Machinery and Technologies For Soil Tillage and Mineral Fertilizer Application

Abstract

The advancement of equipment used for the application of mineral fertilizers and chemical plant protection products is a key prerequisite for their efficient and safe use. (Research purpose) To conduct a retrospective analysis of the development of technical means for the application of mineral fertilizers and chemical plant protection products. (Materials and methods) Monographs, original and review scientific publications, and technical documentation were studied using chronological, genetic historical, and descriptive methods. (Results and discussion) The study shows that the evolution of fertilizer application machinery is associated with the gradual adoption of diff erent application methods, while the evolution of sprayers, as key technical means of plant protection, has progressed alongside the introduction of various liquid spraying principles. At the same time, the boundaries between types and groups of agricultural machines have become increasingly blurred. The contribution of domestic scientists and specialists (A.P. von Poshman, A.E. Zaikevich, F.M. Solovey) to the advancement of chemical application technology is highlighted. A common trend identified for both mineral fertilizer spreaders and sprayers is the increase in working width, operating speed, and productivity accompanying the intensification of agricultural chemicalization. (Conclusions) The development of equipment for the application of mineral fertilizers and chemical plant protection products has evolved from primitive devices and machines to automated and adaptive technical systems within the framework of precision agriculture, driven by the widespread adoption of digital and robotic technologies and artificial intelligence. In the near future, the technical advancement of these machine groups will be determined less by fundamental design changes and more by the implementation of the precision agriculture paradigm.