Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Soukaina Soufiani Author-Workplace-Name: Laboratory of Bioprocess and Bio-interfaces, Faculty of Sciences and Technics, Sultan Moulay Slimane University, Beni Mellal, Morocco Author-Name: Mohamed Bensalah Author-Workplace-Name: Laboratory of Bioprocess and Bio-interfaces, Faculty of Sciences and Technics, Sultan Moulay Slimane University, Beni Mellal, Morocco Author-Name: Hafida Zahir Author-Workplace-Name: Laboratory of Bioprocess and Bio-interfaces, Faculty of Sciences and Technics, Sultan Moulay Slimane University, Beni Mellal, Morocco Author-Name: Hajar Koubali Author-Workplace-Name: Laboratory of Bioprocess and Bio-interfaces, Faculty of Sciences and Technics, Sultan Moulay Slimane University, Beni Mellal, Morocco Author-Name: Mostafa El Louali Author-Workplace-Name: Laboratory of Bioprocess and Bio-interfaces, Faculty of Sciences and Technics, Sultan Moulay Slimane University, Beni Mellal, Morocco Author-Name: Hassan Latrache Title: A newly developed method based on surface physicochemical proprieties, for measuring the maturation level of olive fruit Abstract: The maturation process is an important determining factor to initiate the fermentation process in olive fruit. Level of maturation classically determined by the color of the olive fruit. In this study, we aim to develop a measurable criterion based on physicochemical properties and surface roughness of two important olive varieties grown in Morocco. The hydrophobic/hydrophilic properties and the electron donor-acceptor character of the olives were calculated. The obtained results showed a very clear change in the electron donor character and the surface roughness of the two studied varieties. This change depended on the degree of maturity and the nature of the cultivar. The electron donor character decreased (two times) with an increasing degree of maturity for the Arbequina, contrary to the Picholine variety, which showed a significant increase (4 times). Surface roughness increased 10 times for the Arbequina and decreased 5 times for the Picholine as maturity progressed from the green to the black stage. These findings may be useful in the management/prediction of the process of table olive fermentation. Keywords: contact angle, geometry, hydrophobicity, maturity index, olive surface Journal: Research in Agricultural Engineering Pages: 101-107 Volume: 67 Issue: 3 Year: 2021 DOI: 10.17221/38/2020-RAE File-URL: http://rae.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/38/2020-RAE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/rae-202103-0001.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlrae:v:67:y:2021:i:3:id:38-2020-RAE Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Tanko Bako Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agricultural and Bio-Resources Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Taraba State University, Jalingo, Nigeria Author-Name: Ezekiel Ambo Mamai Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Soil Science and Land Resource Management, Faculty of Agriculture and Life Science Federal University, Wukari, Nigeria Author-Name: Akila Bardey Istifanus Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agricultural and Bio-Resources Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Taraba State University, Jalingo, Nigeria Title: Determination of the effects of tillage on the productivity of a sandy loam soil using soil productivity models Abstract: Based on the hypothesis that soil properties and productivity components should be affected by different tillage methods, field and laboratory experiments were conducted to study the effects of zero tillage (ZT), one pass of disc plough tillage (P), one pass of disc plough plus one pass of disc harrow tillage (PH) and one pass of disc plough plus two passes of disc harrow tillage (PHH) on the distribution of the bulk density, available water capacity, pH, organic matter, available phosphorus, iron oxide and aluminium oxide at different soil depths, and their effects on the soil productivity. The available water capacity, pH, organic matter and available phosphorus were found to increase with the degree of tillage, while the bulk density, iron oxide and aluminium oxide were found to decrease with the degree of tillage. The results show that the soil productivity index was significantly (P ≤ 0.05) affected by the tillage methods and found to increase with the degree of tillage. Keywords: degree of tillage, soil depth, productivity index, soil properties Journal: Research in Agricultural Engineering Pages: 108-115 Volume: 67 Issue: 3 Year: 2021 DOI: 10.17221/46/2020-RAE File-URL: http://rae.