Ammonia emissions are a worldwide major environmental concern. In 2017, ammonia emissions in the European part of Russia amounted to 80.9 thousand tons, of which up to 56.9 thousand tons came from agriculture. The main source of ammonia in this sector is the farm animal/poultry manure (slurry) utilisation technologies. Slurry acidification technology (SAT) is one of the methods to reduce ammonia emissions. (Research purpose) To assess the potential application of this technology in the Russian part of the Baltic Sea catchment area within the North-West Federal District of the Russian Federation. (Materials and methods) The area under study included Republic of Karelia, Kaliningrad, Leningrad, Novgorod and Pskov Regions. The authors considered the statistical data on the farm animal stock and the slurry output in the pilot area. The dynamic pattern of pig slurry pH was experimentally determined. The economic efficiency of slurry acidification technology was calculated for two functioning livestock complexes. (Results and discussion) According to statistical data, around 11.8 million tons of animal/poultry manure is produced in the pilot area annually, including around 7.4 million tons of slurry, which could potentially be acidified. Three SAT options – in-house, in-storage and in-field application – were considered for the Russian conditions. The main limiting factors for SAR application were identified. The SAT introduction costs and economic benefits were compared. (Conclusions) The prospects of SAT introduction in the pilot region were estimated. The need for the integrated research under the Russian conditions involving engineers, biologists, soil scientists, ecologists and other specialists, who could prove the feasibility and economic efficiency of the slurry acidification technology, was established.  

When planting, most planters coulters enter the ground from the top. They meet hard clods of soil, jump, changing the depth of planting seeds. Some seeds are thrown to the surface. As a result, the sowing germination, as well as yield, decreases. (Research purpose) To develop an innovative soil-cultivating pointed paw, eliminating the rejection of soil and the formation of unevenness of the surface, as well as increasing the productivity of the cultivator. (Materials and methods) The authors determined the setting parameters of the developed deflector pointed paw with the involvement of mathematical device and taking into account the requirements for the working bodies of soil-cultivating units. (Results and discussion) The authors developed an innovative deflector pointed paw. A triangular deflector was placed over the ploughshare. They determined the optimal angle of deflector inclination in the horizontal plane-15-25 degrees, and the height of the installation of the pointed paw over the blade- in 1.5 times above the depth of soil cultivation. It was found that the rear part of the deflector, which has a serrated shape and curved down, allows to grind the soil, forming a small-lumpy structure. It was shown that the soil, moving along the deflector, in collision with the curved part returns to the surface, closing and leveling the formed furrow. The triangular shape of the rack between the ploughshare and the deflector significantly reduces the clogging of coulters with plant residues. (Conclusions) The authors proved that the leveled soil surface with a finely lumpy structure of the top layer can be obtained using a deflector pointed paw, which eliminates the use of rollers. This reduces the material consumption of the cultivator, fuel consumption, and productivity increases by 50 percent as a result of increasing the speed of soil cultivation to 18 kilometers per hour.

Sharp fluctuation in the traction resistance of a moldboard plow arising when changing working conditions can be decreased by improving the plow design. (Research purpose) To reduce or eliminate changes in the traction resistance of a plow using automatic tillage depth regulators, which will reduce the energy consumption of the unit and, therefore, increase its productivity. (Materials and methods) The authors considered two different groups of moldboard plows differing in the type of the frame fastening to the tractor suspension axis, and examined their advantages and disadvantages. To determine the rational design parameters of a plow, they estimated the influence of the relative position of working bodies on the traction resistance and tillage depth, as well as on the change in the shape and transverse area of a soil layer. (Results and discussion) The paper presents the established relationships, which show that when the angle of a working body is set in the transverse plane upward, there is a jump in traction resistance depending on the overlap amount of the working bodies. The study has revealed the relationship between traction resistance and the position of the plow rotation axis: the less the plow deviates from its rotation axis, the more intensively traction resistance decreases. Three structural designs of plows used on the soil with a resistivity of 0.8 kilograms per square centimeter have been analyzed and the most appropriate design has been chosen. It was determined that the change in traction resistance per unit of change in the average depth of plowing for the first plow scheme 146 kilograms per centimeter, for the second – 128, for the third – 210 kilograms per centimeter. (Conclusions) It has been revealed that the best structural design is that of a semi-mounted plow having a hinge-joint connection with a tractor in the transverse plane and support wheels resting on the field surface. Plows with this structural design have shown high technological reliability in tests, as well as a significant increase in productivity (with draft control of up to 10-11 percent) without deteriorating the working conditions of a tractor driver and field performance indicators.

