Intensifi cation of agricultural production increases the burden on the environment. Modern management and planning of agricultural activity requires a comprehensive assessment of the environmental status of the industry. (Research purpose) To develop recommendations for improving the environmental safety of agricultural production based on the implementation of the best available technologies, methods for monitoring and controlling technological processes for the disposal of organic animal waste. (Materials and methods) The authors studied agricultural enterprises, their specialization and production capacities, technologies for manure and litter utilization. The studies included an assessment of enterprises according to the criteria approved in the recommendations of Helsinki Commission for the Baltic Sea. The authors used standard methods for processing statistical, fi eld and personal data. (Results and discussion) The authors conducted a state analysis of the agro-industrial complex of Leningrad Region in terms of the organic waste formation from animal husbandry and poultry farming, and evaluated the potential for their use. They studied 142 large complexes, which produce more than 90 percent of livestock and poultry products. The average livestock density in Leningrad Region is 2.2 conventional heads per hectare of cultivated agricultural land. They showed that there are 22,200 households in southern Finland, 79 percent of which are plant growing enterprises that are engaged in small-scale production. They took into account the specifi c features of the studied territories in terms of nutrient load and proposed a system of environmental impact regulation. (Conclusions) The authors developed 4 main recommendation sections to reduce the risks of biogenic environmental pollution: the development of an industrial environmental control system based on technological regulations; mastering the system of regional monitoring and coordination of work with organic fertilizers; adoption and implementation of a program of livestock enterprises technological and technical modernization in terms of the organic waste disposal; creation of demonstration platforms for environmental specialists advanced training in the implementation of modern technological solutions.

When testing agricultural machinery in order to determine its functional indicators, the ability to wirelessly transmit data between sensors, measuring and information systems are important. (Research purpose) To develop methods and create wireless digital devices for determining the functional indicators of agricultural tractors and machines with the ability to wirelessly transmit data to a remote control point in real time. (Materials and methods) The authors assumed that it was possible to determine the slipping of driving wheels using an inertial navigation system. It was found that in order to calculate real-time indicators obtained using wireless technologies, it was necessary to determine the characteristics of the input signals of discrete sensors on the side of the measuring system. (Results and discussions) The authors substantiated a method for determining the period of incoming signals of discrete sensors with an accuracy of 0.001 seconds for wireless information transmission. They proposed the design of a slipping sensor for an energy vehicle driving wheels, the main element of which is an inertial wheel position sensor. They developed a discrete signal input module and an inertial slipping sensor with the possibility of wireless data transmission based on a radio system with a carrier frequency of 433 megahertz. During field tests, it was found that the accuracy of determining slippage using the inertial wireless sensor IP-291 does not exceed 1 percent; the range of stable radio communication from the tested object to the test control center reaches 1000 meters; the current indicators obtained through digital radio communication did not differ from the indicators obtained in the tractor cab. (Conclusions) The authors worked out an effective system for wireless information transfer with the ability to calculate the performance of the tested equipment in real time.

The production of tillage equipment is focused on the growing use of soil-protective and resource-saving farming and the use of the precision agriculture in tillage principles. The differentiated tillage concept arose, and occupied an intermediate position between traditional and anti-erosion (shallow) types of tillage. The authors conducted an analysis of technical systems for tillage quality digital control taking into account the indicated trends. They indicated that there was a certain inconsistency in the soil cultivation systems names in the scientific literature. (Research purpose) To provide an analytical overview of the tillage digital quality control technical systems. (Materials and methods) The authors used manufacturers’ brochures of tillage equipment, patents and scientific works. (Results and discussion) The authors examined the commercial offers existing in the world market in the differentiated tillage and digital quality control systems spheres. They presented an analysis of similar solutions available in the world scientific literature. They studied the issues of controlling the angle of disks’ attack, the depth of tillage, the soil surface ridging, the average size of the soil lumps, the amount of crop residues, determining the soil properties in a non-contact way. They identified the fragmentation of scientific and industrial developments in the sphere of tillage quality control. They suggested combining them into one system to automate the process of differentiated tillage. (Conclusions) It was shown that tillage equipment is becoming more adaptable in terms of meeting the specific requirements of the farmer for tillage. The authors identified promising areas for the future development of tillage machines: the inclusion of different subsystems of tillage quality digital control in the same system and the automation of differentiated tillage.

