Application of crop growth simulation and mathematical modeling to supply chain management in the Thai sugar industry

The poorly integrated cane supply planning between mills and cane growers in the Northeast of Thailand generates an excess of cane supplies that exceeds the mills’ capacity during the peak of harvest season. Each grower individually determines his/her cultivation plan by selecting planting dates and cultivars based on one’s own preference without taking into account the individual mill’s capacity and other growers’ plans. This situation causes most sugarcane grown in this area to reach its mature stage at the same period. In this study, we propose a framework of cultivation planning to cope with the problem. The focus of the cultivation plan is a long-term plan to determine the cultivation time, the cultivar selection and the corresponding prospective harvesting time window for each field such that overall sugar production is optimized.The crop growth model and a mathematical model are employed for yield simulation and optimization task. The crop growth model enables decision-makers to visualize cane production of each individual field at different dates with different cultivars and allow decision-makers to apply the mathematical programming to cultivation planning. The suggested framework has the potential to increase sugar production by 23% when compared to the traditional method.     

Integrated effect of transplanting date, cultivar and irrigation on yield, water saving and water productivity of rice (Oryza sativa L.) in Indian Punjab: Field and simulation study

Individual effect of different field scale management interventions for water saving in rice viz. changing date of transplanting, cultivar and irrigation schedule on yield, water saving and water productivity is well documented in the literature. However, little is known about their integrated effect. To study that, field experimentation and modeling approach was used. Field experiments were conducted for 2 years (2006 and 2007) at Punjab Agricultural University Farm, Ludhiana on a deep alluvial loamy sand Typic Ustipsamment soils developed under hyper-thermic regime. Treatments included three dates of transplanting (25 May, 10 June and 25 June), two cultivars (PR 118 inbred and RH 257 hybrid) and two irrigation schedules (2-days drainage period and at soil water suction of 16 kPa). The model used was CropSyst, which has already been calibrated for growth (periodic biomass and LAI) of rice and soil water content in two independent experiments. The main findings of the field and simulation studies conducted are compared to any individual, integrated management of transplanting date, cultivar and irrigation, sustained yield (6.3-7.5 t ha⁻¹) and saved substantial amount of water in rice. For example, with two management interventions, i.e. shifting of transplanting date to lower evaporative demand (from 5 May to 25 June) concomitant with growing of short duration hybrid variety (90 days from transplanting to harvest), the total real water saving (wet saving) through reduction in evapotranspiration (ET) was 140 mm, which was almost double than managing the single, i.e. 66 mm by shifting transplanting or 71 mm by growing short duration hybrid variety. Shifting the transplanting date saved water through reduction in soil water evaporation component while growing of short duration variety through reduction in both evaporation and transpiration components of water balance. Managing irrigation water schedule based on soil water suction of 16 kPa at 15-20 cm soil depth, compared to 2-day drainage, did not save water in real (wet saving), however, it resulted into apparent water saving (dry saving). The real crop water productivity (marketable yield/ET) was more by 17% in 25th June transplanted rice than 25th May, 23% in short duration variety than long and 2% in irrigation treatment of 16 kPa soil water suction than 2-days drainage. The corresponding values for the apparent crop water productivity (marketable yield/irrigation water applied) were 16, 20 and 50%, respectively. Pooled experimental data of 2 years showed that with managing irrigation scheduling based on soil water suction of 16 kPa at 15-20 cm soil depth, though 700 mm irrigation water was saved but the associated yield was reduced by 277 kg ha⁻¹.     

Water use of spring wheat to raise water productivity

In semi-arid environments with a shortage of water resources and a risk of overexplotation of water supplies, spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a crop that can reduce water use and increase water productivity, because it takes advantage of spring rainfall and is harvested before the evaporative demands of summer. We carried out an experiment in 2003 at “Las Tiesas” farm, located between Barrax and Albacete (Central Spain), to improve accuracy in the estimation of wheat evapotranspiration (ETc) by using a weighing lysimeter. The measured seasonal ETc averages (5.63 mm day⁻¹) measured in the lysimeter was 417 mm compared to the calculated ETc values (5.31 mm day⁻¹) calculated with the standard FAO methodology of 393 mm. The evapotranspiration crop coefficient (Kc) derived from lysimetric measurements was Kc-mid: 1.20 and Kc-end: 0.15. The daily lysimeter Kc values were fit to the evolution linearly related to the green cover fraction (fc), which follows the crop development pattern. Seasonal soil evaporation was estimated as 135 mm and the basal crop coefficient approach was calculated in this study, Kcb which separates crop transpiration from soil evaporation (evaporation coefficient, Ke) was calculated and related to the green cover fraction (fc) and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) obtained by field radiometry in case of wheat. The results obtained by this research will permit the reduction of water use and improvement of water productivity for wheat, which is of vital importance in areas of limited water resources.     

