A methodology for the management of quality in horticultural distribution

This paper presents a comprehensive methodology for the post-harvest management of quality in the distribution of horticultural produce. The methodology consists of three connected subsystems—quality prediction, price prediction and management decision making. The theoretical frameworks developed have been tested experimentally and the methodology is now available as an aid to decision making.The three main forms of deterioration—mechanical damage, physiological deterioration and pathological decay—are modelled and quality out turn is predicted from input quality and environment-event-time histories in each case. Price prediction is based on price-supply-quality relationships developed from studies of prices on wholesale markets. The price of a particular consignment is calculated from a quality index using quality-price functions. A management decision subsystem then evaluates alternative distribution strategies in terms of profit.A case study on water loss in spinach during distribution from harvest to markets shows how the methodology works.     

Post-harvest quality control strategies for fruit and vegetables

Post-harvest deterioration of fruit and vegetables is central to quality management in the distribution of all produce. The causes can be categorised as physiological, pathological, physical and combinations of these three. Deterioration due to these factors can be quantified as functions of time and environment. Physiological and pathological deterioration are continuous processes, while physical damage is the result of discrete inputs of energy. Examples of the quantification of deterioration due to temperature fluctuations, pathogen attack and mechanical energy inputs are given. Interactions between these primary factors are also considered.As fruit and vegetables move through the distribution system the total quality deterioration can be determined at all times from the contributions of the primary factors and their interactions. A plot of deterioration against time is given, showing how various management strategies can be assessed by comparing total deterioration against acceptable limits, thus forming a basis for management action to either sell quickly or to introduce post-harvest controls.     

Analysis, assessment, and improvement of fertilizer distribution in pressure irrigation systems

The transformation of traditional irrigation systems into pressure irrigation networks allows water users associations to use central fertigation systems. For efficient fertigation management, however, it is essential to obtain uniform distribution of the injected fertilizer through the system and to understand the hydraulic processes that take place in the central fertigation system. This will allow users to implement strategies that improve fertilizer distribution. In this work we develop a new methodology to improve fertilizer distribution uniformity and apply it to a case study. The results show how fertilizer distribution can be improved by means of proper scheduling of irrigation deliveries. The best results are obtained when fertigating sectors operate without non-fertigating sectors and there are not intermediate irrigations without fertilizer, achieving an improvement of the fertilizer distribution of 10.5%. In addition, this work highlights the difficulties of obtaining uniform distribution of fertilizer in a centralized irrigation system when there are users that do not want to make use of it.     

面向产品的CAPP系统的研究与实现

讨论了面向产品的CAPP系统的总体结构。工作原理，并对信息实时侦测，多工艺方案优选，工艺数据记录级管理等关键技术进行了研究。面向产品的集成化CAPP系统的研究与开发有效地实现了CAPP与企业产品设计，产品制造，生产和经营管理等部门的信息集成，使产品数据在其整个生命周期内达到一致与共享，实现真正意义上的并行设计。     

Fruit packaging and handling distribution systems: An evaluation method

Fruit and vegetable distribution systems vary in efficiency according to the inherent characteristics of the produce and the packaging and the handling procedures adopted. The maintenance of quality depends on the interrelationships of these components.It is proposed that performance prediction should be used to obtain maximum benefits from the distribution system. To evaluate the performance of a system requires that its elemen be identified and linked so that the interrelationships can be quantified. It is also necessary to establish acceptable limits for quality and losses.A method for predicting system performance is outlined and, for apples, an eight-step procedure for predicting bruising is given. The method is based on energy concepts and energy absorbed by packaged apples serves as the link between fruit, package and handling.The basic approach should be applicable to a wide range of products.     

高密度叠层笼养蛋鸡舍内混合噪声试验

针对高密度叠层笼养模式下蛋鸡舍内混合噪声,利用声级计采集噪声数据,采用音频分析软件Praat 5.3获取蛋鸡养殖舍内各生产系统机械噪声频谱特征,分析蛋鸡养殖舍内混合噪声声学特征参数及空间分布特点。试验结果表明,舍内生产系统机械噪声按对蛋鸡声环境质量影响的大小依次为通风系统、清粪系统、上料系统、饲喂系统和集蛋系统。生产系统机械噪声的声学特征参数间存在显著性差异（P<0.05）;笼养蛋鸡舍内混合噪声的频率计权声压A值大小为69.0～75.0 dB,蛋鸡舍纵向与横向2个方向上的声压变化规律不一致,声学特征参数的空间分布差异显著（P<0.05）。高密度叠层笼养蛋鸡舍内混合噪声的测量分析,可在保证蛋鸡正常生长所需环境条件的前提下,对于蛋鸡舍内生产设备噪声管理与声质量评价具有重要的现实意义。      