In the process of post-harvest processing of root crops and potatoes in Russia, mechanical sortings of various types are used, which allows to separate the material according to the size criterion and removing impurities. The main requirement for this equipment is to ensure the quality and reliability of technological processes for the impurities separation and the root crops separation into fractions with minimal damage. (Research purpose) To improve the quality of potato tubers sorting using an automated line for post-harvest processing of root crops and potatoes, which allows to reduce their damage and ensure high accuracy of separation into fractions by size. (Materials and methods) The authors studied the automated process of root crops post-harvest processing. They developed approaches and basic technical, technological and constructive solutions aimed at improving the efficiency of root crops and potatoes post-harvest processing. To automate the root crops and potatoes processing, the authors installed the universal web camera Logitech HD Pro C920. They created a basic block diagram of the electronic line system operation. (Results and discussion) The authors clarified the size and mass characteristics of potato tubers with a total weight of 38 356 grams of Nevsky variety of the 2019 harvest and their shape coefficient. They developed design documentation. An experimental line was prepared for potato tubers post-harvest sorting with an original circuit diagram of the electronic system operation. The authors substantiated its design and operational-technological parameters. Practical studies of the automated line work were carried out in the Ryazan region on the basis of the Institute of Seed Production and Agrotechnologies – a branch of the Federal Scientific Agroengineering Center VIM. (Conclusions) The authors determined that the developed automated line for root crops and potatoes post-harvest sorting thanks to digital technologies reduced labor costs by eliminating manual sorting, as well as improving the quality of potato tubers and the accuracy of sorting by size to 95-98 percent. It was revealed that damage to potato tubers did not exceed one percent.

The paper presents a description of a newly developed device for the robotic harvesting of garden strawberry. The device features versatility, the simplicity of design, ease of adaptation to an automated platform. (Research purpose) To study the conditions for harvesting garden strawberry with robotic machines, develop a method for picking berries and determine the parameters of the working element for robotic harvesting, taking into account the mechanical impact on berries and the degree of the berry damage. (Materials and methods) The authors prepared an experimental methodology of studying the physical-and-mechanical properties of garden strawberry and calculated the critical speed of the impact of berries when picked by the working element. To prove the effectiveness of the working element operation, a comprehensive analysis of the physical-and-mechanical parameters of berries was carried out. (Results and discussion) The study has shown that the strength of garden strawberry is largely dependent on such major factors as cultivation conditions, as well as the variety and size of berries. It has been found that the specific strength of various parts of berries ranges from 0.0094 to 0.0262 kilogram-force per square meter. The skin of the Zenga-Zengana and Rarekot varieties has proved to possess the greatest strength, while that of the Festivalnaya variety - the smallest one. The authors have shown that the base and the tops of berries are about 1.2 times stronger than the skin of their rest part. It has been found that the berry shell has the property of elasticity. When berries are squeezed, their deformation is proportional to the load applied. The authors have proposed a design of a moving robotic platform with a cutting working element mounted on a manipulator. As a result, berry removal can be implemented by cutting the stem with the least damage. (Conclusions) The authors have proposed a device for the robotic harvesting of garden strawberry, which is distinguished among its counterparts by its ability to significantly reduce the mechanical impact on the target object, as well as preserve the appearance and quality characteristics of berries.