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/46/2020-RAE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/rae-202103-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlrae:v:67:y:2021:i:3:id:46-2020-RAE Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jannatul Ferdows Nipa Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agricultural Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka, Bangladesh Author-Name: Md. Hasan Tarek Mondal Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Chemical and Food Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Dhaka University of Engineering and Technology, Gazipur, Bangladesh Author-Name: Md. Atikul Islam Author-Workplace-Name: Department of European Masters in Project Management, Fachhochschule Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Dortmund, Germany Title: Design, development and performance evaluation of small-scale fodder chopping machine for farmers Abstract: A straw chopper is a mechanical device used to uniformly chop fodder into small pieces to mix it together with other grass and then feed it to livestock. The objective of this research was to design and develop an animal fodder chopping machine to be utilised by dairy farmers within their purchase range. The drawing of these machine parts was undertaken in AutoCAD software and the construction was performed in a local workshop. After development of this machine, performance tests were carried out on a farm. The chopping machine tests were carried out with commonly grown fodder (namely: straw, grass, and maize) in Bangladesh. The performance evaluation of the developed machine was carried out in terms of the chopping efficiency, machine productivity, and energy consumption. The economic analysis of the straw chopping machine was assessed by indicating the cost effectiveness to the poor farmers. Analysis of the data in regard to chopping efficiency and machine productivity varied from 93 to 96% and from 192 to 600 kg×h-1, respectively. The energy consumption during the chopping process ranged between 0.0025 and 0.01 kWh for the different types of fodder. The break-even point of the fodder chopping machine was 3 793 kg of cut straw and the payback period was within one year depending on the use. Keywords: break-even, chopping efficiency, economic analysis, machine productivity, power consumption Journal: Research in Agricultural Engineering Pages: 116-122 Volume: 67 Issue: 3 Year: 2021 DOI: 10.17221/52/2020-RAE File-URL: http://rae.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/52/2020-RAE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/rae-202103-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlrae:v:67:y:2021:i:3:id:52-2020-RAE Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Babatunde Olayinka Oyefeso Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria Author-Name: Akintunde Akintola Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agricultural and Bio-Environmental Engineering, Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology, Igboora, Nigeria Author-Name: Monisola Grace Afolabi Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agricultural and Bio-Environmental Engineering, Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology, Igboora, Nigeria Author-Name: Clement Adesoji Ogunlade Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agricultural Engineering, Adeleke University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria Author-Name: Oluwaseyi Kayode Fadele Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agricultural Engineering, Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, Afaka, Kaduna Author-Name: Oluwaseye Micheal Odeniyi Author-Workplace-Name: National Centre for Agricultural Mechanization, Idofian, Kwara State, Nigeria Title: Influence of the moisture content and speed on the cutting force and energy of tannia cormels Abstract: This study investigated the influence of the moisture content and speed on the cutting force and energy of tannia cormels using the response surface methodology (RSM). The moisture content and cutting speed were varied over five levels each [95.79, 113.68, 136.68, 168.42, 242.11% moisture content (dry basis) and 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 mm×min-1, respectively]. The highest and lowest cutting forces were 114.09 and 63.99 N at the corresponding moisture contents of 168.42 and 113.68% and at cutting speeds of 10 and 20 mm×min-1, respectively. The highest and lowest cutting energies of 0.92 and 0.49 J were both obtained at a 136.68% moisture content, at the 10 and 20 mm×min-1 cutting speeds, respectively. The regression models for predicting the cutting force and energy as a function of the cutting speed and moisture content showed that there was no linear relationship between the investigated properties and the independent variables considered which could be attributed to the non-homogeneous nature of tannia cormels. The optimum cutting force and energy were 72.89 N and 0.60 J, respectively, at a 95.79% moisture content and a 22.33 mm×min-1 speed with a desirability of 0.80. These findings could serve as a guide for the development of chipping and cutting machines for tannia cormels. Keywords: cocoyam, cutting resistance, cutting speed, moisture-dependence, regression models Journal: Research in Agricultural Engineering Pages: 123-130 Volume: 67 Issue: 3 Year: 2021 DOI: 10.17221/79/2020-RAE File-URL: http://rae.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/79/2020-RAE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/rae-202103-0004.