The analysis of agricultural distribution systems

The application of systems analysis to the study of agricultural distribution has far-reaching implications for marketing investigations and for managerial decision-making. Concepts developed in the emerging discipline of Physical Distribution Management are applicable to agricultural distribution, an area which has not hitherto been the subject of a systems approach which incorporates such concepts as ‘total distribution analysis’, ‘socio-technical systems’ and ‘synergy’. This paper demonstrates the scope for taking a systems analysis view of agricultural distribution and illustrates three of its aspects—namely, the marketing of farm inputs, the distribution of farm produce and machinery management on the farm.     

Quantification of GHG emissions from sucker-beef production in Ireland

A life cycle assessment (LCA) type method was used to quantify greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions from Irish suckler-beef production. The methodology was used as a systems analysis tool to quantify GHG emissions from a typical Irish beef production system and to evaluate a number of alternative management scenarios. The LCA methodology can be used to decide whether a management strategy will reduce GHG emissions or transfer them elsewhere in the emission basket. Scenarios were developed that examined using both beef-bred animals (Charolais, Simmental and Limousin) and dairy-bred animals (Holstein–Fresian). By scaling total GHG emissions relative to a functional unit (FU) of live weight per year (kg CO₂ kg LW yr⁻¹), it was possible to estimate both the emissions and the potential for emissions reduction by adopting alternative management. The typical suckler-beef system was estimated to produce 11.26 kg CO₂ LW yr⁻¹. For beef-bred animals the cow contributed a large amount to the total emissions whereas for dairy-bred beef production the allocation from the cow was much less. In terms of dietary supplementation for GHG emissions reduction, a broad range of supplement combinations were evaluated and showed no major reduction potential compared to, or within, the grass-dominated system.     

Quality and maximum profit of industrial tomato as affected by distribution uniformity of drip irrigation system

The tomato industry reformed its system of payment by weight of tomato, introducing a corrective system based on percent level of fruit dry matter produced. Such a decision implies significant changes in the management of irrigation systems, with a need to emphasize the technological quality of the marketable product. Three levels of distribution uniformity of the irrigation system are analysed, and related production functions of crop yield and percent of dry matter are presented as well as their use on the optimisation of dry matter, expected revenues and seasonal applied water. Results are critically influenced by the distribution uniformity. They demonstrate the inter-relationship between crop production, percent fruit dry matter and irrigation management, and the importance of considering non-uniformity in the economic analysis of industrial tomato production. Decreases in uniformity lead to a reduction in dry matter production per unit land. Decreases in dry matter are also observed with increasing levels of seasonally applied water, with the optimal level always lower than the required for maximum yield. Such interaction suggests a continuous and inverse relationship between profit and water applied. However, due to the corrective system of payment, by levels of percent of dry matter produced, for some uniformity, the expected revenue follows the yield-water production function instead of the dry matter function. This fact introduces disturbances in the optimal water applied inducing higher than expected levels of water applied for profit maximisation. The simulated data also show that incentives to switch to new systems or management practices able to raise the distribution uniformity result more from profit losses than increases in water price.     

Assessment of a groundwater quality monitoring network using vulnerability mapping and geostatistics: A case study from Heretaunga Plains, New Zealand

A groundwater monitoring network can provide quantity and quality data necessary to make informed decisions regarding the state of the environment. A properly designed monitoring system provides a representative understanding of the state of the monitored area. The selection of the optimum number of monitoring sites and their spatial distribution is a major challenge for the hydrogeologist.On the one hand, improper distribution of monitoring sites or insufficient number of sites will not provide a representative view of the state of the environment. On the other hand, if the sampled sites are too many, the information obtained is redundant and the monitoring network is costly and inefficient.A new methodology combining vulnerability mapping and geostatistics is proposed to help define the most efficient groundwater quality monitoring network on a regional scale.Vulnerability mapping identifies areas with high pollution potential, and in turn, prioritises for monitoring. A geostatistics methodology is then used to interpret the obtained data and to examine the spatial distribution of monitored parameters at different sites. The accuracy of spatial mapping reflects the effectiveness of the distribution of the monitoring sites.The methodology was applied to assess the nitrate monitoring network in the Heretaunga basin, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand. The DRASTIC approach was used to prepare a vulnerability map for the area of study, and kriging variance was used to check the spatial distribution of the sites. Based on this study, it was found that some areas with high vulnerability are not covered within the existing network indicating the number of monitoring sites and their distribution is not efficient. Some sites should be dropped and some others need to be added to the existing network.     