The development of domestic primary maize seed production requires the development of new threshing devices capable to minimize seed grains macro- and microdamage. (Research purpose) To justify the design and technological parameters of the axial-rotary threshing and separating device for varietal and hybrid maize with a device that ensures the cobs orientation in space before threshing and partial violation of their grain structure by friction during swirling by air flow. (Materials and methods) The authors used system analysis methods, ensuring the principle of flow in mechanized lines, building algorithms for the automated systems operation and designing agricultural machines. (Results and discussion) To minimize corn grain damage, the authors recommended the sequence of technological process operations of threshing with an axial-rotary threshing-separating device, into which the cobs were fed in a strictly oriented spatial position with a partially broken grain structure. They improved the orienting- dispensing loading device, presented in the form of a vortex orienting dispenser equipped with an automatic loading level control system. The authors established the design parameters of the vortex orienting batcher based on the experimental determination of the corn cobs mechanical and technological parameters. They proposed methods, equipment and devices for determining the angle of corn cobs repose. The authors calculated the dimensional parameters of the funnel window for the corn cob output and the metering vortex tube diameter. (Conclusions) The authors developed the design of a threshing-separating device with a device for orienting corn cobs in space before threshing and partial violation of their grain structure by friction during swirling by an air stream. They determined the funnel window optimal parameters at the bottom of the vortex orienting batcher: length – 0.378 meters, width – 0.122 meters, vortex tube diameter – at least 0.624 meters.

To improve the quality of the pneumatic sowing apparatus, it is necessary to study its aerodynamics. (Research purpose) Determination of air flow distribution in the upper part of the seed chamber of the sowing apparatus, taking into account the protrusions of the sowing disk, on which the quality of seeds dosing depends. (Materials and methods) The author chose a sowing apparatus operating at overpressure as an object of research. The author showed that the seed chamber constant sealing in it is provided by the protrusions of the sowing disk, which are made with cut edges on the side of the sowing disk metering element in two planes. The author applied computer simulation of the sowing apparatus. To conduct a numerical experiment, the initial and boundary conditions were determined, and the rotation of the seed disk was taken into account. The calculation of the model was carried out by changing the volumetric air flow in the range of 15-35 liters per second. (Results and discussion) The author constructed isolines of the air velocity distribution at various air flow rates. He determined the values of the air flow in the directions X, Y and Z in the sowing apparatus seed chamber. It was revealed that the largest and the smallest values of this indicator are achieved at 35 and 25 liters per second respectively. It was shown that at an air flow rate in the range of 15-25 liters per second, the distribution of the air flow in the upper part of the seed chamber would be optimal for transporting the seeds with a metering element. The air flow velocity components in Z direction vary in the range from 5.4 to 16.5 meters per second, and in the X and Y directions do not exceed 8 meters per second. (Conclusions) Based on simulation modeling, the author constructed and analyzed graphs of air flow velocity components changes in the three directions of air flow propagation. He determined the nature of the distribution of air flow in the excess seeds discharge area in the design of protrusions with cut corners. He proposed a rational range of air volumetric flow rate of 15-25 liters per second.

The authors showed that the multichannel system state graph of modern tractors, combines and agricultural machinery in Uzbekistan, by the nature of its functioning, was a kind of mass service system. They confirmed that this circumstance was not taken into account when studying the existing system of corporate technical service. They pointed out the relevance of determining the influence of the branded technical service system parameters on its condition using the methods of the mass service theory. (Research purpose) To evaluate the state parameters of a proprietary technical service multichannel system according to the results of the timing of combine harvesters maintenance. (Materials and methods) The authors studied the multi-channel system state graph of a proprietary technical service without a queue. The system included 109 Case-2166 combine harvesters and 7 car-mobile workshops. They used the methods of mass service theory. (Results and discussion) The authors established a linear relationship between the number of occupied car-mobile workshops and the average value of the service time at a constant intensity of requirements. It was revealed that it took 3.33 hours to fix one malfunction of one combine, that is, one workshop would be occupied. If 3.24 demands were received in the service center in one hour, then all 7 auto-moving workshops would be occupied. (Conclusions) The authors revealed that for a single-channel proprietary technical service system the average value of the time for eliminating one malfunction of one combine should not exceed 3.33 hours. They calculated the parameters at which all channels (7 workshops) will be occupied in the 7-channel system of corporate technical service: 3.24 requirements arose in one hour, on average, each workshop took 2.16 hours to fix one malfunction.

