely discharge the correct amount of fertilizer, a volumetric dispenser utilizing a straight fluted roller could be considered as an option. The aim of this research is to verify whether such a dispenser could be used for precision fertilization with solid granular fertilizers. The output of the dispenser was measured on different conditions with three NPK fertilizers. Based on statistical analysis, the required 10% discharge uniformity cannot be achieved and it is necessary to modify the dispenser or use another one.
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