Search results for "040103 agronomy & agriculture"
showing 10 items of 794 documents
Grain legume seed filling in relation to nitrogen acquisition: A review and prospects with particular reference to pea
2001
International audience; Seed filling depends not only on the instantaneous supply of C and N, but also on their remobilisation from vegetative organs. C supply during seed filling depends mostly on current photosynthesis, but N assimilation and N$_2$ fixation decline during seed filling, with newly acquired N generally insufficient for the high seed demand. As seeds are strong sinks for mobilised nutrients, seed growth becomes metabolically closely associated with N remobilisation. N remobilisation from vegetative tissues to filling seeds interacts with photosynthesis since it induces senescence, which reduces the seed filling period. Hence improved grain legume seed filling requires either…
Optimising the efficiency of olive harvesting considering operator safety
2019
Mechanical-assisted harvesting of olives, which is carried out using hand-held harvesting units that detach the drupes through vibration supplied by electric motor or combustion engines, is a widespread method used in southern Italy. Such machines are able to harvest more than 80% of the overall quantity of olives available per tree in 5–10 min, but their performance is influenced by several factors related to the mechanical characteristics of the device and to the features of the trees. Here the problem of optimising harvesting efficiency whilst minimising the health risks to the operators is investigated, with the aim of demonstrating that it is possible to determine an optimum harvesting…
Closed-form solutions of the energy balance equation for drip laterals under the Darcy-Weisbach resistance formula
2018
Many studies have investigated easy methods to design drip laterals, as well as the best resistance equation to use, which is fundamental to accurately account for friction losses. This paper addresses both the features of lateral design relationships and the influence of the friction-loss equation on the design variables. First, simple closed-form solutions of the energy balance equation for both sloped and horizontal drip laterals are derived with the simplified Darcy-Weisbach resistance formula by assuming the Darcy friction factor as invariant versus the Reynolds number. Second, an error analysis is performed assuming the friction factor as constant in the design, which is compared to u…
First results of iButton® loggers and infrared camera application inside a greenhouse
2017
Greenhouse microclimate management (temperature, relative humidity) plays a very important role in order to optimize the production process improving pest and disease control, irrigation and energy efficiency. The systems mostly used in Sicily (south Italy) to record the ambient parameters are made up of fixed measuring stations able to give useful information about the climate inside the greenhouse limited to some pre-fixed points. In this study we texted a novel system made up of humidity and temperature data loggers (iButton®) placed inside a greenhouse. The iButton® temperature/humidity logger (DS1923) is a rugged, self-sufficient system that measures temperature and/or humidity and r…
Discussion of “Analysis of Geometrical Relationships and Friction Losses in Small-Diameter Lay-Flat Polyethylene Pipes” by Giuseppe Provenzano, Vince…
2016
For a lay-flat drip line with an inner nominal diameter dn = 16 mm, characterized by three different pipe wall thicknesses, WT, 6, 8 and 10 mil, the Authors of the original paper very accurately investigated the geometrical expansion of the cross-sectional diameter as a function of different pressure head values, ranging in between 0.84-17.55 m. Results obtained by the Authors, for pressure heads not exceeding a threshold pressure value, showed significant d variations, in a very narrow range of pressure heads, which however is seldom considered in practice (less than 3 m). The Authors experimentally evaluated a modified Blasius’ law friction coefficient, c, equal to 0.285, corresponding to…
Describing urban soils through a faceted system ensures more informed decision-making
2016
Urban areas are increasing worldwide at a dramatic rate and their soils definitely deserve more attention than they have received in the past. In urban environments, soils potentially provide the same ecosystem services as in rural and wild environments, although in some cases they are depleted of their basic functions, such as when they lose their productive and filtering capacities because of sealing, and become mere supports for infrastructures. In other cases, soils of urban areas acquire new functions that are unique to these environments. Current soil classifications fail to effectively account for the complexity of urban soils and the information that is required for their management…
New theoretical solution of the outflow process with a weir with complex shape
2016
AbstractIn this paper, the outflow process of a weir with an irregular shape is studied using dimensional analysis and the incomplete self-similarity theory. The new unique stage–discharge relationship, which is deduced theoretically, represents a novel and comprehensive equation to describe the weir outflow process for a full range of flow and different geometric variables of weirs, including finite-crested weirs, broad-crested weirs with positive or negative crest slope, broad-crested weirs with an upstream, downstream, or both upstream and downstream crest ramps, and, triangular weirs with an upstream or downstream ramp. Finally the proposed stage–discharge relationship is calibrated usi…
The role of plant species on runoff and soil erosion in a Mediterranean shrubland.
2021
Shrubland is a Mediterranean biome characterized by densely growing evergreen shrubs adapted to fire events. To date, scientific research has focused on the impact of vegetation on soil erosion mainly through the control that plant biomass or plant cover exerts on sediment delivery and runoff discharge, being the individual plant species influence on hydrological and erosional processes not achieved in detail. The objective of this research is to determine: i) runoff and soil losses in a shrubland-covered rangeland at Sierra de Enguera, Spain; and ii) how four plant species affect soil and water losses. We measured soil cover, soil properties, runoff discharge and sediment yield under natur…
Unravelling the importance of forest age stand and forest structure driving microbiological soil properties, enzymatic activities and soil nutrients …
2016
This study aimed to investigate the effects that stand age and forest structure have on microbiological soil properties, enzymatic activities and nutrient content. Thirty forest compartments were randomly selected at the Palancares y Agregados managed forest area (Spain), supporting forest stands of five ages; from 100 to 80years old to compartments with trees that were 19-1years old. Forest area ranging from 80 to 120years old and without forest intervention was selected as the control. We measured different soil enzymatic activities, soil respiration and nutrient content (P, K, Na, Mg, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb and Ca) in the top cm of 10 mineral soils in each compartment. Results sh…
Short-term changes in infiltration between straw mulched and non-mulched soils after wildfire in Mediterranean forest ecosystems
2018
Abstract Water infiltration is a basic parameter to understand the hydrological response of semi-arid or arid soils – where runoff generation is dominated by infiltration-excess – subjected to wildfire. To evaluate the hydrological effects of straw application on a sandy loam soil after wildfire, the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity, water content and temperature of mulched and nonmulched (considered as control) soils were monitored throughout eight months. Compared to untreated soils, straw maintained higher temperatures and water contents in mulched plots, but reduced their unsaturated hydraulic conductivity, particularly in the drier season. These results suggest that straw release may…