Valutazione tecnico-agronomica di due diverse tipologie di impianto di origano in funzione della raccolta meccanica

Harvest is one of the most important agronomical techniques of oregano cultivation. Traditionally, oregano is manually harvested but the times of this operation are very long. On the contrary, the mechanical harvest could decrease the harvest times and, therefore, the production costs. Tests of mechanical harvest were carried out between 2003 and 2004 in an experimental field of Dipartimento di Agronomia Ambientale e Territoriale of Palermo University, using a reaper-binder made by BCS for cereal and forage crops but specifically modified for harvesting oregano. The working capacity, productivity and efficiency of this machine were evaluated according to the variation of minimum forward spe…

Prime prove di un prototipo di pirolizzatore per la produzione di biochar

La pirolisi è un processo di decomposizione chimica di biomassa, effettuata in assenza o limitata presenza di ossigeno. Durante la pirolisi complesse molecole polimeriche di biomassa sono scisse in molecole semplici di gas (syngas), sostanze liquide e carbone (char). Le quantità relative delle tre frazioni dipendono da parecchi fattori quali, ad esempio, la velocità di riscaldamento, la temperatura finale, il tempo di residenza dei gas nel reattore, il tipo di pirolizzatore, le caratteristiche fisiche e chimiche della biomassa utilizzata. Il biochar ottenuto dai sottoprodotti dell’industria agro-alimentare, dai residui di potatura, dal legno proveniente dalle utilizzazioni di colture specia…

TRACLAS: a project to improve under canopy tractor safety in case of overturning

Poster Abstract non previsto

Response of Origanum vulgare L. to different plant densities and first results of mechanical harvest

Tests for evaluating the agronomical response of Origanum to four plant densities were carried out from 1998 to 2001, on a local biotype of Origanum collected at Monreale (Palermo), in an area having the typical soil and climatic conditions of the Sicilian environment. Data about plant biometric characteristics (height at different growth phases, number of branches per plant, fresh weight yield) and the proportions among inflorescences, leaves and stems were monitored. Moreover, essential oil analyses were carried out for each plant density. The results showed that the plant density influenced the yield but not the plant height. The best results were obtained in the second year, when the hi…

Evaluation of Multispectral Data Acquired from UAV Platform in Olive Orchard

Precision agriculture is a management strategy to improve resource efficiency, production, quality, profitability and sustainability of the crops. In recent years, olive tree management is increasingly focused on determining the correct health status of the plants in order to distribute the main resource using different technologies. In the olive grove, the focus is often on the use of multispectral information from UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle), but it is not known how important spectral and biometric information actually is for the agronomic management of the olive grove. The aim of this study was to investigate the ability of multispectral data acquired from a UAV platform to predict nu…

A system for the real-time geo-referenced measurement of soil parameters

The aim of this research is to develop a system for accurately measuring in real-time, collecting and processing a high amount of geo-referenced data of soil physical-mechanical parameters, e.g. cone penetrometer resistance, index of soil compaction, and draft force. The system for measuring the soil cone penetrometer resistance is comprised of a load cell, connected to a rod, ending with a cone, and is mounted on a frame, fixed to the front part of a tractor. The system for measuring the draft force required to till the soil is comprised of a load cell, mounted on the hitch hook of a tool carrier, towed by the tractor. Moreover, in order to test the usefulness of the system with different …

Un sistema innovativo per il controllo delle gelate

Sperimentazione ed attuazione di un sistema innovativo per il controllo delle gelate in campo.

Mapping of penetrometer resistance in relation to tractor traffic using multivariate geostatistics

Abstract The traffic of agricultural machines can cause soil compaction and high variability of soil structure, both along normal lines and along those parallel to the field plane. The aim of this work was to investigate the potential of an electronic penetrometer, a GPS, a GIS and geostatistical techniques for mapping soil compaction. In July 2003 soil cone penetrometer resistance was measured using a semi-automatic electronic penetrometer in a sandy-silt soil (Vertic Xerochrept) of inland Sicily where a three-year rotation wheat ( Triticum durum Desf.)–wheat–tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum L.) was practiced. The measurements were carried out along three parallel 3-m long transects, from the…

Informazioni sull'attività agricola e zootecnica del territorio

No-Till Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration Patterns as Affected by Climate and Soil Erosion in the Arable Land of Mediterranean Europe

No-tillage (NT) has been considered an agronomic tool to sequester soil organic carbon (SOC) and match the 4p1000 initiative requirements of conservative soil management. Recently, some doubts have emerged about the NT effect on SOC sequestration, often because observations and experimental data vary widely depending on climate and geographic characteristics. Therefore, a suitable SOC accounting method is needed that considers climate and morphology interactions. In this study, the yearly ratio between SOC in NT and conventional tillage (CT) (RRNT/CT) collected in a previous study for flat (96 samples) and sloping (44 samples) paired sites was used to map the overestimation of SOC sequestra…

