• Journal of Drive and Control
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.30-35
• /
• 2024

Domestic rice is more expensive than imported products, so it is necessary to reduce production costs to secure competitiveness. Low-density planting developed in Japan is a cultivation technology that reduces labor and production costs without yield loss. The area of low-density cultivation is continuously increasing. However, research on how rice transplanters adapt to low-density planting has not been conducted. Therefore, this study was carried out to determine the optimal working conditions of a rice transplanter for low-density planting. Three types of rice transplanters were used and treated based on 3 conveying distance levels. The number of picked seedlings, pick missing rate, the number of planted seedlings, and the mis-planted rate were investigated to evaluate planting accuracy according to the transfer distance to the seedling tray. The results showed that the number of planted seedlings was 4.31~4.95 EA with an L1 seedling tray transfer distance (horizontal 9 mm, vertical 8 mm), but the mis-planted rate was higher than in other conditions. At L2 (horizontal 9 mm, vertical 10 mm) and L3 (horizontal 11 mm, vertical 8 mm) transfer distance conditions, the number of planted seedlings were 4.89-5.68 EA and 4.69-5.66 EA, respectively, with a low mis-planted rate of less than 3%. The results showed that if the transfer distance is adjusted properly, a rice transplanter can be used for low-density planting with high planting accuracy.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
• /
• v.27 no.4
• /
• pp.335-340
• /
• 2002

Recently, in Korea, round bale wrapping silage made by fresh rice straw are partially utilized. The colors of stretch film using far wrapping the fresh rice straw round bale are white, green and black. The light transmittance of green and white color stretch film was not founded the difference. However, the light transmittance of black color stretch film was largely difference of two stretch films. This study was carried out to measure qualities of fresh rice straw wrapping silage by softening processing of fresh rice straw and colors effects of wrapping stretch film. The analyzed factors were the light transmittance of stretch film, variation of the temperature in fresh rice straw round bale and qualities of the silage in crude protein, ADF, NDF, organic acid, etc. It was difficult to find in this study the colors effects of stretch film on silage qualities by the silage wrapping. But, when make fresh rice straw wrapping silage, wrapping silage fermentation effect goes well more if handle softening the fresh rice straw.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
• /
• v.41 no.4
• /
• pp.294-303
• /
• 2016

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the profitability of four selective mechanization systems in rice cultivation. Methods: Field experiments were conducted in the farmers' field during the wet season (June to November) of 2015 in Bangladesh. Mechanization systems were applied to evaluate four different selective levels (treatment) in eleven consequent operations. Seedlings were raised in a traditional seedbed and trays for manual and mechanical transplanting, respectively. Land preparation, irrigation, fertilizer, pesticide, carrying, and threshing and cleaning operations were performed using the same method in all the experimental plots. The mechanical options in the transplanting, weeding, and harvesting operations were changed. The mechanization systems were $S_1$ = hand transplanting + hand weeding + harvesting by sickle, $S_2$ = mechanical transplanting + Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) weeder + reaper, $S_3$ = mechanical transplanting + BRRI power weeder + reaper, and $S_4$ = mechanical transplanting + herbicide + reaper. This experiment was performed in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Power tiller, rice transplanter, BRRI weeder, BRRI power weeder, self-propelled reaper, BRRI open drum thresher, and BRRI winnower were used in the respective operations. Accordingly, the techno-economic performances of the different technologies were calculated and compared with those of the traditional system. Results: The mechanically transplanted plot produced 6-10% more yield than the hand transplanted plot because of the use of tender-aged seedlings. Mechanical transplanting reduced 61% labor and 18% cost compared to manual transplanting. The BRRI weeder, BRRI power weeder, and herbicide application reduced 74, 91, and 98% labor, respectively. The latter also saved 72, 63, and 82% cost, respectively, compared to hand weeding. Herbicide application reduced the substantial amount of labor and cost in the weeding operation. Mechanical harvesting also saved 96% labor and 72% cost compared to the traditional method of harvesting using sickle. Selective mechanization saved 15-17% input cost compared to the traditional method of rice cultivation. Conclusions: Mechanical transplanting with the safe use of herbicide and harvesting by reaper is the most cost- and labor-saving operation. The method might be the recommended set of selective mechanization for enhancing productivity.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Agricultural Machinery Conference
• /
• 2000.11b
• /
• pp.363-369
• /
• 2000

A survey on the rice processing facilities scattered in the country was conducted in order to collect some basic data for the facilities upgrading and renovation plans. Thirty RPC and 287 custom rice mills were randomly selected among 30 cities and counties in eight provinces where the present status of facilities, management practices and other matters were monitored and evaluated. Following are the major findings of this survey.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
• /
• v.24 no.5
• /
• pp.453-462
• /
• 1999