The high energy intensity associated with rotary tillage of soil serves as a deterrent for its widespread use. Rotary tillers are used in cases when there are no alternatives as to the soil quality, especially when machining hard and sod-covered soils. The authors have described new modernized rotary tillers of a serrated type and considered the optimal location of knives relative to the drum. (Research purpose) To determine the relationships for calculating the pitch of a serrated-type rotary tiller for soil preparation before potato planting. (Materials and methods) The authors have noted that currently, there are no methods for selecting the main parameters and operation modes of serrated-type rotary tillers. The research has proved that a new approach is required for selecting the working surface profile of the rotary tiller knife in order to reduce the energy consumption of tillage and improve its quality. The authors have used mathematical and graphical calculations to determine the optimal pitch of the tiller foot. (Results and discussion) The paper presents an expression for determining the amount of soil loosening during the operation of rotary tillers. It has been calculated that an increase in the tillage depth from 0.10 to 0.15 meters results in an increase in the pitch of a tiller foot from 0.04 to 0.06 meters and the optimal value is 0.05 meters. For approximate engineering calculations, it has been assumed that the optimal parameter of a foot pitch is 0.25-0.45 of the knife loading value. (Conclusions) It has been found that the number of knives in one section and the operating width of a knife do not affect the optimal tooth pitch. It has been determined that this indicator linearly depends on the depth of tillage: as it increases by 0.05 meters, the optimal foot step increases by 0.025 meters. It has been shown that as the working speed of the rotary tiller increases, specific energy consumption required for the treatment of a furrow slice decreases, and the efficiency of soil tillage improves.

The authors have proved that grain crops in Siberia are cultivated using primarily extensive technologies and inadequate technical support, which makes farm produce uncompetitive. Further intensification of crop cultivation requires increasing the accuracy of technological operations. However, the insufficient availability of modern machinery remains the main limiting factor in the technological modernization of agriculture. The study has revealed that further prospects for the efficiency growth in using mechanized technologies for cultivating grain crops are offered by soil cultivation, which consumes from 30 to 40 percent of all energy costs. (Research purpose) is to justify the methodological principles of automatic controlling an energy-intensive process of tillage in agricultural technologies of grain cultivation. (Materials and methods) Use has been made of the methods of statistical analysis and synthesis of technical control means. (Results and discussion) The study has proved the necessity of the intellectualization of farm production. The authors have developed a system of automatic mode regulation belonging to the class of automatic adaptive systems with programmable positional control of input data and ensures that the machine-and-tractor unit is in the optimal range of energy modes. The minimum of dynamic error has been accepted as the quality criterion of the positional control system. To measure it, use has been made of Mahalanobis-type metric taking account of the Hamming distance. The operation of a machine-and-tractor unit has been controlled by power and kinematic regulation of the engine operating modes on tractors with a hydraulic gearbox and a gas-turbocharged engine. The effect was directed on the fuel pump rail or the fuel control lever, the gear shift lever, and the hydraulic system levers. (Conclusions) The study has revealed a random nature of the change in traction resistance of the machine-and-tractor unit caused by the heterogeneity of the soil cover. The authors have determined that this leads to increased energy intensity, as well as insufficient performance of built-in information systems indicating the current energy modes of operation of the machine-and-tractor unit operation. To control and regulate the soil heterogeneity by its hardness, a new technical solution has been proposed. The authors have proved that the developed and tested theoretical foundations and technical means of automatic control of energy-intensive technological processes of tillage ensure the required quality indicators.

In order to evaluate the initial requirements for a coolant when designing an installation for obtaining the energy of the “water – ice” phase transition, it is necessary to conduct experimental studies on the thermophysical and electrophysical parameters of the coolant. The type of chosen coolant determines the power of the developed installation. (Research purpose) Experimental determination of the thermophysical and electrophysical parameters of the coolant when exposed to an electromagnetic field of super-high frequency, with the prospect of using this coolant in the developed installation. (Materials and methods) The authors used water and a saline solution of sodium chloride at a concentration of 1–20 percent as a coolant in the developed experimental installation for obtaining the energy of the “water-ice” phase transition. When exposed to an electromagnetic field of super-high frequency (microwave oven Mystery MMW-2315G) with a power of 800 watts and a magnetron frequency of 2450 megahertz, the treatment time was alternatively set at 30, 60 and 120 seconds. Measurements were taken of freezing temperature, pH of water and solutions, electrical conductivity, and salt concentration. (Results and discussion) It has been found that when a super-high-frequency electromagnetic field affects a sodium chloride solution at a concentration of 20 percent, its freezing temperature decreases from 16.6 degrees Celsius below zero to 18.5 degrees Celsius below zero, for a eutectic solution - from 21.2 degrees Celsius below zero to 25 degrees Celsius below zero, while pH and salt concentration increase, and specific electrical conductivity decreases as well. (Conclusions) The authors have selected an optimal coolant for the developed experimental installation: a saline solution of sodium chloride at a concentration of 20 percent and a freezing temperature of 16.6 degrees Celsius below zero. It is recommended to provide additional capacity for the electrophysical treatment of the coolant. It has been determined that after the super-high frequency electromagnetic treatment, the freezing temperature of the saline solution dropped to 18.5 degrees Celsius below zero.