Biogas yield from Sicilian kitchen waste and cheese whey

The aim of this study is to determine the chemical composition of kitchen waste and cheese whey, as well as the biogas yield obtained from the Anaerobic Digestion (AD) tests of these two raw materials. Since the separated waste collection is performed in the town of Marineo (Palermo), a sample of kitchen waste, different from food industry one and included in the Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid Waste (OFMSW), was collected from the mass stored at the households of this town. Moreover, a sample of cheese whey was collected in a Sicilian mini dairy plant, where sheep milk is processed. This investigation was carried out inside laboratory digesters of Aleksandras Stulginskis University (Li…

Assessment of the Vegetation Parameters of Almond and Vine Plants for Designing a Compact Tractor

The aim of this research is to assess the vegetation parameters of almond and vine plants, aimed at designing a compact tractor suitable for these orchards. The research is part of the Italian project TRACLAS, involving the Universities of Palermo, Milan, Bari, “Tuscia” of Viterbo and Agricultural Research and Economics - Research Unit for Agricultural Engineering (CREA-ING) of Treviglio (Bergamo). Based on the results of the surveys carried out in a sample of almond and vine farms, it was possible to define the vegetation parameters that will allow to design a very low and narrow tractor equipped with a fixed ROPS and suitable for these orchards.

Un sistema innovativo applicabile all'agricoltura di precisione

Nowadays manufacturers of agricultural machines produce electronic systems for monitoring field operations which are compatible with GPS systems. Unfortunately, the communication protocols and data link interfaces among the various system components are not standardised. Therefore, each manufacturer produced spare parts, which are compatible only with their own electronic devices. Thus the system components produced by different manufacturers are incompatible with each other and result very expensive. The Dipartimento I.T.A.F. (Department of Engineering and Technologies in Agriculture and Forestry) of Palermo University is developing an electronic system, which is compatible with most GPS i…

Influence of row orientation on the canopy temperature of Sicilian vineyards

Row orientation can have significant effects on grape quality as it directly affects the exposure of the fruits with indirect consequences on wine quality. In this study, a Flir i7 thermal camera was used to measure the temperature of both canopy sides of a ‘Sauvignon blanc’ vineyard trained to vertical shoot position and with north-south (NS) and east-west (EW) row orientations. Photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) measurements using a 0.8-m sensor bar were taken along with the thermal imaging camera measurements. Considering both row orientations, south and east canopy sides were those that intercepted the greatest radiant energy during the day, 57.7 and 47.5%, respectively. The EW r…

A system for spatially variable rate fertiliser application

The crop yield can be spatially variable within the same field, because of spatially variable soil characteristics (slope, texture, pH, etc.), influencing the soil nutrient content (of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, etc.). Because of this within-field spatial variability, in the precision agriculture cycle, the targeted fertiliser spreading can be highly profitable for both environment protection and cost saving. For this aim the yield and, then, the soil nutrient content must be measured on a localised basis and, therefore, mapped. Relying on the yield map and on the map of each nutrient available in the field it is possible to produce the fertiliser application map, which must be stored…

First tests of mechanical harvest of Origanum vulgare L.

In Italy Origanum vulgare L. is cultivated only in few areas and its production does not even satisfy the national market demand. Until now the interest on this crop has been very low because of the high cost of manual harvest and bunch binding. The aim of this work is to evaluate the use of a reaper-binder (made for harvesting cereal crops) for harvesting and bunch binding Origanum vulgare L. The tests were carried out in Sicily, in the summer of 2001. The mechanical harvest was carried out using the reaper-binder unmodified, but the results were not satisfactory. The machine was then modified reducing its forward speed and cutting height, in order to improve its working productivity and h…

Systems for evaluating the correlation between soil cone penetrometer resistance and shear strength

The aim of this research is to study possible correlations between soil compaction (and related soil cone penetrometer resistance measurements) and shear strength normal to the field plane, required to cut the soil with a subsoiler. A measurement system for sensing the soil cone penetrometer resistance was built mounting, on a frame fixed to the front part of a tractor, a rod and a penetration cone with a load cell. A load cell, mounted on the tractor drawbar, pulling a subsoiler, allowed to measure the shear strength normal to the field plane, required to cut the soil. Both load cells were connected, through a display, to a portable computer, where a software was used for acquiring the dat…

A home made system for precision agriculture. First tests of variable rate herbicide application

