Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
2007). Case Company developed the ST820 variable ratio fertilizer machine, which
has a plant function. In this machine, IHAFS software is used to obtain the prescrip-
tion map with a computer, and then the prescription file is generated and stored in
the PCMCIA card, which can be inserted into the variable ratio controller to provide
preparations for the fertilizer machines to fertilize automatically (Zhao, 2004). The
French AMASAT variable ratio fertilizer control system has been applied to various
types of centrifugal fertilization machines (Zhang and Li, 2002). Japan implemented
a variable rate fertilizer applicator in paddy fields, and the fertilizer applicator was
manufactured by Hatsuta Industrial Company. The Hatsuta variable rate fertilizer
applicator is based on a map that can be applied to solid fertilizers, spraying, etc.
This system consists of electronic motors, with a 120 L capacity fat box with six
measuring devices and 12 nozzles composed of rotating sensor measurements from
the forward speed of machinery; airborne GPS measures the location information,
and queries the corresponding map of fertilizer so as to control the mouth of the
fertilizer row. In a practical experiment, the results showed that variable rate fertil-
ization used 12.8% less fertilizer than the traditional uniform fertilization, but also
obtained high-yielding rice cultivation (Lida et al., 2001). AMAZONE Company
(Germany) has developed a major category for wheat crops in the spring topdressing
of the real-time automatic variable rate fertilizer applicator. In the central control
unit, there is a storage variable fertilizer prescription map. Machine vision sensors
are installed in the front of the tractor to monitor crop canopy chlorophyll content.
The information obtained by machine vision sensors can determine the nutritional
status of crops, calculate the need for nitrogen, revise the original prescription plan
amendment, and then implement the variable hydraulic motor to control fertilization
(Fiala and Oberti, 1999). In China, the 2F-VRT1 variable ratio fertilizer machine and
the 1G-VRT1 rotary variable fertilizer machine were developed to control the fertil-
izing amount mainly according to the preferences set by users or according to the
prescription map calculated by the upper computer. The machines can receive GPS
location information and the operating speed signals while they are working in real
time; then the rotation speeds of the fertilizer-driven systems are adjusted automati-
cally to achieve the purpose of variable ratio fertilization. The machines support two
modes of operation: manual mode and automatic control mode. The machine can
also broadcast fertilizers evenly on the soil surface. The two machines can be used
to perform fertilization work before sowing seeds, variable fertilization work for the
striking root fertilizer of the winter wheat, and the variable fertilization work for
forages (Wang et al., 2008; Chen and Xu, 2011).
9.4
AUTOMATION AND CONTROL SYSTEMS
9.4.1 A
PPLICATION
S
YSTEM
IN
M
ODERN
F
ACILITIES
FOR
F
RUITS
AND
V
EGETABLES
ON
A
GRO
-E
COLOGICAL
I
NFORMATION
C
OLLECTION
AND
I
NTELLIGENT
M
ANAGEMENT
Nowadays, fruit and vegetable production has been achieved in the standardized
factory-scale cultivation, which provides a good foundation for the automated detec-
tion and real-time monitoring and management of fruit and vegetable production,
