• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.134-141
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• 2014

Purposes: This study was to validate the Robotic Smart Work System that can provides better working conditions and high productivity in unstructured environments like bio-industry, based on a tele-operation system for fruit harvesting with low cost 3-D positioning system on the laboratory level. Methods: For the Robotic Smart Work System for fruit harvesting and cultivation management in agriculture, a vision based tele-operating system and 3-D position information are key elements. This study proposed Robotic Smart Farming, an agricultural version of Robotic Smart Work System, and validated a 3-D position information system with a low cost omni camera and a laser marker system in the lab environment in order to get a vision based tele-operating system and 3-D position information. Results: The tasks like harvesting of the fixed target and cultivation management were accomplished even if there was a short time delay (30 ms ~ 100 ms). Although automatic conveyor works requiring accurate timing and positioning yield high productivity, the tele-operation with user's intuition will be more efficient in unstructured environments which require target selection and judgment. Conclusions: This system increased work efficiency and stability by considering ancillary intelligence as well as user's experience and knowhow. In addition, senior and female workers will operate the system easily because it can reduce labor and minimized user fatigue.

• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2014

The study on design criteria of solid-liquid separator for dairy farms was done by testing various screens, presses, and RPMs of screw auger with remodeled screw-press type pig-manure separator. The moisture content of separated solid increase from 68.3% to 74.2% as auger rotating speed increased from 9.8 to 29.2 RPM at 34.8 kPa of pressure and 1.0 mm of slit wedge wire screen condition. The moisture contents of separated solid were 72~77%, work efficiencies were 16~18 kg/min at 1.0 mm of slit wedge wire screen. The efficiency was higher than one at 0.5 mm of slit wedge wire screen, which was used to separate for pig manure. The best work efficiency was 18 kg/min at 42.5 kPa, 1.0 mm slit screen. The separated solid moisture content was 75% at this condition.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.7 no.6
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• pp.510-518
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• 2013

This study aims to demonstrate the effect of farming technology on introducing medicinal plants (MP) and wild food plants (WFP) into a traditional agricultural system within peri-urban zones. Field investigations and semi-structured focus group interviews conducted in the Buhozi community showed that 27 health and nutrition problems dominated in the community, and could be treated with 86 domestic plant species. The selected domestic MP and WFP species were collected in the broad neighboring areas of the Buhozi site, and introduced to the experimental field of beans and maize crops in Buhozi. Among the 86 plants introduced, 37 species are confirmed as having both medicinal and nutritional properties, 47 species with medicinal, and 2 species with nutritional properties. The field is arranged in a way that living hedges made from Tithonia diversifolia provide bio-fertilizers to the plants growing along the hedges. The harvest of farming crops does not disturb the MP or WFP, and vice-versa. After harvesting the integrated plants, the community could gain about 40 times higher income, than from harvesting farming crops only. This kind of field may be used throughout the year, to provide both natural medicines and foods. It may therefore contribute to increasing small-scale crop producers' livelihood, while promoting biodiversity conservation. This model needs to be deeply documented, for further pharmaceutical and nutritional use.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2014