Effects of plant density on Rosmarinus officinalis L. and first tests of mechanical transplanting

Tests for evaluating the agronomical response of Rosmarinus to four plant densities were carried out from 1998 to 2001, on a local ecotype of Rosmarinus, in an area having the typical soil and climatic conditions of the Sicilian inland hilly environment. Data about biometric characteristics (plant height, number of stems per plant, fresh and dry yield), the ratio between leaf weight and dry weight and the ratio between stem weight and dry weight, both expressed as percent, were monitored. Moreover, essential oil analyses were carried out for each plant density. The results showed that the plant density positively influenced the fresh and dry yield, while it negatively affects the number of …

Livelli di rumorosità nell'imbottigliamento di vino e olio

Impiego sicuro delle macchine in bosco.

Dopo una breve rassegna delle principali norme sulla sicurezza e l’ergonomia nei posti di lavoro e sulle macchine, vengono esaminati i principali fattori di rischio presenti nelle operazioni di taglio, allestimento ed esbosco, mettendo in relazione le situazioni di pericolo alle macchine ed alle operazioni svolte. Dall’analisi condotta emerge che un’efficace prevenzione si può realizzare costruendo macchine rispondenti alle norme di ergonomia e sicurezza; effettuando una periodica manutenzione delle stesse e dei relativi dispositivi di sicurezza; istruendo e informando gli operatori sui pericoli e i rischi connessi con i lavori in bosco e sul corretto impiego delle macchine e dei dispositiv…

Mapping soil compaction measuring cone penetrometer resistance

The quickest way for monitoring soil compaction differences in a field is measuring cone penetrometer resistance. Soil compaction can be significantly spatially variable, depending on the amount and distribution of the traffic of agricultural machines in the field. Therefore, it could be useful to measure soil compaction on a localised basis, in order to produce maps of the damages caused by the traffic of agricultural machines and/or the action of tillage implements. Aim of this paper is to present a system developed by the Department I.T.A.F. for the geo-referenced measurement of cone penetrometer resistance and for mapping soil compaction. This system was built fitting a minitransporter …

The Italian University Structure and Degrees on Agricultural Engineering

In Italy the University structure and degree courses changed dramatically in 2001, moving from degrees of five years, plus three years of Ph.D., to two levels of degree: a first level of three years, plus, eventually, a second level of two years and the unchanged Ph.D. This “revolution” explains the lack of information in some topics and leaves the possibility of further changes in the number, titles and contents of the degrees presented in this paper.

Agricultural Engineering programmes meeting the FEANI and EurAgEng criteria in Italy

The only administrative change which took place in Italian institutions from the status described in the 1st Workshop, in the framework of Bologna process, is the updating of 3+2 years University study programmes. According to the ECTS credit system used in Italian institutions, the total student workload in one year is 60 CFU, which are considered equivalent to 60 ECTS; each CFU represents 25 hours of learning, both as aided learning and as individual studies. The 1st cycle degree study programme (“Laurea”) consists of 180 ECTS, while the 2nd cycle one (“Laurea Magistrale”) is constituted by 120 ECTS. No adjustment, alteration or difference concerning the quality assurance scheme used in I…

Identification of Energy Hubs for the Exploitation of Residual Biomass in an Area of Western Sicily

Recent years have witnessed a marked reduction in financial incentives for renewable energy production in Italy as a consequence of the fact that the nation has already reached its energy policy targets for 2020, However, incentives still persist in certain sectors, such as those of specialized crops for biomass and residual biomass. In order to increase use-efficiency of biomass resources, careful study is needed of their characteristics, and their distribution within an area and over time: biomass use is of interest when production is concentrated in a given area and sufficiently available throughout the year. In order to assess the competitiveness of the biomass energy sector, the logist…

Accreditation practices of Agricultural Engineering university studies in Italy

Agricultural Engineering University studies in Italy are practically starting now only in a very few Faculties of Agriculture or of Engineering. Therefore, this paper refers to the accreditation practices which exist at present in Italy and which can be applied to existing study courses of any type.