The authors showed that traditional sodium greenhouse irradiators are being replaced by more efficient LED ones. (Research purpose) To conduct a comparative assessment of the main characteristics of sodium and LED greenhouse irradiators with an equal photosynthetic photon flux. (Materials and methods) The authors collected a database of 79 sodium irradiators (34 irradiators with electronic ballasts and 45 – with electromagnetic) and 118 – LED. A comparative assessment was carried out in two stages. At the first stage mathematical models of the power, mass, area and cost of irradiation facilities dependence on the photosynthetic photon flux generated by them were obtained. At the second stage the system of equations of sodium and LED greenhouse irradiators for each characteristic were solved. (Results and discussion) The consumed active power of LED irradiators is on average 33 percent less compared to sodium. The area of LED illuminators is 2.5 times larger than sodium irradiators with electronic ballast and 44 percent more than sodium irradiators with electromagnetic ballast. The LED irradiators mass is 3.5 times more than sodium with electronic ballast and 20 percent more than sodium with electromagnetic ballast. The cost of LED illuminators is 3.5 and 4.3 times higher. (Conclusions) LED irradiators are more energy efficient compared to sodium ones. However, due to the high cost, their implementation requires a feasibility study, including additional evaluation criteria: service life, operating costs, electricity price and others.

Global car manufacturers wish to increase the number of manufactured products, reduce their cost and labor input. The choice of research areas, design and technological developments in radiator construction is an extremely important and urgent task, due to the mass production of radiators for tractors and automobiles on the one hand, and the favorable development prospects of these interrelated industries, on the other. (Research purpose) To substantiate theoretically and experimentally the use of a combined cooling system containing both aluminum and polymeric water radiators and similarly liquid-oil heat exchangers based on the four principles listed above on automobiles and tractors. (Materials and methods) The authors performed bench tests using a special wind tunnel to study the thermal and aerodynamic characteristics of a prototype tractor radiator with a polyurethane core. After reaching the steady-state operating mode of the installation, the experimental values were determined for the control and measuring instruments. (Results and discussion) The authors carried out measurements of all parameters of both coolants in series at each steady-state operating mode of the bench. They obtained the main indicators dependences (reduced heat transfer, aerodynamic and hydraulic drag) of the heat exchanger, close to the operating conditions of the vehicles. (Conclusions) A prototype MTZ-80 radiator with a polyurethane core has great prospects as a future alternative radiator. An increase by 10-15 percent in the radiator heat transfer is possible by using aluminum fi ns on the surface of the polyurethane plate. A 15-20 percent reduction in hydrodynamic resistance is achieved by increasing the diameter of the capillary throughput in a polyurethane plate and the number of plates themselves in the radiator cell.

Digital agricultural production is based on robotic agricultural technologies for the use of pesticides and fertilizers using unmanned aerial systems, which are based on unmanned aerial vehicles for monitoring agricultural land, the pesticides application, fertilizers and other agrochemicals. (Research purpose) To develop an unmanned helicopter based aircraft for applying pesticides and fertilizers, and to substantiate its technological parameters. (Materials and methods) The authors used methodological recommendations on the use of chemicals in the precision farming system, regulatory and technical documentation for unmanned aircraft systems. (Results and discussion) The authors determined the unmanned aerial vehicle main flight technical and technological parameters for the implementation of the applying pesticides and fertilizers process. They established the dependences of its productivity on the norms of introducing working fluids of pesticides and fertilizers, the agricultural field length, and the approach distance to the field. (Conclusions) The authors developed a helicopter-type unmanned aerial vehicle of a coaxial design with a take-off mass of 280 kilograms and a payload of 50-80 kilograms, a rotor diameter of 5.3 meters, a constructive boom width with sprayers of 5 meters, a working flight height of 1-5 meters, a working speed of 40-60 kilometers per hour, the rate of working fluid of pesticides application 10-20 liters per hectare and nitrogen fertilizers 30-120 liters per hectare. They established rational values for the application rates of pesticides – 10-20 liters per hectare, the agricultural field length – at least 0.8 kilometers, ensuring maximum productivity in flight hour when processing the agricultural field. They showed that the flight distance minimizing from the runway to the field significantly increased the productivity of applying pesticides and fertilizers.