The Kenyan aquaculture sector is broadly categorized into freshwater aquaculture and mariculture. Whereas freshwater aquaculture has recorded significant progress over the last decade, the mariculture sector has yet to be fully exploited. The Kenyan aquaculture industry has seen slow growth for decades until recently, when the government-funded Economic Stimulus Program increased fish farming nationwide. Thus far, the program has facilitated the alleviation of poverty, spurred regional development, and led to increased commercial thinking among Kenyan fish farmers. Indeed, national aquaculture production grew from 1,000 MT/y in 2000 (equivalent to 1% of national fish production) to 12,000 MT/y, representing 7% of the national harvest, in 2010. The production is projected to hit 20,000 MT/y, representing 10% of total production and valued at USD 22.5 million over the next 5 years. The dominant aquaculture systems in Kenya include earthen and lined ponds, dams, and tanks distributed across the country. The most commonly farmed fish species are Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus, which accounts for about 75% of production, followed by African catfish Clarias gariepinus, which contributes about 21% of aquaculture production. Other species include common carp Cyprinus carpio, rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss, koi carp Cyprinus carpio carpio, and goldfish Carassius auratus. Recently, Kenyan researchers have begun culturing native fish species such as Labeo victorianus and Labeo cylindricus at the National Aquaculture Research Development and Training Centre in Sagana. Apart from limited knowledge of modern aquaculture technology, the Kenyan aquaculture sector still suffers from an inadequate supply of certified quality seed fish and feed, incomprehensive aquaculture policy, and low funding for research. Glaring opportunities in the Kenyan aquaculture industry include the production of live fish food, e.g., Artemia, daphnia and rotifers, marine fish and shellfish larviculture; seaweed farming; cage culture; integrated fish farming; culture of indigenous fish species; and investment in the fish feed industry.

• Smart Media Journal
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.16-21
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• 2014

The demand for food rises proportionally as population grows. To be able to achieve sustainable supply of livestock products, efficient farm management is a necessity. With the advancement in technology it also brought innovations that could be harness in order to achieve better productivity in animal production and agriculture. Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) is a budding concept of making use of smart sensors or available devices to automatically and continuously monitor and manage livestock production. With this concept, this paper introduces a swine management system that integrates image processing technique for weight monitoring. This system captures pig images using camera, evaluate and estimate the weight base on the captured image. It is comprised of Pig Module, Breeding Module, Health and Medication Module, Weighr Module, Data Analysis Module and Report Module to help swine farm administrators better understand the performance and situation of the swine farm. This paper aims to improve the management in both small and big livestock raisers.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.65 no.4
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• pp.1-10
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• 2023

As a result of climate change, non-point source pollution (NPS) from farmland with the steep slope during the rainy season is expected to have a significant impact on the water system. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of furrow mulching using alfalfa and PAM (Polyacrylamide) materials for each rainfall event, while considering the load characteristics of NPS. The study was conducted in Wanju-gun, Jeollabuk-do, in 2022, with a testbed that had a slope of 13%, sandy loam soil, and maize crops. The testbed was composed of four plots: bare soil (Bare), No mulching (Cont.), Vegetation mulching (VM), and PAM mulching (PM). Runoff was collected from each rainfall event using a 1/40 sampler and the NPS load was calculated by measuring the concentrations of SS, T-N, T-P, and TOC. During farming season, the reduction efficiency of NPS load was 37.1~59.5% for VM and 38.2~75.7% for PM. The analysis found that VM had a linear regression correlation (R²=0.28~0.86, P-value=0.01~0.1) with elapsed time of application, while PM had a quadratic regression correlation (R²=0.35~0.80, P-value=0.1). These results suggest that the selection of furrow mulch materials and the appropriate application method play a crucial role in reducing non-point pollution in farmland. Therefore, further studies on the time-series reduction effect based on the application method are recommended to develop more effective preemptive reduction technologies.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.33 no.7
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• pp.501-509
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• 2024

Prunus mume is a culturally significant fruit tree in East Asia that is widely used in traditional foods and medicines. The present study investigated the effects of sunlight exposure and leaf position on the photosynthetic efficiency of P. mume using SPAD values. The study was conducted at Cheongju National University of Education, Korea, under contrasting conditions between sunny (Site A) and shaded (Site B) areas on P. mume trees. Over three days, under varied weather, photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) and SPAD measurements were collected using a SPAD-502 plus chlorophyll meter and a smartphone PPFD meter application. The SPAD values of the 60 leaves were measured in triplicate for each tree. The results indicated that trees in sunny locations consistently exhibited higher SPAD values than those in shaded areas, implying greater photosynthetic efficiency. Moreover, leaves positioned higher in the canopy showed increased photosynthetic efficiency under different light conditions, underscoring the significance of leaf placement and light environment in photosynthetic optimization. Despite the daily sunlight variability, these factors maintained a consistent influence on SPAD values. This study concludes that optimal leaf positioning, influenced by direct sunlight exposure, significantly enhances photosynthetic efficiency in P. mume. These findings highlight the potential of integrating smart farming techniques, especially open-field smart farming technology, to improve photosynthesis and, consequently, crop yield and efficiency. The findings also highlight the need for further exploration of environmental factors affecting photosynthesis for agricultural advancement.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.260-264
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• 2006