Response of Vitis vinifera cv. ‘Tempranillo’ to partial rootzone drying in the field: Water relations, growth, yield and fruit and wine quality

This paper reports the effects of irrigation amount and partial rootzone drying (PRD) on water relations, growth, yield and wine quality of Vitis vinifera cv. ‘Tempranillo’ during two consecutive years in a commercial vineyard with a deep, light-clay soil located in Requena, Valencia, Spain. Partial rootzone drying applied at two amounts (100% and 50% of the estimated crop evapotranspiration), was compared to conventional drip irrigation, and also to rainfed vines. Results showed that the effects of irrigation amount on yield and wine quality were different between years. In 2003 with low yield values (around 6.3 t ha⁻¹) irrigation did neither affect grape production nor wine quality. However, in the following year, with much higher general yield (17 t ha⁻¹), the high irrigation dose increased yield by 30% compared to rainfed vines and it also increased must total soluble solids and wine alcohol content. In both seasons, PRD did not significantly affect physiological parameters, nor growth, yield or fruit and wine quality, when compared to the same amount of water applied by conventional drip irrigation. Overall these results suggest that, under our experimental conditions, it was the irrigation amount rather than the system of application what affected vine performance, indicating the difficulties of successfully employing the PRD type of irrigation with a drip system in heavy and deep soils.     

Subsurface drip irrigation of corn in the United States Mid-South

Although rainfall in the United States Mid-South is sufficient to produce corn (Zea mays L.) without irrigation in most years, timely irrigation has been shown to increase yields. The recent interest in ethanol fuels is expected to lead to increases in US corn production, and subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) is one possible way to increase application efficiency and thereby reduce water use. The objective of this study was to determine the response of SDI-irrigated corn produced in the US Mid-South. Field studies were conducted at the University of Arkansas Northeast Research and Extension Center at Keiser during the 2002-2004 growing seasons. The soil was mixed, with areas of fine sandy loam, loamy sand, and silty clay. SDI tubing was placed under every row at a depth of approximately 30 cm. Three irrigation levels were compared, with irrigation replacing 100% and 60% of estimated daily water use and no irrigations. The split plot treatment was hybrid, with three hybrids of different relative maturities. Although the 3-year means indicated significantly lower yields for a nonirrigated treatment, no significant differences were observed among the treatments in 2003 or 2004. A large difference was observed in 2002, the year with the least rainfall during the study period, but no difference was detected between the two irrigated treatments in any year. The treatment with the lower water application had the higher irrigation water use efficiency. Although the results of this study suggested that replacing 60% of the estimated daily evapotranspiration with SDI is sufficient for maximum corn yields, additional observations will be needed to determine whether corn production with SDI is feasible in the region and to develop recommendations for farmers choosing to adopt the method. Improved weather forecasting and crop coefficient functions developed specifically for the region should also contribute to more efficient irrigation management.     

农业装备物流体系的数学建模

在分析了农业装备物流体系特点的基础上,指出了目前存在的数学模型不能完全体现和描述农业装备物流体系的特点;建立了基于面向环境时延着色Petri网(EOCTPN)的农业装备物流体系数学模型;研究了不同类型农业装备物流体系对库存总成本和长鞭效应的影响程度;解决了目前存在的无法将正向物流和逆向物流有机结合在一起的问题;有效克服了基础Petri网描述此类问题出现的"节点爆炸"现象.在仿真实验的基础上,提出了应如何构建农业装备物流体系的方法.     

弧形流道结构参数对灌水器水力性能影响的数值模拟

应用计算流体动力学CFD数值软件FLUENT6.3,模拟了滴灌灌水器弧形及弧齿形二种结构形式流道的流场水力性能。结果表明,弧形流道的消能方式主要为沿程水头损失,弧形流道灌水器的流态指数在0.7左右,而弧齿形流道中存在许多流动漩涡区,因此,其消能方式主要为局部水头损失,弧齿形灌水器的流态指数在0.5左右。通过对比分析认为:弧齿形流道水力性能优于弧形流道,可以通过结构参数优化设计,减小0流速区域,强化旋涡区,提高弧齿形灌水器的水力性能与抗堵塞能力,灌水器设计中推荐采用弧齿形流道结构形式。     

基于SVM的CFRW导电性建模预测研究

针对碳纤维增强木质复合材料（CFRW）导电性具有非线性的特点,采用基于支持向量回归机（SVM）的机器学习方法建立碳纤维增强木质复合材料导电性预测模型。结果表明,所建模型的预测精度高、泛化能力强.     

积因子位次赋值数据求权重法在粮食生产潜力评价中的应用

提出了一种改进的积因子层次分析方法—积因子位次赋值数据求权重法,该方法采用算术平均数赋值代替专家打分,最大程度的避免了主观判断可能造成的决策失误。用该方法对影响黑龙江省粮食生产潜力的17个因素进行排序,结果与实际情况较吻合。     

基于对象建模的农机产品CAPP系统设计与应用

利用对象建模技术,通过抽象与重组形成CAPP系统的一般对象模型,并把对象、关联及操作等映射成数据库表和程序实体,结合农机产品CAPP实例论述了工艺过程卡对象模型的实现流程,分析了选单等的设计重用方法。实践证明,CAPP系统开发过程中,只需开发一个编辑窗口,而非对应每一个数据表开发相应的编辑窗口。当数据表发生结构改变时可通过修改数据窗口来实现。采用这种方法,同一个选单就可以被不同的窗口所共用,使系统的开发效率大大提高,同时系统的结构也非常合理,根据作业机的主体结构相似性,可应用于各类农机制造的工艺设计过程。