Vineyard design supported by GPS application

The innovative technologies of precision agriculture offer nowadays new applications in line with the needs of the wine sector. In hillside viticulture, within the same plot there are areas with different physical and chemical characteristics (lying, pH, active limestone, nutrients, etc.). This variability consequently influences the vigor of the vine which translates into a different production per single plant in terms of both yield and quality of the grapes. The aim of this study was to realize geo-referenced thematic maps by GPS application on a hilly plot covering about 6 hectares to be planted in a hedgerow trained vineyard for the production of quality grapes. The experimental tests …

Il rilevamento georeferenziato di caratteristiche fisico-meccaniche del terreno

Lo scopo del presente lavoro è di eseguire il rilevamento georeferenziato di caratteristiche fisico-meccaniche del terreno (resistenza alla penetrazione, indice del relativo stato di compattamento, e sforzo di taglio normale al piano di campagna, richiesto per lavorare il terreno mediante l’utilizzo di un ripuntatore) in un appezzamento della Sicilia interna, lungo traiettorie parallele a quelle già percorse da un sistema trattore - aratro durante l’aratura eseguita cinque anni prima delle prove stesse. Il sistema di rilevamento della resistenza alla penetrazione è costituito da una cella di carico, collegata ad un’asta di penetrazione, che termina con il relativo cono ed è installata su un…

Design and Implementation of a Smart System to Control Aromatic Herb Dehydration Process

Drying is a process aimed at reducing the water content in plant materials below a limit where the activity of microbes and decomposing enzymes deteriorate the quality of medicinal and aromatic plants. Today, the interest of consumers towards medicinal and aromatic herbs has registered a growing trend. This study aims at designing a low-cost real-time monitoring and control system for the drying process of aromatic herbs and evaluating drying efficacy on the microbial community associated with the studied herbs. Hot-air drying tests of sage and laurel leaves were carried out in a dryer desiccator cabinet at 40 &deg

The implementation of ECTS in Italian university departments and institutes of Agricultural Engineering

Dall’Ingegneria Agraria all’Ingegneria dei Biosistemi: didattica e ricerca in Europa e negli USA

Il tradizionale settore dell’Ingegneria Agraria da alcuni anni si sta evolvendo, a livello internazionale, verso quello più ampio dell’Ingegneria dei Biosistemi. L’Ingegneria Agraria applica l’ingegneria alle scienze agrarie, mentre l’Ingegneria dei Biosistemi estende le applicazioni dell’ingegneria alle scienze biologiche ed ambientali, per uno sviluppo sostenibile dell’agricoltura, del settore alimentare, dell’uso del suolo e dell’ambiente, includendo pertanto tematiche innovative quali i bio-materiali, le energie rinnovabili, la gestione dei reflui, la tracciabilità, la qualità e la sicurezza degli alimenti, ecc. Come conseguenza della suddetta evoluzione sono stati istituiti: - a livell…

Effects of Vermicompost, Compost and Digestate as Commercial Alternative Peat-Based Substrates on Qualitative Parameters of Salvia officinalis

Peat is a common substrate used for the cultivation of potted plants. However, the use of peat in horticulture has recently been questioned from an environmental standpoint, since it is a non-renewable resource and plays a major role in atmospheric CO2 sequestration. The aim of this work was to assess the potentialities of substrates obtained from vermicompost, compost and anaerobic digestion processes to partially substitute peat for sage (Salvia officinalis L.) cultivation. Therefore, we planned an experiment to assess the effect of these substrates on essential oil (EO) yield and composition, as well as on leaf nutrients concentration of sage plants. The three substrates were mixed with …

Misurare la resa con precisione

Adjustment time and offset of a system for spatially variable rate fertilisation

The aim of this research is to measure the adjustment time and offset of a cheap system for spatially variable rate fertilisation, designed, developed and set up by the Mechanics Section of I.T.A.F. Department. In order to test the system, a centrifugal fertiliser spreader, working by gravity, was modified connecting an actuator with the two hopper shutter slides. Two different actuator types were tested, in order to measure the accordingly variable adjustment time and offset. The adjustment offset of the centrifugal spreader increases with increasing machine average forward speed and decreases with increasing fertiliser rate, considering the same rate variation. The main components of the …

Sicilian potential biogas production

This study is aimed at predicting the Sicilian potential biogas production, using the Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid Waste (OFMSW), animal manure and food industry by-products, in a region where only one biogas plant using MSW and one co-digestion plant are nowadays available. The statistical data about OFMSW, the number of animals bred in medium and large farms and the amounts of by-products of food processing industries were evaluated, in order to compute the Sicilian potential biogas and energy production. The OFMSW produced in Sicily, that is 0.8 million tons ca. per year (37% of MSW), could be used in a bio-reactor, together with other raw materials, for Anaerobic Digestion (AD) p…

Life Cycle Impact Assessment applied to cactus pear crop production for generating bioenergy and biofertiliser

Among the potential uses of cactus pear, the generation of bioenergy (biogas) and biofertiliser (digestate), from the Anaerobic Digestion (AD) of cladodes and fruits, is surveyed in this paper. Data for Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) was drawn from a farm located in Roccapalumba (Palermo, Sicily, Italy), where three cultivars were cultivated: 1) yellow pulp cultivar; 2) red pulp cultivar; 3) white pulp cultivar. LCIA was applied to six scenarios: 1) current dry crop; 2) current irrigated crop; 3) dry crop for fruit and bioenergy production; 4) irrigated crop for fruit and bioenergy production; 5) dry crop for bioenergy production; 6) irrigated crop for bioenergy production. According t…