At the time of discontinuing the publishing of RDA Journal of Farm management and agricultural engineering the present paper is to review the research results produced since 1962 to 1998. During the three decades, from 1960s to 1980s, the main research efforts were focused o mechanization of rice farming which contributed in food grain productions. In the 1990s, the research direction was shifted to horticultural productions and producing high quality agricultural products. We had put stress on practical use of farm mechanization, mainly on transplanting and seeding operation for rice and upland and horticultural crops productions and harvest and threshing machinery developments, in which we thought our research direction had not been quite right. However, in the future we are going to promote mechanization on livestock and upland crops productions. Furthermore, we have a plan to employ cutting edge technologies in agricultural machinery developments in order to automate and unman all farm operations satisfying the needs of advanced agricultural mechanization technology in the twenty first century.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Agricultural Machinery Conference
• /
• 2000.11b
• /
• pp.405-412
• /
• 2000

A natural air in-bin grain dryer with a grain circulator was developed for on farm use. Natural air drying test for rough rice was carried out to evaluate drying rate, uniformity of moisture content distribution in grain bed and energy consumption. It took 10 days to dry 8 ton of paddy rice from 21.9%(w.b) to 16.7%(w.b) moisture contents using the prototype dryer. The average drying rate was 0.52%/day. The uniformity of moisture content after drying was superior to the conventional natural air dryer where is grains were not circulated during drying periods. The dryer performance evaluation index was 738.3KJ/(kg.water), which was more effective than that of grain circulation t)pe hot air dryer(3,500-5,000 KJ/kg.water).

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
• /
• v.21 no.4
• /
• pp.474-481
• /
• 1996

Farm mechanization has been rapidly progressed in rice farming since the 1980's, in Korea. The mechanization has been achieved up to 95-97% in the year of 1995, except irrigation and drying process. However, rice production cost remains much more expensive than the cost of other rice farming countries. Since labor cost shares a major portion of the production costs, it is essential to save labor cost with automation and more sophisticated mechanization. However, it requires great capital investment which causes farm management worse. Therefore, the computer program was developed which can select machines to minimize the management and maintenance cost by analyzing available working days in different areas, machinery to purchase, farming size, total farming size in a village, number of machines and custom fee.

• Journal of Drive and Control
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.36-43
• /
• 2024

The yield is basic and necessary information in precision agriculture that reduces input resources and enhances productivity. Yield information is important because it can be used to set up farming plans and evaluate farming results. Yield monitoring systems are commercialized in the United States and Japan but not in Korea. Therefore, such a system must be developed. This study was conducted to develop a yield monitoring system that improved performance by correcting a previously developed flow sensor using a grain tank-weighing system. An impact-plated type flow sensor was installed in a grain tank where grains are placed, and grain tank-weighing sensors were installed under the grain tank to estimate the weight of the grain inside the tank. The grain flow rate and grain weight prediction models showed high correlations, with coefficient of determinations (R2) of 0.9979 and 0.9991, respectively. A main controller of the yield monitoring system that calculated the real-time yield using a sensor output value was also developed and installed in a combine harvester. Field tests of the combine harvester yield monitoring system were conducted in a rice paddy field. The developed yield monitoring system showed high accuracy with an error of 0.13%. Therefore, the newly developed yield monitoring system can be used to predict grain weight with high accuracy.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.52-60
• /
• 1990

The main purpose of this report is to analyse the utilization results of farm machinery, farm mechanization rate and influences on the farm household economy. These results are summarized as follows : 1) The annual working days of major farm machinery are from 34.3 to 68.8 days for power tillers and tractors ; 7.9 to 8.5 days for rice transplanters ; 3.6 to 6.9 days for binders ; and, from 18.6 to 20.6 days for combines. Also income and expenditures of the farm management reveals al surplus in major farm machinery except for binders. 2) The popularization rate of major farm machinery is currently low, reaching the level of the early 1970's in Japan and the level of the early 1980's in Taiwan for rice transplanters and harvesters respectively. 3) The farm mechanization rate is 81.7% in plowing & levelling, 66.3% in rice transplanting, 87.5% in pest and disease control, 62.1% in harvesting and 12.5% in drying. However the farm mechanization rate of rice transplanting, harvesting and drying still remains at a low level. 4) The composition rates of farm machinery and implements are 10.2% in farm management expenditures (23.6% in Japan) and 13.2% in fixed capitals (29.4% in Japan) which still reflect a low level, and below that of the 1970's in Japan. From these analysis results, farm mechanization contributes to the improvement of farm management. Nevertheless, the popularization status and mechanization rate are still at a low level in korea. Therefore, it is deemed desirable to furthure promote effective utilization methods and guide farmers in higher safety utilization and management technology.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Agricultural Machinery Conference
• /
• 1996.06a
• /
• pp.58-62
• /
• 1996