高速公路机电系统维护管理的思考

机电系统是高速公路现代化管理的支撑系统,主要包括通信、监控和收费三大系统,其工作的特点是分布地域广、稳定性、可靠性要求高.要使该系统处于良好的工作状态,不仅取决于设备本身,更重要的是取决于设备运行中的维护管理,所以人员和环境的维护管理至关重要.     

Combining remotely sensed surface energy fluxes and GIS analysis of groundwater parameters for irrigation system assessment

Despite being necessary for effective water management, the assessment of an irrigation system requires a large amount of input data for the estimation of related parameters and indicators, which are seldom measured in a regular and reliable manner. In this work, spatially distributed surface energy balance fluxes and geographical information systems analysis of multiple groundwater parameters were used to estimate water availability, supply, and demand, in order to calculate water-accounting indicators. This methodology was used to evaluate the performance of an irrigation system in the Pinios river basin (Greece) at two selected years of high and low water availability. Time series of archived satellite images and groundwater measurements have been used for past years to support comparative analyses, due to the limited availability of actual water measurements. The resulting maps from the proposed methodology show that the performance of the irrigation system varied across space and time due to differences in its characteristics and changes in its operation, driven by fluctuation of water availability and the response of stakeholders to water depletion. Irrigation districts with unsustainable water management were identified and, together with those with slow and/or limited groundwater recharge, were brought to the attention of water managers. The observed differences in the system operation between the wet and dry years were attributed not only to the hydrological conditions of each year, but also to the changing behaviour of farmers and the improvement actions of the water managers.     

Extending results from agricultural fields with intensively monitored data to surrounding areas for water quality management

A 45% reduction in riverine total nitrogen flux from the 1980-1996 time period is needed to meet water quality goals in the Mississippi Basin and Gulf of Mexico. This paper addresses the goal of reducing nitrogen in the Mississippi River through three objectives. First, the paper outlines an approach to the site-specific quantification of management effects on nitrogen loading from tile drained agriculture using a simulation model and expert review. Second, information about the net returns to farmers is integrated with the nitrogen loading information to assess the incentives to adopt alternative management systems. Third, the results are presented in a decision support framework that compares the rankings of management systems based on observed and simulated values for net returns and nitrogen loading. The specific question addressed is how information about the physical and biological processes at Iowa State University’s Northeast Research Farm near Nashua, Iowa, could be applied over a large area to help farmers select management systems to reduce nitrogen loading in tile drained areas. Previous research has documented the parameterization and calibration of the RZWQM model at Nashua to simulate 35 management system effects on corn and soybean yields and N loading in tileflow from 1990 to 2003. As most management systems were studied for a 6 year period and in some cases weather had substantial impacts, a set of 30 alternative management systems were also simulated using a common 1974-2003 input climate dataset. To integrate an understanding of the economics of N management, we calculated net returns for all management systems using the DevTreks social budgeting tool. We ranked the 35 observed systems in the Facilitator decision support tool using N loading and net returns and found that rankings from simulated results were very similar to those from the observed results from both an onsite and offsite perspective. We analyzed the effects of tillage, crop rotation, cover crops, and N application method, timing, and amount for the 30 long term simulations on net returns and N loading. The primary contribution of this paper is an approach to creating a quality assured database of management effects on nitrogen loading and net returns for tile drained agriculture in the Mississippi Basin. Such a database would systematically extend data from intensively monitored agricultural fields to the larger area those fields represent.     

Dynamic simulation: A positive feedback mechanism for experimental research in the biological sciences

The focus of this paper is on the application of system theory and computer technology to the area of experimental research in field crops through the medium of process-oriented dynamic simulation models. Conjointly, specific experimental hardware has been devised to facilitate not only the development of a data base for building these types of model but also to produce data which can be used to validate these models in a real-time mode. This system is called a SPAR system: soil-plant-atmosphere research system. The SPAR system, the computer systems, and the modelling effort result in a synergistic process in which experimental research into field crops is amplified above and beyond the normal scientific method by the nature of the iterative, positive feedback mechanisms that are present in this new methodology.     