Valorisation of urban green areas for producing renewable energy and biochar as growing substrate of Sicilian aromatic and nutraceutical species in a circular economy

This work is aimed at evaluating the possible building up of a gasifier for the energy valorisation of residual biomass deriving from urban areas and their surroundings. The area and the volumes of supply and economic convenience have been determined by implementing a GIS-based geographic method to the localisation and quantification of non-uniform elements of plant biomass. The pyrolysis and gasification processes of the lignocellulosic biomass obtained from pruning and maintenance operations of the urban and ornamental green include the production of a residual amount of biochar. The biochar can be used in agriculture as a soil improver and a substrate alternative to peat in the sustainab…

Consumi energetici in diverse tipologie di minicaseifici

Recent regulations about the food health and safety and methods of milk processing obliged most sheep farmers not to process it on their own. Therefore, in Sicily most sheep breeders sold their milk to some small dairies. On the contrary, if sheep breeders had modern plants for processing also small amounts of milk in some suitable farm rooms, they could earn the additional value, due to cheese and ricotta sale. The agricultural Mechanics and Food Industry Sections of the Department of Engineering and Technologies in Agriculture and Forestry (ITAF) of Palermo University measured and assessed the consumptions of fuel electrical energy in some small dairies of 200 and 300 l capacity, in order…

Sustainable Valorisation of Biowaste for Soilless Cultivation of Salvia Officinalis in a Circular Bioeconomy

The aim of this work is to assess the usefulness of biowaste deriving from CircularBioeconomy (CBE) processes (i.e., vermicompost, compost and digestate), as growing substratesfor the partial or total replacement of peat, by measuring the vegetation biometric parameters ofsage (Salvia officinalis L.)&mdash

Italian Potential Biogas and Biomethane Production from OFMSW

This work is aimed at predicting the potential biogas and biomethane production, using the Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid Waste (OFMSW), in Italy, where 1388 Anaerobic Digestion (AD) plants (power of 7.4 TWh, equal to 640.4 ktep) are nowadays available. In order to compute the potential biogas and biomethane production in the 20 Italian regions, the data about OFMSW production in 2010-2013 period have been evaluated. The Italian production of OFMSW, that was 5.2 million tons in 2013 (18% of MSW), could be used inside bioreactors for producing biogas and digestate, that must be aerobically composted into a biofertiliser. In 2013, the Italian potential biogas production from OFMSW was 73…

Restructuring agricultural/biosystems engineering studies and employability in Italy

In Italy there is a society of Agricultural Engineering (Italian Association of Agricultural Engineering - AIIA), to which agronomists and engineers involved in agricultural, forestry and food processing sectors belong, but only recently a few Agricultural Engineering degrees were introduced. However, they are inadequately educated as Agricultural Engineers, because of the limited amount of Engineering learning outcomes. The “recognition” process of Agricultural Engineering study programs proposed by USAEE-TN will make the Agricultural Engineer profession much more known than before and the related degree more appreciated by industries, companies, private and public sectors and, therefore, …

Le condizioni dei dispositivi di sicurezza delle macchine operatrici in alcune aziende agricole siciliane

The agricultural machines available in a sample of farms in the Central and Western Sicily were surveyed, in order to evaluate the compliance of their safety conditions with the related laws. Often the regulations of these laws resulted partially or totally not applied. Among the machines moved by p.t.o. the crop protection machines showed the best overall conditions while the harvesting and baling machines showed the worst ones; among the machines not moved by p.t.o. the trailers showed the best overall conditions while the ploughs showed the worst ones. These results are generally caused by an insufficient maintenance and/or the lack of protection and safety devices and/or the year of man…

A low-cost multispectral imaging system for the characterisation of soil and small vegetation properties using visible and near-infrared reflectance

Current Proximal Sensing technologies are based on multispectral imaging systems able to capture images in a few spectral bands, usually centred in VIS and NIR regions, to derive vegetation indices. However, most of such systems lack an internal radiometric calibration to estimate the actual reflectance of the observed target, making them sensitive to the local radiative environment and requiring a per-session calibration against a reference target. To overcome such dependence, the instrument described adopts an active illumination of the target surface, allowing the monitoring of soil and low vegetation surfaces by a radiometrically pre-calibrated imaging camera. The system, driven by a mi…

The current status of the agricultural science core curricula in Italian University Faculties of Agriculture