Digital agriculture predetermines the development of robotic agricultural technologies for the application of pesticides and fertilizers using unmanned aerial systems, which are based on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with a certain working load for monitoring agricultural land and applying agrochemicals. (Research purpose) To develop a technology for variable-rate application of pesticides and fertilizers using unmanned aerial vehicles in digital agriculture. (Materials and methods) In the process of study, the authors used the methodological recommendations on the application of chemicals in the precision farming system (offered by VIM), as well as the normative and technical documentation for unmanned aircraft systems. (Results and discussion) It was shown that the developed technology includes the sequential execution of information and technological operations in off-line and on-line modes. It was found that the application rate of the liquid pesticides of 10-20 liters per hectare reduces losses due to drift from the treatment area and ensures the highest productivity of pesticide application using unmanned aerial vehicles. It was determined that the field processing performance increases as the run length increases, and decreases with the increasing flow rate of the liquid chemical. The rational run length was established to equal 0.8-3.2 kilometers. The authors established requirements for the spraying quality of unmanned aerial vehicles. It was proved that to increase the productivity of unmanned aerial vehicles during plant top-dressing, it is necessary to use unmanned aerial vehicles with a larger working load of 300-400 kilograms. (Conclusions) The authors have developed a technology for variable-rate application of pesticides and fertilizers using unmanned aerial vehicles, algorithms for preparing them for flight, monitoring agricultural lands, making a field orthophotomap, electronic maps of vegetation indices, the phytosanitary status of crops, and variable-rate application of pesticides and fertilizers.

The main quality indicators of tractor trains (the number of trailers and their total load capacity, speed and stability of movement, braking distance, etc.) depends largely on the correct choice of the type of a base tractor. The existing methodological principles for optimizing the dimension range of agricultural tractors do not take into account the type of trailers. Therefore, the task of a rational choice of the base tractor type, taking into account the most complete utilization of the capacity of existing trailers and engine power, has become rather relevant. (Research purpose) Selection of a tractor model for hitching a group of 2PTS-4-793-03A two-axle trailers according to the criteria for carrying capacity and energy consumption of a tractor train. (Materials and methods) The authors have studied mass, weight and velocity parameters of the 2PTS-4-793-03A two-axle trailers, as well as the parameters characterizing the mechanical capabilities of the studied tractor. The studies employed the methods of implement mounting on machine-tractor units and elements of the theory of a tractor. (Results and discussion) The authors offer an algorithm of solving a problem of choosing a tractor. As a results, the ТТZ 60.10 tractor with a wheel formula of 4К2 available at farm enterprises and included in machine-and-tractor fleets and clusters has been selected as a power base of a tractor train. The authors have determined the number of trailers, which equals four, the tractor train speed ranges of 4-28 kilometers per hour, the tractor engine power amounting to 8.5-59.5 kilowatts, changes in critical values of the effective engine power corresponding to 13.492-94.444 kilowatts, as well as specified some other criteria. (Conclusions) The ТТZ 60.10 tractor with a wheel formula 4К2 and 46.7 kilowatt of effective engine capacity has been considered the optimal choice. It has been proved that this tractor can move four 2PTS-4-793-03A two-axle trailers with a total weight of 15,600 kilograms along asphalt-concrete roads with a rational speed of 9.505 kilometers per hour. The rationality of choice has been proved by calculating energy saving criteria: full traction efficiency accounts for 60 percent, engine load factor is 89 percent, and traction power utilization amounts to 96 percent.

