Performance Assessment of a Sensor-Based Variable-Rate Real-Time Fertilizer Applicator for Rice Crop

Hasan Mirzakhaninafchi (), Manjeet Singh, Anoop Kumar Dixit, Apoorv Prakash, Shikha Sharda, Jugminder Kaur and Ali Mirzakhani Nafchi ()
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Hasan Mirzakhaninafchi: Department of Agricultural Machinery and Technologies Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, Ataturk University, Erzurum 25240, Turkey
Manjeet Singh: Department of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology (COAET), Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana 141004, India
Anoop Kumar Dixit: Department of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology (COAET), Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana 141004, India
Apoorv Prakash: Department of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology (COAET), Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana 141004, India
Shikha Sharda: Department of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology (COAET), Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana 141004, India
Jugminder Kaur: Department of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology (COAET), Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana 141004, India
Ali Mirzakhani Nafchi: Precision Agriculture Extension, Raven Precision Agriculture Center, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD 57007, USA

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 18, 1-25

Abstract: Variable-rate technology (VRT) may reduce input costs, increase crop productivity and quality, and help to protect the environment. The present study was conducted to evaluate the performance of a variable-rate fertilizer applicator for rice ( Oryza sativa L.). Three replications were conducted, each of which was divided into four plots. Field performance of the system was assessed at different nitrogen levels (N1 to N4, i.e., 75, 125, 175, 225 kg ha −1 ), growth stages (tillering, panicle initiation, heading), and heights (40, 60, 80, 100 cm) of the sensor from the crop canopy. Fertilizer rate was at minimum 12.59 kg ha −1 at 10 rpm of drive-shaft rotational speed and at maximum 50.41 kg ha −1 at 40 rpm. The system response time was within the range of 3.53 to 4.93 s, with overall error ranging between 0.83% to 4.92%. Across different growth stages, when fertilizer rate was increased from N1 to N4, NDVI increased from 0.49 to 0.69. Hence, drive-shaft rotational speed is decreased from 25 to 7 rpm to shift the application rate from 30.83 to 9.15 kg ha −1 . There was a 45% reduction in total fertilizer rate applied by the system, with respect to the recommended rate.

Keywords: variable-rate fertilizer applicator; urea fertilizer; N application; N sensor; Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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