In Italian University Faculties of Agriculture the 1st cycle of studies concerns a BSc. degree offering completed application-oriented studies ensuring employability or an intermediate pivot-point degree towards an integrated MSc. In each first cycle program of studies offered by the Faculties of Agriculture a core curriculum exists and has the scope of providing students with a basic cultural background, common to every program of studies. In Italy the Faculties of Agriculture offer Agricultural Engineering programs of studies and no specialisation both for the 1st and the 2nd cycles of studies. Students can achieve the degree in Agricultural Sciences with a Agricultural Engineering specia…

Un sistema innovativo per l'agricoltura di precisione. Prime prove di diserbo a dose variabile

A Contribution to Environmental Protection Through the Valorisation of Kitchen Biowaste

The worldwide interest in Renewable Energy Sources (RES) is gathering momentum. Anaerobic Digestion (AD) process is steadily growing, as more people are setting up bioreactors in order to produce biogas and digestate. AD process is the fermentation of solid biowaste in the absence of oxygen and is zero emission, i.e. it is CO2 neutral. The aim of this work is to test HomeBiogas 2.0, i.e. a revolutionary equipment that used the kitchen biowaste from the canteen of the agricultural institute of Marsala (Trapani, Italy). This equipment works as a continuous flow bioreactor: the waste is fed in one end, while biogas and digestate come out from the other. The process continuously took place at a…

Spatially variable rate herbicide application on durum wheat in Sicily

Using the conventional farming system, durum wheat requires high rates of herbicide spraying. Herbicide residues can cause pollution of soil and ground water and, therefore, of the entire environment. In order to minimise the environmental impact of herbicides, a home made system for spatially variable rate crop input application was designed, developed and set up by the Department of Engineering and Technologies in Agriculture and Forestry (I.T.A.F.). This system consists of a DGPS, a portable computer, a specifically developed software and a device for applying rates proportionally related to the machine forward speed (DPA). Tests of spatially variable rate herbicide application were carr…

Comparison of Mechanical, Assisted and Manual Harvest of Origanum vulgare L.

In Italy, the production of Origanum vulgare L. is lower than the national market demand, so there is an increasing interest in this crop, even if the manual harvest and bunch binding represent ca. 60% of the production cost. The aim of this work is to evaluate the harvest efficiency, as well as the working capacity, productivity and quality of mechanical harvesting by means of a reaper-binder designed for cereal and forage crops and assisted harvesting by means of a long-reach edge trimmer. In fact, the final aim is to suggest a machine and a method for oregano harvesting that could significantly reduce the time and, therefore, the cost of this crop operation, while achieving a product qua…

Sistemi per la valutazione del compattamento dei terreni agrari

The traffic of agricultural machines can cause soil compaction, reducing, above all, its porosity. The measurement of soil cone penetrometer resistance is the easiest and quickest method for monitoring and assessing soil compaction. The aim of this research is to test two mechanised systems for the geo-referenced measurement and, therefore, producing maps of soil cone penetrometer resistance. The first system was developed mounting an electronic penetrometer and a DGPS mobile receiver on a tracked minitransporter. The second system was built mounting, on a frame fixed to the front part of a tractor: four load cells; a system for signal conditioning and data acquisition; four rods and penetr…

Un sistema per la concimazione spazialmente variabile

Lo scopo del lavoro è quello di misurare il tempo e la distanza di regolazione di un sistema per l’applicazione di fattori produttivi a dosi spazialmente variabili, progettato, sviluppato, messo a punto e già sperimentato positivamente per il diserbo dalla Sezione Meccanica del Dipartimento I.T.A.F. Tale sistema è stato sperimentato per la concimazione spazialmente variabile, installando, su uno spandiconcime ad azione centrifuga a due dischi di distribuzione opportunamente modificato, due diversi tipi di attuatori, collegati al sistema di regolazione delle luci di caduta del concime. E’ risultato che, a parità di variazione di dose, la distanza di regolazione del sistema, con entrambi gli …

VERIFICA DELL’ATTECCHIMENTO DEGLI INNESTI-TALEA DI VITE DOPO LA FORZATURA MEDIANTE TECNICHE TERMOGRAFICHE E MECCANICHE

Grafting is an important technique for getting good yields in plant multiplication. Understanding the success of the graft after the incubation room is important to the evaluation of the suitable grafting for the open field (nursery). Successful grafting in vines requires the development of a functional vascular system between the scion and the rootstock. The graft compatibility and its augmentation depend upon various natural factors like environment, weather, soil conditions and protective measures etc. The present study examines the capability of thermography, mechanical and electrical techniques to assess the graft quality and successful of Vitis vinifera after the incubation room. Afte…

