To address the deterioration in the seed-metering performance of mechanical seed-metering devices caused by vibration during field operation, a conical deflector-type seed meter was selected as the research object. A vibration-system model of the seed meter under field operating conditions was established, and the principal operating parameters affecting seed-metering performance were determined. The seed-metering process under vibration was then simulated using the discrete element method to investigate changes in the working angle of the seed population and its dynamic characteristics. In addition, vibration bench tests were conducted to evaluate the effects of vibration on seed-metering performance. The main results were as follows: (1) seed-filling efficiency, seed-clearing efficiency, and horizontal seed-throwing displacement were significantly affected by operating speed, vibration acceleration, and vibration frequency; (2) the adverse effect of vibration on seed-metering performance increased with increasing vibration acceleration but decreased with increasing operating speed or vibration frequency; and (3) when the vibration acceleration was below 0.63 g and the vibration frequency exceeded 4.28 Hz, the qualified-seed rate was greater than 95%, and the coefficient of variation of seed spacing was less than 20%. This study clarified the effects of vibration parameters on seed-metering performance and identified appropriate operating ranges, thereby providing theoretical support for the vibration-resistant design and optimization of mechanical seed meters.
Smartphones have become a convenient tool in agriculture due to their mobility, affordability, and capacity to enhance more efficient crop monitoring, including MATAG variety identification. Detecting MATAG hybrid varieties remains challenging because their morphological traits are difficult to differentiate macroscopically, but reflectance values can be generated using a spectral signature graph. This review aims to explore the development of an intelligent identification system for the MATAG variety based on spectral signature analysis using a smartphone device. It discusses characterisation of MATAG hybrids, spectral signature differences between each coconut species, the development of spectral signature libraries, and the potential of smartphone-spectral signature-based applications compared with manual inspection and laboratory analysis. It also highlights the mechanisms of MATAG variety detection based on spectral signature analysis using a smartphone and practical considerations for farmers. Case studies and testimonials from farmers on how smartphone devices have revolutionised crop monitoring practices were also discussed, together with the potential benefits of using this technology for the agricultural industry. It also elaborates on the opportunities and challenges of detecting MATAG variety using smartphone-spectral approaches, which will be a useful resource for app developers to solve the problems in the field. Overall, this review provides a comprehensive overview of smartphone-spectral signature integration for MATAG detection that eventually helps farmers in the plantation.
To address the challenges of low transplanting efficiency, poor planting accuracy, and high labor intensity associated with manual Panax notoginseng transplanting in the hilly and mountainous regions of Yunnan, as well as the limited adaptability of existing transplanting equipment to narrow ridged fields and steep, complex terrain, this study developed a self-propelled, fully electric tracked chassis tailored to the agronomic requirements of Panax notoginseng transplanting. The study included the overall structural design, selection and matching of the power battery and drive transmission system, and development of a dimensionless ratio-coefficient control model relating planting spacing to travel and transplanting speeds under the constraint of the manual seedling-feeding speed. An integrated electronic control system was developed to provide remote-controlled travel, speed-synchronized transplanting control, and straight-line deviation correction. The stability and dynamic performance of the chassis were analyzed theoretically and subsequently validated through field tests under multiple operating conditions. Theoretical results showed that the chassis had a maximum lateral roll angle of 39.19°, a maximum traction force of 7,524 N, and sufficient power reserve for operation on slopes of up to 25°. Field tests demonstrated that, after correction using the speed-adjustment coefficient, the straight-line deviation over a travel distance of 30 m was limited to within 1.1%, exceeding the requirements of the relevant national standard. The measured pivot-turning offset was approximately 191 mm, in close agreement with the theoretical value. Key performance indicators, including slope-climbing stability, ridge-travel stability, and motor thermal stability, all met the applicable national standards. The developed chassis effectively improves the adaptability of transplanting equipment for Panax notoginseng production in hilly and mountainous regions and significantly enhances the automation level and planting accuracy of transplanting operations. This study provides theoretical and technical support for the intelligent development of transplanting equipment for rhizomatous medicinal plants.
Irregular branches in agricultural picking environments require rapid collision-free path planning and smooth manipulator motion. This study developed an improved RRT algorithm guided by grid numbering, termed Op-timized-RRT, based on a unified indexed-set representation of numbered primary and backup free-grid regions. Within this framework, dynamic region adjustment, target biasing, node occupancy, and local burst expansion jointly guide the search, while greedy pruning and quintic polynomial interpolation are applied to post-process the resulting path. Unlike geometric-region-based methods that generate coordinate samples within an up-dated sampling window, Optimized-RRT selects a valid grid number from the active set and maps it directly to the corresponding state. Compared with RRT, GB-RRT*, and Informed-RRT*, the complete algorithm reduced planning time, the number of iterations, and the final number of path nodes by 40.61%–94.32%, 57.51%–88.66%, and 89.29%–94.59%, respectively, in two-dimensional scenarios, and by 88.95%–98.92%, 79.26%–94.67%, and 67.31%–90.83%, respectively, in three-dimensional scenarios. The reduction in the number of nodes resulted from the combined effects of guided search and path pruning. Manipulator simulations and a demonstration on a single experimental platform confirmed the executability of the generated trajectories under the tested conditions.
To address the high power consumption, limited load adaptability, and inadequate parameter matching of conventional axial-flow threshing devices, power-consumption tests were conducted on an axial-flow threshing device with adjustable threshing intensity using rice as the test material. The tests examined different threshing-intensity modes, separating-screen types, and operating parameters. The effects of these factors on no-load power consumption, effective power consumption, total power consumption, and mechanical efficiency were analyzed. The results showed that total power consumption was minimized when the threshing-intensity adjustment plates were fully open and the rectangular-hole separating screen was used. Total power consumption increased with increasing drum speed, deflector angle, and feed rate, but decreased with increasing concave clearance. Mechanical efficiency initially remained stable and then decreased as drum speed increased, whereas it increased with increasing deflector angle and feed rate. The specific threshing power consumption, expressed per unit feed rate, ranged from 4.4 to 5.2 kW/(kg/s). It increased with increasing drum speed, deflector angle, and feed rate, and decreased with increasing concave clearance. This study provides a reference for reducing power consumption and optimizing parameter matching in axial-flow threshing devices with adjustable threshing intensity.