To obtain long and short flax fiber of high quality under the conventional processing technology, retted flax straw of no less than grade 1.5 is required. However, according to some data, low-grade retted straw flax of grade 0.75 and lower used at some flax-processing plants can make up to 30 percent of the total mass of harvested raw materials. To maintain profitability, this retted straw must be processed into short homogenous fiber using new innovative technologies and equipment. (Research purpose) Study of the technological process of primary processing of low-grade retted straw flax, starting from the field and finishing at a flax-processing plant in various technological lines, determination of the rational composition of technological equipment of post-treatment lines of chaff -fiber mass obtained in the field with the flax-harvesting combine KVL-1, as well as determination of quality indicators of the obtained fiber. (Materials and methods) For research purpose, two types of low-grade retted straw were used as raw material: type 1 – retted straw grade1.0, type 2 – retted straw no.0.5, taken from Russian flax-processing plants. Primary processing of retted straw was carried out directly in the field with the flax-harvesting combine KVL-1. Further, the resulting chaff -fiber mass was transported to the laboratory and cleaned in the stationary conditions in various lines consisting of commercially available disintegrator DLV-2 and tow shakers with a lower gilling section. (Results and discussion) Analysis of the research results has revealed that the raw material used – low-grade retted flax straw – features low strength and high separability of fiber. The authors have put forward some recommendations on using the technology of processing low-grade retted flax straw into homogeneous fiber. (Conclusion) The authors have described the design of two technological lines for processing low-grade retted flax straw according to the ‘field-plant’ pattern. Using these lines, one can produce homogeneous flax fiber (monofilament) with an average mass length of 189-195 millimeter, a linear density of 5.6-6.2 Tex and a mass fraction of chaff of 6.7-16.7 percent. It is emphasized that the proposed technologies allow obtaining homogeneous fiber of a grade not exceeding 2 from low-grade retted flax straw. This type of fibre can be used to produce between-joisting and volumetric sealants, nonwoven materials, modified flax fibre, cellulose, technical and medical cotton wool, low-grade yarn, composites, etc.

The authors noted the disadvantages of fan sprayers such as OVH-600 and VP-1, associated with uneven application of pesticides due to the oscillatory motion of the working parts, especially in the junction of adjacent passages. (Research purpose) To increase the uniformity of the pesticide solution application over the entire width of the fan sprayer. (Materials and methods) The JV «Agriхim» developed a universal fan sprayer designed for the treatment of field crops, orchards and vineyards controlled by air-droplet flow. It was shown that the number of nozzles depends on the technological scheme of operation and the width of the sprayer. (Results and discussion) The authors determined the optimal number of injectors – 25 pieces. Depending on the flow rate of the working solution, three groups of tips were distinguished. (Conclusions) The authors revealed that the new design eliminates oscillatory movements of the working parts of the sprayer, a significant width (24 meters vs. 16 meters in production models) allows to increase dramatically the productivity of work, and the number of changeovers is minimized. They simplified and cheapened the design of the sprayer due to the rejection of a number of kinematic pairs and drives. They increased reliability of the unit, eliminating rubbing and moving parts and components. They presented the layout of 25 nozzles for high-quality pesticide treatment: 5 rear central nozzles were installed on the air ducts at an angle relative to the soil surface, and on the opposite direction of the air ducts placed 3 and 7 nozzles in each side of the axis of symmetry of the sprayer. It was calculated that the rate of flow of the working fluid in the range of 100-500 liters per hectare can be adjusted by changing the pressure in the system from 2 to 8 bar and the working speed from 3 to 7 kilometers per hour.