Assessment of organic waste management methods through energy balance

In Italy, the Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid W aste (OFMSW) is nowadays landfilled or processed through aerobic composting. The Italian towns curre ntly support a high cost for OFMSW disposal and cause a high environmental impact, because of long distance s travelled from towns to a few available landfills and fewer treatment places, as well as the used waste m anagement methods. An interesting option for OFMSW is Anaerobic Digestion (AD), producing biogas and “digestate”. In this survey a theoretical biogas plant was placed near a town of Sicily Region (Italy), centra lised with reference to the area considered for pro ducing OFMSW. The distances travelled every year to transport OFMS…

Case Study of Potential Production of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) from Livestock Wastes in Mediterranean Islands

The aim of this work is to evaluate the potential production of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) from livestock wastes that are commonly found on Mediterranean islands, by using the island of Malta as a case study. Organic wastes in the form of livestock manure and slurry, as well as other by-products originating from the food transformation industry in the making of alcoholic beverages and the processing of olives, tomatoes and other streams, if mixed in such a way to achieve a correct C/N ratio, can be subjected to anaerobic co-digestion for the production of biogas and digestate. Biogas can be further transformed into biomethane, a fuel that can be used to power surface transportation and …

A System to Simplify the Use of Mounted Shakers for Harvesting Olives and Dry Fruits

The shakers for harvesting olives and dry fruits have reached a high standard and their use is increasing rapidly. In order to satisfy the different demand, manufacturers offer a wide range of shakers, from the more expensive self-propelled ones to those to be mounted on the tractor’s power lift, with shaking headers of different mass and size, suitable for the different orchard characteristics. Self-propelled shakers have high steering capacity and optimum visual field for the operator, so their working capacity is very high with respect to that of mounted shakers, which are less expensive but have lower steering capacity and a limited view on the header. Therefore the approaching of mount…

Consumi energetici in diverse tipologie di minicaseifici

First tests of spatially variable rate herbicide application on Durum wheat in Sicily

Using the conventional farming system, durum wheat requires the spraying of high herbicide rates. Herbicide residues can cause pollution of soil and ground water. This paper refers to first tests of spatially variable rate herbicide application on durum wheat. The tests showed the effectiveness of the variable rate herbicide application, which allowed an almost even grain yield over the entire field and a saving of 27% of herbicide mixture.

Research activities in Italian university departments and institutes of Agricultural Engineering

The most common topics of research activities in Italian University Departments and Institutes of Agricultural Engineering are Power & Machinery, Post harvest technology and Soil & Water. The sources of funding in Italy come both from the public and the private sector. Especially postgraduate students are involved in research. External research funding is the largest part. Efficiency, effectiveness and quality of the research are evaluated using various parameters like total number of projects, number of participants, papers published, innovations and/or prototypes developed, patents awarded, etc. The results of research activities are disseminated by means of publications, conferences, wor…

L'ergonomia e la sicurezza delle macchine operatrici nelle aziende agricole siciliane

The agricultural machines available in a meaningful sample of farms in the Eastern and Central Sicily were surveyed with particular reference to the laws concerning with ergonomics and safety. The agricultural machines examined showed poor ergonomics and safety conditions. These results are caused by an insufficient maintenance or lack of protection and safety devices, depending also on the year of manufacture of the agricultural machines.

Energy consumptions in different mini dairy plants

Using modern plants, suitable for processing also small amounts of milk, sheep breeders, instead to sell their milk to some dairies, could earn the additional income due to cheese and ricotta sale. The fuel and electrical energy consumptions were measured and evaluated in some mini dairy plants. The results show that mini dairy plants powered by diesel fuel consume less energy per processed milk volume unit than those powered by liquid propane gas.

Prove di diserbo spazialmente variabile in un'azienda cerealicola siciliana

In soils having a significant within-field spatial variability of physiical, chemical and biological characteristics, conventional agriculture, based on the the distribution of equal rates of crop inputs (fertilisers, herbicides, pesticides, etc.) can cause excess of these inputs in some points and deficit in others. The implementation of precision agriculture can prevent these spoilage or deficit. Herbicide spraying is one of the field operations which can get economical benefits from the spatially variable soil managemnent. The section of Agricultural Mechanisation of the Department of Engineering and Technologies in Agriculture and Forestry (ITAF) has set up a system for spraying herbici…

Potential production of biogas from prinkly pear (opuntia ficus-indica L.) in sicilian uncultivated areas