Reducing energy costs of using grain cleaning and drying equipment is an urgent, but difficult task for agricultural producers. When organizing the operation of grain drying equipment, the problem arises of forming optimal configuration options for production lines from the standpoint of energy saving, taking into account the properties of the source material and commercial products, the condition and technical level of the equipment, and other factors. The use of the energy-saving optimization method to increase energy efficiency and reduce the energy consumption of grain drying equipment in the scientific and methodological literature is not sufficiently covered. (Research purpose) To adapt the criteria and algorithm of energy-saving optimization of field technology to assess and improve the status of energy efficiency, reduce energy consumption and identify the maximum available energy saving potential of grain drying equipment during energy audit. (Materials and methods) The authors examined the problem of reducing the energy intensity of the production lines of grain drying equipment. They justified the applicability of the method and particular criteria for the energy efficiency of post-harvest technologies to the task of its energy-saving optimization. They also developed an optimization algorithm with a mathematical description and a set of input data. (Results and discussion) The authors determined the requirements for grain drying equipment to be considered energy efficient. It was established that when using the reference basic analogue, the manufacturer’s shortage of financial resources and the absence of sponsors, this status is unattainable, and the expected direct energy saving potential is practically unachievable. The authors proposed the target function of energysaving optimization of grain drying equipment - the maximum available direct energy-saving potential and the calculation method. (Conclusions) The paper provides the offered criteria and a developed algorithm for energy-saving optimization of grain drying equipment, which reduces the direct energy consumption of production lines and energy costs. The authors developed methods for determining and analyzing input and output data, evaluating energy efficiency status, and principles for updating equipment. They proposed a method for calculating the direct energy-saving potential taking into account the existing technical, technological and financial limitations. The practical application of the study results will ensure correct, reliable and efficient assessment of energy costs of using grain drying equipment and their reduction to an affordable minimum.

Grain transportation from a combine harvester to a post-harvest grain processing center (hereinafter referred to as “elevator”) in Kazakhstan has its own specific features: significant grain transportation distances of more than 5 kilometers, country roads without a special paving, uneven and rough terrains, large field sizes, uncertain grain transportation routes from the field to the elevator. This reduces the speed of grain transportation, increases the time spent on transportation, requires a lot of vehicles, and makes difficulties in ensuring the coherent interaction of transport vehicles and combine harvesters. It is especially important to take this into account when transporting seeds on seed farms that use the pre-sowing seed irradiation technology to increase the productivity of seeds. (Research purpose) To classify the regions of Kazakhstan by the scale of grain production, determine the parameters of typical seed farms and to calculate their optimal parameters of grain transporting with simultaneous grain irradiation during transportation, minimizing mutual downtime of combine harvesters and transport vehicles during grain crop harvesting in the Republic of Kazakhstan. (Materials and methods) The study was carried out using the most typical for Kazakhstan SK-5M Niva combine harvesters and a GАZ-53 vehicles. The vehicle body was equipped with lowfrequency electromagnetic radiators and a special leveling device for grain input from a combine harvester through the grain auger. The authors developed a methodology for choosing the parameters of zonal typical farms based on the following parameters of the transport grain flow: the trip duration along a “field – elevator – field” route, the number of round trips per day, loading capacity of a vehicle; duration, volume, range and speed of transportation, and the coefficient of capacity utilization. It has been revealed that the round trip duration is the most variable parameter. (Results and discussion) The authors have proposed an algorithm for calculating the parameters of typical (model) seed farms in Kazakhstan based on statistics obtained from the Statistical Office of the Republic. Three categories of grain-producing regions were distinguished, for each of which the number of seed-growing farms was determined: 171 – for category I, 128 – for category II, 282 – for category III, with a total of 581 farms. The average area of each farm amounts to 2760; 656, and 276 hectares, respectively; round trip periods last for 68.4; 49.5, and 35.5 minutes. (Conclusions) It has been determined that the total demand for grain seeds in Kazakhstan is about 2 million tons. The authors have calculated the required number of seed farms, which equals 581. The total demand for vehicles equipped with low-frequency electromagnetic irradiators has been estimated as equaling 5700 units.

Damage and destruction of seeds by working parts of agricultural machinery affects the quality of future harvest. Presowing treatment of seeds is carried out, as a rule, with machines of periodic cyclic action. (Research purpose) To determine the degree of damage caused to seeds during pre-sowing treatment with chemical and biological dressing agents in cyclic machines, to analyze the interaction processes between seeds and working parts of pre-sowing treatment machines of cyclic action. (Materials and methods) The authors examined possible options of sequencing the interaction between working parts of machines and seeds and determined the shock mechanical impact on seeds made by working parts. Basing on research results obtained by other scientists as well as a wide range of theoretical and experimental studies and the best available practices, the authors have made a comparative analysis of the existing technological solutions. (Results and discussion) The authors have examined the effect of working parts on the degree of damage caused to seeds at various stages of pre-sowing treatment: while loading, mixing, and unloading. (Conclusions) The most sparing technological process has been identified, including loading the drum with a bucket elevator and unloading the material into piles or elastic containers. In this case, damage caused to grain seeds will amount to 2.2-4.5 percent, and those of legumes – not more than 6 percent. It is recommended not to use auger loaders and paddle mixers when designing cyclic machines, since they cause severe damage to seeds, especially those of legumes, of up to 20-32 percent. The seed damage rate can be decreased due to the use of modern materials featuring high elasticity and capable of withstanding considerable stretching within the limits of elastic deformations.