Usefulness and limitations of decision support systems for improving irrigation scheme management

SIMIS (the FAO Scheme Irrigation Management Information System) is a decision support system that integrates tools and performance indicators to facilitate the planning and management of irrigation schemes. The authors used SIMIS to compute performance indicators in an irrigation scheme in Southern Spain that were used to identify distribution system constraints affecting the flexibility of water deliveries and to identify scheme sectors where deliveries could not meet the predicted crop water demands. Applying SIMIS, the authors and the irrigation scheme manager evaluated measures to overcome the constraints for future irrigation campaigns, and to refine the water orders made every 2 weeks to the basin authority. On the other hand, SIMIS presented limitations to the evaluation of on-demand delivery schedules. To overcome these limitations, an external model, developed outside SIMIS, showed that the current distribution network of the scheme has the capacity to deliver water on-demand only if a slight water deficit is accepted during the peak demand period. The analysis showed that by relaxing the stringency of the quality of operation of on-demand systems, rotation systems may be transformed into on-demand systems without changing their structures. This analysis could also be done using Clément's hypothesis, but doing so resulted in overestimates of the quality of operation and of the relative irrigation supply.     

On-farm labour allocation and irrigation water use: case studies among smallholder systems in arid regions

On-farm measurements and observations of water flow, water costs and irrigation labour inputs at the individual parcel level were made in case studies of smallholder irrigation systems in sub-Saharan Africa and south-eastern Arabia. The systems, in which the water source supplied either single or multiple users, were analysed to address the fundamental issues of labour allocation for on-farm water management as this has important consequences for the success of such systems. Results show that the costs associated with accessing water influenced labour input, because when they were low the farmers tended to increase the irrigation rate and reduce the amount of time they spent distributing the water within their parcels. Conversely when water costs were high, lower flow rates and more time spent in water distribution were observed, and this resulted in more uniform irrigation and higher irrigation efficiency. Also, opportunities and demands for farmers to use their labour for activities other than irrigation can lead them to modify operational or physical aspects of the system so that they can reduce the time they spend distributing water within the parcels, particularly when the water is relatively cheap. Awareness and better understanding of how farmers may allocate their labour for water management will lead to more effective planning, design and management of smallholder irrigation systems.     

Land and water rights and the design of small scale irrigation projects: The case of Baluchistan

In countries around the world where small-scale irrigation systems are being improved, the design and functioning of these upgraded systems will be greatly enhanced if pre-existing patterns of land and water rights and established procedures for system operation are taken into account. An appreciation of these rights and procedures can greatly influence the layout of the water distribution network, water management practices, anticipated cropping patterns, and the related incidence of project benefits. Failure to do so will almost certainly have an adverse effect upon the functioning of the irrigation system, and can often result in serious conflicts. This is illustrated by the case of small-scale irrigation development in Baluchistan Province, Pakistan, where limited analysis of property rights and management practices and lack of consultation with intended beneficiaries caused major delays during the initial stages of project implementation. However, by introducing a methodology for social action that included an assessment of property rights and extensive consultation with affected households during the design and construction phases, the physical features and operating procedures for the upgraded irrigation system were crafted in a manner which maximized economic returns within the range of options acceptable to the local community.     

葡萄酒人工催陈技术研究进展

陈酿是高品质葡萄酒生产的重要环节。在传统的酿造工艺中,橡木桶陈酿是葡萄酒催陈熟化的主要方式,也称为自然陈酿。橡木桶对葡萄酒的香气、颜色、稳定性和澄清度都有非常重要的作用,然而,自然陈酿所需周期长,成本高,严重影响并制约了企业的生产能力和经济效应。因此,在稳步提高并保证葡萄酒品质的前提下,采用人工催陈技术来缩短葡萄酒的陈酿时间、改善葡萄酒品质、降低生产成本成为近些年的研究热点。本文综述了国内外现有的葡萄酒人工催陈技术,如微氧催陈、橡木制品催陈、超高压催陈、电磁场催陈、辐射催陈等,分析了每种技术在葡萄酒陈化过程中对酒品质的影响,比较了不同催陈技术的优缺点并对未来葡萄酒人工催陈技术的前景做了探讨分析。     

基于北斗卫星导航的秸秆机械化还田作业管理系统

为满足秸秆机械化还田作业精准化管理的需要,解决还田工作中作业面积统计困难、现场核查工作量大、全局管理难以实现等若干现实问题,设计了基于北斗卫星导航的秸秆机械化还田作业精准管理系统。系统集成北斗卫星导航定位、物联网、地理信息系统等信息技术,通过北斗卫星导航农业机械车载信息终端,实时采集、处理秸秆还田作业中的定位和状态数据,获取还田现场的高清影像。通过建立作业管理信息系统,实现作业监控、地块识别、面积量测、质量评估、指标统计和指挥调度等功能。试验结果表明,系统可以有效实现轨迹监控、灵活调度、分类统计分析,提高了秸秆还田机械化作业效率。同时,地块识别率和地块面积统计达到了作业精度要求,可以满足秸秆机械化还田作业的需要。