The aim of this work is to evaluate the potential production of biogas and, indirectly, biomethane or electric and thermal energy, from prinkly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica L.), to be grown in a part of Sicilian uncultivated areas and co-digested together with the available livestock manure and slurry. In order to increase the Renewable Energy Sources (RES) and reduce the dependency from fossil ones, the conversion of biomass into biogas through Anaerobic Digestion (AD) process is paramount for producing biomethane, to be used as fuel for means of transport and agricultural machines or heating, or electric and thermal energy through Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plants. Moreover, the digestat…

Biodiversity and dairy traits of lactic acid bacteria from foliage of aromatic plants before and after dehydration process monitored by a smart sensors system

ABSTRACT The main hypothesis of this work was to evaluate the presence of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) intrinsically resistant to plant essential oils in sage (Salvia officinalis L.) and laurel (Laurus nobilis), for future applications in functional cheese production by addition of aromatic herbs. The effect of the drying process on the viability of LAB was evaluated with three biomass densities (3, 4 and 5 kg/m2). The drying densities did not affect weight loss, but influenced the levels of LAB of sage and laurel. A total of 10 different strains of Enterococcus faecium, Enterococcus mundtii, Enterococcus raffinosus and Leuconostoc mesenteroides were identified from laurel, while sage did not…

Dispositivo per il monitoraggio di superfici vegetali

La presente invenzione si riferisce al settore della diagnostica ambientale poiché fornisce un dispositivo che consente il monitoraggio dello stato fisiologico dei tappeti erbosi e di altre tipologie di coperture naturali che può essere anche impiegato per una accurata caratterizzazione e gestione delle coperture vegetali quali ad esempio campi sportivi, aree verdi naturali o artificiali e il relativo metodo.

Survey of the mean pressure exerted by a wide range of tractors on the soil

In order to predict the mean pressure exerted by a vehicle tyre on the soil, in 1984 Plackett suggested measuring the contact area of a tyre on a hard surface. The model proposed by Hallonborg in 1996, based on the “super ellipse theory”, provided the best results in terms of prediction of the tyre-soil contact area. In this study 82 4WD tractors with different power, mass and age of manufacture were surveyed. Relying on their technical features, the contact area of the front and rear tyres of each tractor and, therefore, their pressure on the soil was calculated, in order to assess the attention paid by manufacturers to soil compaction. The results of this survey showed that the mean press…

Design, Manufacturing, and Strength Test of a 4-post ROPS Fitted on a Very Low-Profile Tractor (TRACLAS Project)

To improve the safety level when agricultural tractors work on slope under canopy, INAIL (the Italian National Institute for Insurance against Accidents at Work) funded a research project, named TRACLAS, devoted to set-up a prototype of low-profile compact tractor, not exceeding 1.60 m overall height, equipped with a 4-post ROPS (RollOver Protective Structure). After the complete set-up of the prototype, some field and lab tests were carried out to compare its performance with those of some comparable tractor models already on the market, used in vineyards, orchards and greenhouses. A basic step of the TRACLAS project was the execution of the strength test of the customized 4-post frame (th…

Sicilian potential biogas production from Citrus industry by-product

In Europe, Italy is the second nation after Spain in Citrus production and 49% ca. of national fruit production is located in Sicily. The by-product obtained from the industrial processing of Citrus fruits into juice and essential oils is called “pastazzo” or Citrus Waste (CW). This study is aimed at evaluating the Sicilian potential biogas and energy production from the above “pastazzo” and verifying the possibility of using this by-product for Anaerobic Digestion (AD) process within 30 km from processing plants. The areas cultivated with Citrus species in Sicily and their distribution in the various municipal districts were mapped and analysed by means of QGIS software, together with the …

La rete tematica sugli studi universitari in Ingegneria Agraria in Europa (USAEE-TN)

Positioning Accuracy Comparison of GNSS Receivers Used for Mapping and Guidance of Agricultural Machines

Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) allow the determination of the 3D position of a point on the Earth&rsquo

The employment situation of the graduates of the Italian Faculties of Agriculture

No abstract

"Agrointernational Quality" per favorire l'internazionalizzazione delle aziende agricole Siciliane

Le aziende di piccole e medie dimensioni spesso non riescono ad intervenire attivamente nei mercati internazionali, per cui si rende necessario che le transazioni siano rese più semplici e veloci, mediante, la riduzione delle formalità e l’armonizzazione delle procedure amministrative e commerciali. In altri termini occorre attuare una “trade facilitation”, cioè la semplificazione e l’armonizzazione delle procedure e dei flussi informativi, mediante lo sviluppo di software multimediali e di portali web, in grado di fornire alle imprese agricole informazioni e soluzioni applicative sulla normativa, sulle procedure, sulla documentazione accompagnatoria (sia qualitativa che fiscale), sulle sch…