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlrae:v:67:y:2021:i:3:id:79-2020-RAE Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Rouzbeh Abbaszadeh Author-Workplace-Name: Agriculture Research Institute, Iranian Research Organization for Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran Author-Name: Pegah Khosravi Nia Author-Workplace-Name: College of Agriculture & Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran Author-Name: Mahsa Fattahi Author-Workplace-Name: College of Aburaihan, University of Tehran, Varamin, Iran Author-Name: Hamidreza Ghomi Marzdashti Author-Workplace-Name: Laser and Plasma Research Institute, University of Shahid Beheshti, Tehran, Iran Title: The effects of three plasma-activated water generation systems on lettuce seed germination Abstract: Irrigation water treatment using plasma technology is a new approach to improve productivity. In this study the generation of plasma-activated water (PAW) as a novel subject in agriculture is investigated. Three water treatment systems were designed and evaluated: 1st PAW generation from vapor and injection into the water, 2nd PAW generation using electrical discharge on the water surface and 3rd PAW generation in the aeration path into the water. The lettuce seeds were irrigated with PAW. The germination rate and mean germination time were measured after 6 days. The seedlings weight and the number of seedlings with a length of more than 3 cm were also recorded after 8 days. The results showed that PAW had a significant effect on the germination rate and length of seedlings. Electrical discharge on the water surface had the best results. Germination rate and the number of seedlings with a length of more than 3 cm increased by 11 and 36% respectively. While injection of plasma-treated air into the water significantly reduced the number of seedlings longer than 3 cm, compared to the control. In conclusion, the PAW application can improve some attributes of lettuce germination depending on the PAW system. Keywords: electrical discharge, irrigation, plasma, water treatment Journal: Research in Agricultural Engineering Pages: 131-137 Volume: 67 Issue: 3 Year: 2021 DOI: 10.17221/105/2020-RAE File-URL: http://rae.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/105/2020-RAE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/rae-202103-0005.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlrae:v:67:y:2021:i:3:id:105-2020-RAE Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Oluwaseyi Kayode Fadele Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agricultural Engineering, Federal College of Forestry Mechanization Afaka Kaduna, Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria, Kaduna, Nigeria Author-Name: Temiloluwa Ojuolape Amusan Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Chemistry, Air Force Institute of Technology, Kaduna Nigeria Author-Name: Ademola Olagoke Afolabi Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agricultural Engineering, Federal College of Forestry Mechanization Afaka Kaduna, Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria, Kaduna, Nigeria Author-Name: Clement Adesoji Ogunlade Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agricultural Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Adeleke University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria Title: Characterisation of briquettes from forest wastes: Optimisation approach Abstract: Waste from a forest environment constitutes an enormous quantity of renewable energy resources. In this study undesirable forest materials, such as jatropha seed shells (JSSs) and Eucalyptus camaldulensis wood shavings (EcWSs) were used in the production of briquettes with Acacia senegal as the binder using mixing proportions of 0 : 100, 25 : 75, 50 : 50, 75 : 25 and 100 : 0 while the binder was varied from 50, 60, 70, 80 to 90 g. Some physical properties, such as the density, moisture content, water resistance and shatter index, were optimised using the response surface methodology at these mixing proportions. The outcome of the production showed the briquettes to have mean values of 0.66 kg.m-3, 11.51, 91.12 and 99.7 % for the density, moisture content, water resistance and shatter index, respectively. The optimum mixing ratio and binder quantity of 75 : 25 and 60 g, respectively, would result in a briquette having a 0.70 kg.m-3, 10.88, 98.11 and 99.86% density, moisture content, water resistance and shatter index, respectively. It has been revealed that the JSS and EcWS are potential organic wastes which could be used as a feedstock for the production of briquettes. It could be concluded that the variation in the mixing proportion of the JSSs, EcWSs and A. senegal significantly affected the properties of the produced briquettes. Keywords: binder, eucalyptus, jatropha seed shell, properties, wastes, wood shaving Journal: Research in Agricultural Engineering Pages: 138-147 Volume: 67 Issue: 3 Year: 2021 DOI: 10.17221/6/2021-RAE File-URL: http://rae.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/6/2021-RAE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/rae-202103-0006.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlrae:v:67:y:2021:i:3:id:6-2021-RAE