Talaromyces flavus mediates the transmission of Apple stem grooving virus (ASGV) to several host plants. The ASGV-F carried by T.flavus was partially purified from the fungus. Based on sequence analysis and homology searches, this is closely related to other ASGV strains isolated from host plants. The partially purified viral coat protein (CP) was separated on a 12% SDS-polyacrylamide gel and analyzed by Western blotting with an ASGV anti-serum. A single band at 28 kDa reacted with the ASGV anti-serum. The deduced amino acid sequence of the ORF-l showed conserved domains, including an NTP-binding helicase motif, GFAGSGKT. The amino acid sequences of the helicase and CP showed strong homology to other ASGV strains (98%). All ASGV isolated from plants and fungi had salt bridges composed of the CP and the GFAGSGKT motif of the helicase, which are commonly conserved in plant viruses. These results suggest that ASGV-F is one of ASGV strains isolated from T.flavus based on sequence similarity as well as the serological analysis of CP.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.248-254
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• 2006

Pear black necrotic leaf spot (PBNLS) on pear trees (Pyrus pyrifolia) is caused by a Korean isolate of Apple stem grooving virus (ASGV-K). Yellow spots were detected in Phaseolus vulgaris (kidney bean) and Chenopodium quinoa which were grown near the diseased pears in year 2000 through 2003. The ASGV-K, the causative agent of PBNLS, was detected from the symptoms of the diseased kidney bean plant and C. quinoa. ASGV-harboring fungi were also isolated from symptomatic plants and from soils surrounding the infected plants. The ASGV-harboring fungus was identified and characterized as Talaromyces flavus. Ecopathological studies showed that the number of ASGV-harboring fungi on the pear leaves was not correlated with differences in temperature or severity of symptoms. Additionally, there was no difference in fungus frequency among the orchard locations or different host plants. Although the frequency of fungi isolated from the soil was not affected by changes in temperature or location, the fungi occurred at higher densities in the rhizosphere than in the plants themselves.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.140-146
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• 2014

This experiment aimed to evaluate the effects of different housing systems on behavioral activities, welfare and meat quality of fast-growing broilers. Two hundred broilers were allocated into two housing systems: indoor housing vs indoor with outdoor access. Their general behavior (feeding, drinking, fighting, standing, lying, walking, investigating, dust-bathing and preening) was observed, and tonic immobility, fluctuating asymmetry of legs and wings were measured, and meat quality was analyzed. The results showed that the indoor-housed broilers with outdoor access had significant higher standing, walking, investigating, dust-bathing and preening than those indoor only. However, farming system was not found to significantly affect their feeding, drinking and fighting activities (p>0.05). The value of FA of tibia length of the broilers with outdoor access was significantly lower than that of the indoor-housed birds ($1.57{\pm}1.30$ vs $2.76{\pm}1.40$, p<0.05), while no difference was found for the value of FA in tibia diameter and wing length (p>0.05). TI of the broilers with outdoor access was 165.5 that was significantly higher than that (147.2) of the indoor birds (p<0.05). However, death rate in the outdoor run groups was significantly higher than that of the indoor ones ($2.0{\pm}0.81$ vs $4.0{\pm}0.82$, p<0.05). Meat quality was not affected by the two farming systems. It can be concluded that the results of this study may suggest that the indoor housing with outdoor access provides enriched environment for broilers and facilitates the expression of natural behaviors of the broilers but resulted in poorer performance and higher death rate.